How to Install Hardware on Wood Entry Doors

Install entry door hardware with simple tools.

Install entry door hardware with simple tools.

Wood entry doors will not last forever. If yours leaks, is weathered, cracked or warped, chances are that it will cost more to fix than replace. You can purchase doors ready to hang in almost any variety. Choose from raised-panel, solid slab, veneer-laminated and even particleboard. Whatever you chose, save money by installing the hardware yourself.


Most doors follow industry standards according to height and width. Door shops or home-improvement stores keep plenty of doors on hand that will fit your existing jambs. Doorknob hole and hinge placement is also standardized, but to ensure that your new door fits perfectly, take some detailed measurements first. Measure the exact location of your doorknob hole and the positions and configurations of the hinge body. It's a good idea to remove one of the hinges from the door and take it with you to the shop. The door shop will rout and drill your door to ensure that everything fits your existing jambs and you're ready to install the hardware.

Doorknob Hole

If your door doesn't have a doorknob hole, drill one yourself using a drill/driver and 2-1/8-inch hole saw. When you've determined the location for the hole, clamp a piece of plywood to the back of the door where the hole saw will emerge. This stops the possibility of splitting or cracking the wood on the opposite side. Drill into the door slowly, allowing the hole saw to work without binding. When you are most of the way through the door with the hole saw, ease up to let the bit penetrate through the other side and into the plywood block. Try to hold the drill as steady as possible. There are special drilling guides for this task that you can get at a home-improvement store. It holds the drill steady and straight. If you're unsure of your capability, rent or buy a guide for your drill.


Latch mechanisms require a 3/4-inch hole drilled into the side of the door to intersect the doorknob hole. When the hole is drilled, slide the striker latch mechanism into the hole to penetrate into the doorknob hole. The beveled side of the striker should face the interior side of the door. Slide it all the way in. A small brass plate at the end of the latch mechanism fits flush on the side of the door. Screw the plate to the door using two 3/4-inch screws provided with the doorknob kit. Slide the exterior half of the doorknob through the exterior side of the door. Insert the long rectangular piece attached to the doorknob, through the latch mechanism that you previously installed. Fit the interior half of the doorknob on the interior side of the door while holding the exterior side on with your other hand. Line up the screw holes on the interior side with the two rods on the exterior half. Insert screws into the interior side and tighten them with the drill/driver to connect the two doorknob halves together.


Hinge installation is straightforward and simple. After making measurements, trace the hinge placement on the side of the door. The hinges fit into shallow, 1/8-inch deep mortises. The mortises are rectangular depressions with corners that may be rounded or square. If you have square hinges, use a chisel to trim the corners out square so that the hinge fits into the mortise flat and evenly. If the hinges have rounded edges, it's OK to trim the mortises out square as well, it's easier and you'll never notice the difference. Just tap the end of a chisel with a hammer to trim the corners out. Test fit the hinge and trim as needed until the hinge fits snug. When the hinges fit, place the hinge into the mortise with the top of the hinge pin facing the top of the door. Screw the hinges to the door using 3/4-inch screws which are usually provided with hinges.

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