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Determining the Hand or Handing Of A Door

I've been asked so many times how to determine the swing of a door, or its "handing", that I have finally broken down and posted this explanation.  My appreciation to the Brockway Smith Company , a.k.a. Brosco, for allowing us the use of their text and graphics.

Some sites have tried to explain handing in reference to your location inside or outside the room. This can be confusing since there are circumstances when it is difficult to determine which room to use as a reference point (such as doors between adjacent rooms).  This is the best explanation I've seen, including graphics.  Thanks, Brosco!!

If you are determining the handing of an exterior door, be sure to read my note!

Regarding the installation of locks... 

Most common round-handled locksets are reversible.  However, if you are installing curved lever-style locks, knowing your door's hand is important.   Both privacy (bedroom - bathroom) and keyed locksets have different inside and outside handles.  The lockset should have the hand noted on the packaging. There is more info about lock handing at the end of this article...

Interior Doors...

When the door opens toward you and the knob is on the left hand side, it is a LEFT HAND DOOR.
When the door opens toward you and the knob is on the right hand side, it is a RIGHT HAND DOOR.

Exterior Doors

(Note from NH:  Most interior doors are identical on both sides, but some exterior doors have a definite inside and outside.  So it is important to know not only the handing but whether the door is "inswing" or "outswing" when ordering.)

A final word...

Some knowledgeable do-it-yourselfers use other methods to determine door handing.  One common alternative is to note the location of the hinges as opposed to the location of the lock.  To summarize this method...

1) If the hinges are on the left side when you walk through a door, it is a left-hand door.
2) If the hinges are on the right side when you walk through it, it is a right-hand door.

This is a perfectly fine method if it helps you remember.  However, to be true to our handymen ancestors, the terms "handing" and "hand" of a door refer to the hand you pull the door open with. 

Otherwise, they would have called it "hinging".                                 NH

SPECIAL ADDITION... PURCHASING LOCKSETS CAN BE CONFUSING!!

One reader had some confusion about the description of door handing on a door lock website....

Dear NH,

I am confused by the term left hand door and right hand door even after your rather clear explanation.  The reason I am still confused is that this directly contradicts the information on DirectDoorHardware.com .  I want to place a lever handle on an interior door.  The door pulls toward you from the outside.  The handle is on the left indicating a left hand door.

The hinges are on the right.  The DirectDoorHardware.com site explains this as a right hand door.  I want to get a lever handle from them.  Which is it?

JO

Dear JO,

James,

The problem is in their description of "handing".  If you look at the diagram on their website, they are labeling the "handing" based on the lockset orientation you need to choose, not using the typical industry standard for handing.

http://directdoorhardware.com/door_handing.htm

What they call "left-hand outswing" is (in the door industry) actually "right-hand outswing".  The left hand inswing and outswing (per their diagrams) use the exact same lockset (with the key on the outside).  In other words, the lockset handles look the same but the latch plate is rotated 180 degrees so it latches properly.

I guess they changed the standard handing conventions to make is easier for the customer who doesn't know anything about handing to order.  Otherwise, they would have to call each lock both left and right handed, adding to the confusion.  Based on the description of your door, it is indeed a left-hand outswing, but for ordering purposes from this company, indicating "right hand" in the order follows their modified convention.

NH

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