How-To Guide · Doors
Door Installation Guide: How to Fit a Wooden or Flush Door in 9 Steps
A good door can be ruined by a bad installation: it drags on the floor, will not latch, swings open by itself or swells at the bottom within a year. Most problems come from the frame, the gaps and the hinges. Here is a nine-step guide to installing a wooden or flush door, the right gaps and hinge positions, the tools you need, and the mistakes to avoid, with door and frame rates from our Lati Bazar store.
How to Install a Door in 9 Steps
Step 1
Choose the door and frame
MR flush door for bedrooms, BWP flush, WPC or PVC for bathrooms, 35 mm BWP or teak for the main door. Use a WPC frame in bathrooms and on damp ground floors.
Step 2
Fix the frame first
Fix the frame (chaukhat) with hold-fasts or anchor fasteners before plastering, plumb and square, with a floor gap in wet areas so it never stands in water. Rates: door frame (chaukhat) price.
Step 3
Wait for the floor and plaster
Hang the shutter after flooring, plaster and heavy work, so it is not damaged or soaked.
Step 4
Measure the opening
Measure the frame rebate at the top, middle and bottom, and the height at both sides; take the smallest.
Step 5
Size the shutter
Trim the door to leave about 3 mm at the sides and top and about 6–10 mm at the bottom (10–12 mm in bathrooms). Seal every cut edge.
Step 6
Mark and cut the hinges
Three hinges on most doors, four on main and heavy doors: about 7 in from the top, 11 in from the bottom, and one in the middle. Chisel recesses so they sit flush.
Step 7
Hang and check the swing
Fix the hinges to the door, then the frame. Check the door swings freely and stays where you leave it; adjust hinge depth if it drifts.
Step 8
Fit the lock and handle
Lock and handle at about 3–3.5 ft from the floor, into the lock block of a flush door. Add a stopper, magnet or door closer.
Step 9
Finish and seal
Laminate or polish both faces and seal all edges, especially the bottom, before the door goes into daily use.
Door Gaps, Hinges and Heights
| Item | Typical value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Side and top gap | About 3 mm | Even all round so the door does not rub |
| Bottom gap, rooms | 6–10 mm | More over carpets or rugs |
| Bottom gap, bathrooms | 10–12 mm | Keeps the door edge out of water; helps ventilation |
| Hinges | 3 (4 on main doors) | Stainless steel in bathrooms |
| Hinge positions | 7 in from top, 11 in from bottom, one centred | Fourth hinge just below the top one on heavy doors |
| Lock and handle height | 3–3.5 ft | Into the lock block of a flush door |
Tools: measuring tape, spirit level, pencil, saw, chisel, drill and bits, screwdriver, hammer, plane, shims and putty. Standard opening sizes: door size chart · thickness: flush door thickness.
What You Need: 7 × 3 ft Door
| Item | Price at our store |
|---|---|
| 30 mm MR double core flush door | ₹2,520 (₹120 / sq ft) |
| WPC frame, 4″ × 2.5″ | ₹2,856 (₹168 per running ft) |
| Teak frame, 4″ × 2.5″ | About 1.4 cft of timber: ₹2,987–₹4,752 (Ghana to Sudan teak) |
| 1 mm laminate, both faces | ₹2,420 |
GST, hardware and labour extra. All options: door price in Ahmedabad · WPC doors and frames · flush doors.
Common Installation Mistakes
Hanging the shutter before plaster and flooring, so it gets soaked or damaged. An out-of-plumb frame, which makes the door swing open or closed by itself. Too little bottom gap in bathrooms, so the edge sits in water and swells. Unsealed cut edges after trimming. Only two hinges on a heavy door, which then sags. A wooden frame in a wet bathroom, which rots at the base; use WPC. Screwing the lock outside the lock block of a flush door. For fixing problems later, see common door problems.
Choosing the Right Door
Bedrooms: MR double core flush door with laminate. Bathrooms: BWP flush, WPC or PVC door with a WPC frame; see best door for bathroom. Main door: 35 mm BWP flush with veneer, 30 mm WPC or teak; see best wood for main door.
Samta Plywood Centre at Lati Bazar, near Gita Mandir, stocks flush doors, WPC and PVC doors, WPC frames, teak and door laminates. WhatsApp us your door sizes for a door and frame quote with delivery across Ahmedabad.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much gap should be left around a door?
About 3 mm at the sides and top, 6 to 10 mm at the bottom for rooms, and 10 to 12 mm at the bottom for bathrooms.
How many hinges does a door need?
Three hinges for most internal doors and four for main and heavy doors, placed about 7 inches from the top, 11 inches from the bottom and one in the middle.
When should doors be installed in a new house?
Fix the frames before plastering, and hang the door shutters after flooring, plaster and heavy work are finished.
At what height should a door lock be fixed?
About 3 to 3.5 ft from the floor, into the lock block of a flush door.
Why does my door swing open by itself?
Usually the frame is not plumb or the hinges are not in line. Re-shim the frame or adjust the hinge depth.
Which frame is best for a bathroom door?
A WPC frame, which is waterproof and termite-proof. A 4 x 2.5 inch WPC frame is ₹137 per running ft at our store.
Can I install a flush door myself?
It is possible with the right tools, but a carpenter gets the frame, gaps and hinges right faster and more reliably.
Need Doors and Frames?
WhatsApp us your door sizes for a door and frame quote.