Both vertical sides of a door ("stiles") are referred to as the "bore" and/or "hinge" side. When a hollow-core door is manufactured, the factory glues lockblocks to the insides of both stiles and in the center to accept the handle. This means the doors are the same on both sides.

Doors are manufactured and sold as blanks or as pre-hungs. Pre-hungs are sold as left- or right-swing doors. If the pin of the hinge is located on the backside and on the left side of the door, then it's a left-hand door. In another words, if you push in on the door and it swings to the left, then it’s a left-hand door. A right-hand door is the opposite of a left-hand door, and its hinges are located on the back right side of the door. If you push in on the door, it will swing to the right.

Another way to look at it is to use the butt (posterior)-to-butt (pins of hinges) method. Standing on the hinge side of the door, close the door and stand with your back against it. If you look to the right and see hinges, then the door has a right-hand swing butt-to-butt. If you look to the left and see hinges, then the door has a left-hand swing butt-to-butt.

Click here to learn more about the skeleton or framework of a door.

[ Back to Top ]

C.R.S., Inc. · Spokane, Washington · USA