Door Handing

Common Definition: The way door swing is specified. Swing affects the placement of hardware and door bevel. Door handing is not interchangeable.

Unauthorized Definition: Let’s face it, even architects and builders get confused about door handing. Translating floor plans into swing is difficult. The main problem? We all use different techniques to open the same door. Some of us place a shoulder against the door and grab with the same hand. Others reach with the opposite hand.

Sound Like a Pro: Below is the Buildwise simplified method for determining door handing. Although this method is based on common practices, we may be full of crap. Never assume a designer,  builder or supplier understands swing this way, or at all. Even pros get this wrong. Sit down and talk. Doors are expensive. Changing handing or door swing after fabrication is difficult. Be careful when viewing catalogue or shop drawings of doors. Suppliers most often provide drawings of the exterior view. It’s OK to ask which view is represented. 

RH Door
Right Hand
LH Door
Left Hand
Right Hand Reverse Bevel
Right Hand Reverse Bevel
LHRB Door
Left Hand Reverse Bevel

Exterior Doors
Stand on the inside (or imagine it so). Close the door. If the knob is on the right, it’s a right hand door. If the knob is on the left, it’s a left hand door. Exterior doors are that simple, well almost.

Most exterior doors swing inward. If your exterior door swings out, the above rules still apply. However, add the term “reverse bevel” to the door. In other words, if the knob is on the right, but the door swings out it’s a right hand reverse bevel door. Please keep in mind, some suppliers call a left hand reverse bevel a right hand out swing, just to make life more complicated. Luckily the “reverse bevel” designation should call attention to the issue.

Interior Doors
Find the metaphorical inside of an interior door (when closed the hinges are visible). If the knob is on the left, it’s a left hand door. If the knob is on the right, yes it’s a right hand door. Reverse bevel doesn’t apply to interior doors.

Double Doors
Double French style door handing works the same as single doors. But two doors add confusion. Again, stand on the inside. One door panel is active and one is inactive. Imagine the active door by itself, which side of this door has the knob? Even though a right door panel is active, the knob is on the left so this door is left hand. Out swing exterior doors are “reverse bevel”.

RH
Right Hand (View From Inside)

Sliding Doors
Since sliding doors have knobs (or handles) on the outside instead of in the center like French doors. You must view these doors from the exterior. If the knob is on the left it’s a left hand door. If the knob is on the right it’s a right hand door. This applies even if both sides have fixed panels or two operable panels meet in the middle.

Pocket Doors
Pocket doors usually don’t have handing because they operate the same from both sides. Have you ever seen an exterior pocket door? However, locks must be installed on the correct side. Many locks for pocket doors are non handed or reversible.

Fun Trivia: Most exterior doors swing inward. Outward swinging doors are possible, but many door makers void the warranty if their exterior door is installed to swing out. Especially for wood doors, they fear these doors will get wet and warp if left open.

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