# How deep to set a hinge mortise on the door



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Fold the hinge 90 Deg. slide it tight against the face of the door and that's your depth.
It's sticking out way to far the way your showing it.


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

joecaption said:


> Fold the hinge 90 Deg. slide it tight against the face of the door and that's your depth.
> It's sticking out way to far the way your showing it.


That means all the way in. In that case, the pin ball will be in the way of the casing. I measured a brand new door and it's sticking out 3/8", the same this does


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

Here is a factory mortise/hinge. Sticks out 3/8", just like I did mine.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Then it's wrong.
Remove the casing, the casing was suppose to be set back from the edge of the door.
The casing on the hinge side sits tight up against the barrel of the hinge.
I've seen the casing get sanded around the hinges to make room for the pins but it looks like poop and is not the right way.
Done the way you have it the doors going to stick out to far from the jambs or stop moulding.
If the old door was mortised wrong before you may have to remove and reset the stop moulding. Just close and latch the door and install the moulding.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Totaly different style hinge.
Are both doors even the same thickness?
Not even seeing any stop moulding on the jambs.
Are you trying to replace a hollow core door with ball catches on the top of the door with a solid door?


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## amakarevic (Apr 12, 2007)

joecaption said:


> Totaly different style hinge.
> Are both doors even the same thickness?
> Not even seeing any stop moulding on the jambs.
> Are you trying to replace a hollow core door with ball catches on the top of the door with a solid door?


No, they are two different doors. I modeled the retro door hinges after the new one's. 

My concern at this point is, if I move the hinge 1/8-1/4" in, will the new screw holes be too close to the old ones, rendering them not as tight?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

If you use a self centering drill like you should have in the first place and use longer screws it should be fine.
Google "self centering drill bit"


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

What you have is not bad--------1/4 to 3/8 is about right---

Note---the further out you have the hinge--the wider the swing--and the gap on the latch side must be a touch wider----or the door edge will hit the jamb on the latch side.

If the lock set holes are already drilled---be sure to make any door width adjustments on the hinge side----if you trim the lock side of the door--the latch set back will be to short.


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