MKM's Ultimate Guide to Internal Doors

MKM's Ultimate Guide to Internal Doors

So, you've decided it's time for a touch of the DIY magic. Wander with us through the possibilities available with LPD internal doors at MKM, where doors are the perfect finishing touch for any home.

Online at MKM.com, we have internal doors of many colours and finishes to suit every room, from white to oak to grey and so much more. Perhaps you will choose to open up the room with an internal door that features glass, or you will opt for a neutral and uniform look with oak panelled throughout. Let's unlock the secrets to choosing and hanging these home improvement essentials.

Finding the right door for your home

Styles include traditional and contemporary designs which are suitable for different interior aesthetics. Sizes range from standard dimensions to bespoke options, accommodating varying doorframe specifications.

Regarding finishes, options include primed, pre-finished and unfinished, providing flexibility to match or complement existing decor themes. Similarly, colours span from classic neutrals like white and grey to bolder hues with customisation according to your style.

Key benefits of the internal doors offered at mkm.com include:

• Versatility: The diverse range of styles, sizes, finishes, and colours caters to a wide array of interior design preferences and requirements.
• Convenience: Pre-finished options streamline the installation process, saving time and effort for homeowners and DIY enthusiasts. What’s more, you can order online with delivery straight to your front door!
• Quality: LPD Doors are renowned for their craftsmanship and durability, ensuring long-lasting performance and value for money.

The First Step: Installing your interior door

The world is your hinge, and you're ready to swing into action. But can you, really?

The Right Door for Your Skill Level

Before you dive in, it's crucial to select a door that aligns with your DIY skillset. Some of our doors come pre-finished, which makes them the ideal choice for rookies because they come painted ready to hang, so don’t need to be painted at home. 

Tools of the door-hanging trade

Every DIY’er needs their trusty tools by their side. For an internal door installation, you'll want a pencil (to mark guidelines), a tape measure, a planer (for that custom fit), and, of course, the hinges and screws. Explore a range of tools online and in branch to help you with the job.

Frame into Frame: Installing Experience

The new frame must be level and plumb, providing a stable resting place for the new door. Explore a range of frames, linings and cases, available in a wide range of sizes for interior and exterior doors with a choice of materials, including hard and soft woods.

A Step-By-Step Doorway Guide

1. Measure your new door to size, if the old door was a good fit, use it as a guide for your brand-new door. You can use the handy filters available on our website to filter by size, to suit your doorway. Check the range you are after and check those measurements, by rounding up. If you are measuring a frame with no door, you need to measure the top, middle and bottom (for width) and also the left, right and middle (for height). Once you have this, then use the largest measurement to determine height X width.
2. Start by ensuring your opening is plumb and level
3. Next, brace your door in the frame, aligning the hinges and carefully marking where they need to be. To make your job easier, pop a wedge under the door to stop it falling through whilst you do this.
4. Remember to keep holding the door up so that it has a gap underneath. Insert a wedge underneath to keep it in place.
5. Measure a 2mm gap around the top and sides of the door
6. After marking up your measurements with a pencil, use a hand or powered plane to remove equal amounts from each side of the door. This should now fit inside your well measured frame.
7. Once trimmed to size you can start to think about hinges. Hold the door up in the frame using the wedge underneath and ensuring an equal gap around the edges, mark the position of the existing hinges.
8. Draw around each of your marks and don't forget to measure the thickness of your metal hinge plate. Mark a line on the door to suit.
9. Gradually chisel out the hinge recesses on the door. Take your time with this part and wear safety goggles. Take care not to split the wood, making a few cuts and not just one.
10. Drill your hinge in place
11. Get your wedge back in place and position your door at 90 degrees, fix just one screw into each of the hinges so that you can check that your door opens easily with no catching or scuffing. Once you are happy, simply secure the door in place by screwing all screws in the hinge holes.

 

How Long Does It Actually Take to Hang an Internal Door?

Speed is subjective. A seasoned DIYer might hang a door in an hour, while a first-timer could take a leisurely DIY-day to perfect the process.

Can the Door Be Hung Either Way?

Most internal doors are reversible, a magical quality that lets you decide whether it should open left, right, in, or out. If your doorway already has hinges in place, remember to consider this as this may be a lengthier process.

The 'One Way Trap' Myth

Gone are the days of doors that only swing one way. In today's world of DIY, adaptability is key. As you peruse through our doors, you’ll find that many are purposefully designed to be versatile, making them perfect for any room and providing a flexibility that suits your interior layout.

Hinge Fitting: Door or Frame First?

Some questions in life have no absolute answers, like whether to fit the hinges to the door or the frame first. We suggest fitting to the door first, this will allow you to appropriately align your door before committing.

Fitting hinges to the door first gives you a clear blueprint of what you're working with. For many, this method provides a structured approach that ensures the door and frame align seamlessly. Those who advocate for framing first claim that the frame anchors the hinges in a way that guarantees a balance of security and swivel.

Before you go…

Let your choice of door reflect the personality of your home and let the process of hanging it remind you that you're capable of more than you might think. So, as you select your door from MKM, make sure it suits your homes character and style, you'll not fall short of options online at mkm.com, that's for sure. Your DIY adventure awaits, with a door to be hung at every turn. 

Shop doors online at mkm.