Replacing Blah Door Hinges With Beautiful Ones

Home builders keep close track of the latest "it" items that people want in their new homes, which is why even fairly modestly priced new homes are now likely to feature amenities such as granite counter tops and wood floors. Most builders look to recoup some of the expense of such items by spending less on other less noticeable features, such as electrical outlet plates and door hinges. If this is the case in your home, and you'd like to see your doors swinging on something a little more eye-catching, replacing your doors' hinges can be less work than you might think.

Shop Smart

Before you shop for your new hinges, you should measure the existing hinges on your doors. Ideally, you want to replace them with something that is the same size, and with the same-shaped corners (rounded or straight). You can use a chisel and razor knife on your door and doorframe to accommodate larger hinges, but this adds an extra step of labor.

One Hinge at a Time

You don't need to remove your door to change the hinges. Instead, open it all the way, and brace the end under the door handle in place using wood shims. Starting with the top hinge, replace one hinge at a time, being careful not to knock the door off of the shims.

If the screws from the old hinges are larger than the new screws, you can use wooden toothpicks to fill the old holes. Flat toothpicks work best, but round ones will do the job as well. Begin by pushing several toothpicks into the screw holes, and then continue adding one at a time until you can't fit any more. When you screw the hinges back on, the toothpicks should provide a tight and lasting fit.