How to Put Butterfly Hinges on a Screen Door in 4 Simple Steps

Before installing your hinges, check your local building code. Where you place your hinges determines the direction your door opens, and some building codes require doors to open in the direction of egress.

As a rule, If you put your hinges on the inside of the door, the door will swing inwards, which is ideal for interior doors. If you put the hinges on the outside of the door, the door will swing outwards, which is ideal for exterior doors.

Use a ruler to measure out the placement of your hinges and mark the location with a pencil. You’ll need at least one hinge at the top of your door (around 5 inches on center from the top) and one hinge at the bottom of your door (around 10 inches on center from the bottom). If you need to use additional hinges, spread them out evenly between the top and bottom hinges.

Some door hinges have to be level with the surface of the door, requiring you to cut an indent known as a mortise. To do this, you can trace the outline of each hinge on the door in the correct location. Use a utility knife to score the outline at the exact depth of the hinge. Put your chisel in the score and gently dig away at the wood until the indent is the exact size of hinge.

To check your work, pop your hinge into the mortise. When you run your fingers over the hinge, it should feel flush with the door. If it sticks out, shave away more wood with your chisel. If it lays too deep, add a shim under your hinge.

Use a drill to screw the hinges into place. Most hinges come with screws, but If not, the screw size for your door hinges should be listed somewhere on the packaging. A self-leveling drill bit will help you screw the hinges directly in the center of the screw holes.

Once you attach your hinges to your door, you can hang your door by installing the door hinges in the correct location on the door frame.