How much gap do you leave for hinges?

Author: Prof. Brian Harber MD  |  Last update: Monday, November 3, 2025

Leave a small gap between the door's frame and the edge of the hinge's leaf. The gap should be anywhere between 5/16" to 3/8", depending on door thickness and width of the hinge. Measure and mark appropriately before fastening the hinge to the frame. Too small of a gap will prevent the door from fully closing.

What is the standard spacing for hinges?

As a general rule, we use one hinge at the space of every 30 inches on our door or the fraction thereof. Depending on the door's height in question and its width, the standard need remains two to three inches for most interior doors.

How much space should I allow for hinges?

But honestly if it works and you like the looks, put the hinges wherever you like! From contributor I: The rule of thumb I learned in apprenticeship was 11 inches from the bottom, 7 from the top, with other(s) spaced equally in between. Nobody ever told me why, but I believe I know the reason.

How much clearance does a hinge need?

Where to Install Hinges: Generally, the bottom hinge will be 10 inches from the bottom edge of the door to the floor. The top hinge should be five inches from the jamb to the upper edge of the door.

What is the 7 11 hinge rule?

Location of Butt Hinges on the Door

Certain Western states use as a standard 7″ from the top and 11″ from the bottom. The third hinge should be centered between the top and the bottom hinges.

How to Fix a Sagging Door that Won't Close or is Rubbing - for FREE!!! (Step-by-Step Guide)

What is the rule of thumb for hinges?

As a rule, use one hinge per every 30 inches of door: Doors up to 60 inches need two hinges. Doors over 60 inches, but not over 90 inches, need three hinges. Doors over 90 inches, but not over 120 inches, need four hinges.

How much gap do you leave when hanging a door?

A gap of around 1/8th of an inch is recommended for standard doors to keep the elements out, protect the paint on the trim, and ensure that the door closes and opens smoothly. The right amount of space is equal to the thickness of your door with a little extra room for clearance while opening or closing.

Where to put hinges on an 80 inch door?

Determine the General Placement of the Hinges

Place the top hinge 5 inches from the top of the door and the bottom hinge 10 inches from the bottom of the door. If the door frame is already mortised, follow that placement pattern for the door.

What is the minimum gap between cabinet doors?

When you have a pair of doors covering one opening, you are going to plan for a 1/8" gap between them. So on our 1/2" overlay plan, the top and bottom of each doors will still have a 1/2" overlay, and the hinge side of each door will have a 1/2" overlay.

What is the gap between door hinges?

Leave a small gap between the door's frame and the edge of the hinge's leaf. The gap should be anywhere between 5/16" to 3/8", depending on door thickness and width of the hinge. Measure and mark appropriately before fastening the hinge to the frame. Too small of a gap will prevent the door from fully closing.

What is the rule for door hinges?

General rules to follow with Door Hinges

The top hinge should be located 150mm from the top of the sash, the bottom hinge should be located 150mm from the bottom of the sash, and the middle flag hinge should be positioned at an equal distance centrally between the top and bottom of the sash.

How much room do you need for hinges?

As a general rule of thumb, it's best to place hinges 10 inches from the bottom of the door and 5 inches from the top.

How to evenly space hinges?

The top hinge should be as close (high) as possible aligning with the Door Closer. The spacing between the top two hinges should be the equal to the height of the hinge being used. See example C.

How many hinge stops per door?

Q: If a door has 3 hinges, how many of them should have the door stop? A: Waterson recommends 2 hinges. One is on the top and the other is at the bottom.

How do you calculate hinges?

The required number of hinges is the result of the calculated torque M diveded by the stated fricton torque of a single hinge. At this kind of application, there is no axial force FA. z = required number of hinges MS = friction moment of a single hinge At hinges, the axial force FA and radial force FR are often stated.

What is the spacing for hinges?

Usually, hinges are installed 10 inches from the bottom of the door and 5 inches from the top. If you've decided on three hinges the third hinge can be installed in the middle of the top and bottom hinge. It is vital that the measurements are exactly the same on the door and frame to get the correct alignment.

How to measure door hinge spacing?

Start by measuring the distance from the top of the door to where the first hinge will be placed. Typically, you should locate the top hinge about 5 inches from the top and the bottom hinge approximately 10 inches from the bottom. You can position a third hinge equally between the top and bottom hinges.

What is the acceptable door gap?

the gap between the underside of the door and unfinished floor should be between 10mm and 22mm, with the ventilation requirements for the building taken into account when determining the gap beneath internal doors.

What is proper door spacing?

Hinge Margin: Space between the door panel and door frame on the hinge side of the door. A standard hinge margin is 1/16", but can vary based upon the hinges used. Strike Margin: Space between the door panel and door frame on the strike, or handle, side of the door. The standard strike margin is 5/32".

What is the code for the gap under a door?

NFPA 80 currently allows a maximum bottom gap of 3/4 in.

Do you put hinges on door or frame first?

You can attach the hinges to either the door or the frame first, depending on your preference. The order will not affect how the door hangs or the ease of installation.

What are the requirements for hinge?

Hinge is a dating app designed for people interested in longer term relationships. When creating your profile, you must include six photos or videos. Profiles also feature details such as age, height and religion, but instead of free-form text Hinge features a library of prompt questions.

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