rehang door opposite side

[junebug29]

I would like to rehang the door in my bathroom. I want it to continue to swing into the bathroom, but on the other side.

what's the best way to go about this? i figure, I could just rotate the door 180 degrees, but I guess I run the risk the door is asymmetric in some way and no longer fits. however, if it did, it would have the advantage that I wouldn't need to move the hinges to the opposite side of the door and make good on the old hinge recesses in the door. So, is this a common way to do this? how likely is the door not going to fit if rotated.

I guess the other route is to not rotate the door and move the hinges. that might be easier.

I know if I rotate the door a may have to move the handle and lock as well as they are unlikely to be vertically centred.

 

[ladylola]

Probably highly unlikely that the door will be a perfect fit if you turn it round. For one thing the lock side will have a leading edge on it meaning that it is planed out of square . Turn the door around and this leading edge is the wrong way round and you will have a larger gap on the new hinge side.
To be honest it's probably far easier to just rehang the door as it is sitting now. The only real issue is that of cosmetics in that you will have to repair or patch up the old hinge and lock cut outs.
Actually I've just thought there is something else to consider. If this is a flush door and a cheaper one at that you can find that they can only be hung one way. I.e. they have a hinge side and a lock side with blocks in the construction to give something to fix to . Turn the door round or fit it the wrong way round and you have just few millimeters to screw to.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

If it is a cheap cardboard box door, the good news is they do not cost much new. You'll have to plane it to fit, and fit the lock and hinges.

 

[foxhole]

New door.

 

[junebug29]

Probably highly unlikely that the door will be a perfect fit if you turn it round. For one thing the lock side will have a leading edge on it meaning that it is planed out of square . Turn the door around and this leading edge is the wrong way round and you will have a larger gap on the new hinge side.

I don't really know what you mean "the lock side will have a leading edge etc". Can you explain again? and if the door doesn't fit perfectly, i could plane it, right? I guess it could be really bad.

To be honest it's probably far easier to just rehang the door as it is sitting now. The only real issue is that of cosmetics in that you will have to repair or patch up the old hinge and lock cut outs.

that's what i thought, but then you said:

Actually I've just thought there is something else to consider. If this is a flush door and a cheaper one at that you can find that they can only be hung one way. I.e. they have a hinge side and a lock side with blocks in the construction to give something to fix to . Turn the door round or fit it the wrong way round and you have just few millimeters to screw to.

How can I tell? I understand what you are saying here. the hinge side probably has a thicker piece of wood in it and the other side may not. How can I tell?

i am pretty sure the door is a hollow wood door. I can't imagine cardboard feels this woody. my guess is that it is relatively cheap.

New door.

is that really necessary? why do you think so?

 

[noseall]

All inexpensive hollow pressed type doors have a hinge side and a lock side.

The lock side has a built in lock block whereby a solid piece of timber is sandwiched into the space specifically to receive the latch etc.

When you fit/plane a door, you should chamfer the leading edge so that it eases into the frame rebate without catching. I.e. the edge will not be square anymore but sloping in. This could work against you should you reverse the door.

A pro would scrap it and buy a new one.

If you are unable to utilise the lock side on your new swinging arrangement then sling it.

If however you don't mind faffing about filling planing and packing the go for it. Bear in mind these things usually cost less than twenty quid.

 

[junebug29]

All inexpensive hollow pressed type doors have a hinge side and a lock side.

The lock side has a built in lock block whereby a solid piece of timber is sandwiched into the space specifically to receive the latch etc.

When you fit/plane a door, you should chamfer the leading edge so that it eases into the frame rebate without catching. I.e. the edge will not be square anymore but sloping in. This could work against you should you reverse the door.

A pro would scrap it and buy a new one.

If you are unable to utilise the lock side on your new swinging arrangement then sling it.

If however you don't mind faffing about filling planing and packing the go for it. Bear in mind these things usually cost less than twenty quid.

Thanks for the tip.

I wouldn't actually mind changing all the doors to something a little less plain. we would have to replace 5 interior doors, but I just looked and a slightly fancier looking interior door goes for what you said, 20 quid.

Just to clarify, does "chamfering" a door mean to bevel it? sounds like it.

So would a new door like

http://www.builderdepot.co.uk/internal-moulded-woodgrain-4-panel-door-1981-x-762-x-35mm.html

already have that done? if so, a door must have both a hinged side, and a swinging direction (hinge side as you said, and bevel gives swinging direction). is that right?

 

[rjm2k]

One more thing to consider when rehanging a door like this is the position of the light switch, tho it may not be an issue for a bathroom.