How to hang a door

Without doorways, walls would be nothing but an inconvenience. However, we all need a bit of privacy, so the ability to hang a door is priceless. Craig Phillips, host of Celebrity DIY on Home (weeknights at 9pm from 11 April), enlightens us.

1) “Lay the door on its side, mark up and set out where you require your three hinges to be notched out. Place the hinge on, and draw round it with a pencil.”

2) “Slowly notch out all three using a wood chisel and mallet. Place the hinges along the edge of the door where notched out. The hinges have holes in them where the screws will go. This shows you where to drill your pilot holes using a 3mm drill bit. Drive your screws in to hold the hinges firmly in position. Stand your door up and place it against the frame.”

3) “Using a pencil, mark up around the opposite edge of the hinge. Then, with a wood chisel, notch out the shape and depth of the hinge and pre-drill pilot holes. Lift your door back into position and drive the final screws through your hinge into the pilot holes, securing the door to the frame. Your door should now be hung and swinging. You may find the door is out of level and will require planing off. If so, pull it closed as far as it will go and scribe the edge of the frame on to the side of it with a pencil.”

4) “If it just requires a fraction off, you may be able to sand or plane it while it’s hanging. If not, unscrew your hinges and remove the door from the frame. Lie it down and plane off the opening edge to meet your line. Then re-hang your door and it should close nice and snug to the frame.”