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Cutting A Hinge Mortise For A Door

  
  
  

door chiselIf you buy a slab door off the stack at a home center, you will have to cut a mortise for each hinge. Most doors use three hinges, but larger heavier doors use four. Although you can buy a template and router for this job, most homeowners won’t use them enough to justify the expense of buying them. You can also use a hammer and a chisel for good results.

I generally lay the old door and new door on edge standing up so that the hinge area faces upward. Draw pencil lines from the old door to the new door, essentially transferring the hinge locations to the new door. Now grab the hammer and chisel.

The chisel has a flat side and a beveled side. Start at the perimeter and, with the flat side facing the wood you want to keep, make a vertical chop to cut the wood around the perimeter. Make the cuts as deep as the hinge is thick so that when done the hinge will sit in a pocket that will make it flush with the surface of the door.

Once the perimeter mortise cuts are made, I start inside of the cuts and take small slices with the chisel. Lay the chisel back at a steep angle, with the flat side facing up and make quick light taps on the end of the chisel with the hammer. This will give you good control over the chisel and allow you to make accurate depth cuts right up to the perimeter cuts you made earlier. Every so often lay the hinge into the pocket to get the depth right.

Once all of the mortises are cut, you can pre-drill the holes and install the door.

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