Interior Door Installation
Install all interior doors throughout your home including bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, and specialty spaces. Proper door installation ensures smooth operation, appropriate privacy, and contributes significantly to the finished quality of your remodel.
Quick Summary
Typical Cost
$4,000 - $15,000
Time Frame
3-5 days
Difficulty
Moderate - Professional Recommended
Why Interior Door Installation Matters
Interior doors serve multiple functions beyond simply closing off rooms. They provide privacy, contain sound, manage airflow for HVAC efficiency, contribute to fire safety, and establish visual rhythm throughout the home. The style, height, and hardware of your doors make a significant design statement that affects the perceived quality of the entire remodel.
A typical whole-home remodel involves 12-20 or more interior doors including bedroom doors, bathroom doors, closet doors, pantry doors, utility room doors, and potentially specialty doors like barn doors or pocket doors. Consistency in style and hardware creates visual cohesion while appropriate door types for each application ensure proper function.
Door installation seems straightforward but requires precision. A door that is 1/4-inch out of plumb will swing open or closed on its own, never staying where you put it. Improperly aligned strikes mean doors that do not latch. These are daily frustrations that proper installation prevents entirely.
Step-by-Step Guide
Select Door Styles and Types
Choose a cohesive door style that complements your home's architecture. Popular options include traditional 6-panel, craftsman 3-panel, modern flat panel, shaker style, and contemporary flush doors. Consider solid core for noise reduction in bedrooms and bathrooms.
- Select consistent style for all standard interior doors
- Choose solid core for bedrooms and bathrooms
- Consider 8-foot tall doors for high ceilings
- Plan specialty doors: barn doors, pocket doors, French doors
- Match door style to overall design aesthetic
Measure All Rough Openings
Accurately measure every door opening including width, height, and wall thickness. Standard rough openings are 2 inches wider and 2.5 inches taller than door size. Verify openings are square and plumb before ordering doors.
- Measure width at top, middle, and bottom of opening
- Measure height at both sides of opening
- Check wall thickness for jamb width determination
- Note any out-of-square conditions requiring adjustment
- Create door schedule listing all doors by room and size
Order Doors and Hardware
Order all doors 4-6 weeks before needed as many styles have lead times. Specify hand (swing direction) correctly. Order coordinated hardware sets including hinges, knobs or levers, and privacy locks for bathrooms. Include door stops.
- Specify pre-hung or slab based on application
- Confirm swing direction (right-hand or left-hand)
- Order matching hardware finish throughout home
- Select appropriate function: passage, privacy, dummy
- Order extra hinges and hardware for spares
Prepare Rough Openings
Verify all rough openings are ready for door installation. Check for plumb and level, add blocking if needed, and ensure subfloor is installed to correct height. Address any framing issues before proceeding with door installation.
- Check jack studs are plumb using 4-foot level
- Verify header is level and at correct height
- Add shim space at hinge and strike locations
- Confirm floor is level across threshold location
- Remove any debris or protrusions from opening
Install Pre-Hung Door Units
Set pre-hung door unit into rough opening with door closed. Shim behind hinges first, check for plumb, then shim strike side. Verify door operates properly before final nailing. The door should stay in any position without swinging.
- Set unit in opening with door closed and latched
- Shim behind each hinge location to achieve plumb
- Check with level on hinge jamb - must be perfectly plumb
- Shim strike side maintaining even gap around door
- Nail through jamb at shim locations into framing
Install Slab Doors in Existing Jambs
For slab doors, transfer hinge locations from old door or measure precisely. Mortise hinge recesses using router or chisel. Drill lockset holes using hole saw and spade bit. Hang door and adjust hinges for proper operation.
- Measure and mark hinge locations to match jamb
- Mortise hinge recesses with router and chisel
- Drill lockset hole (2-1/8") and latch hole (1")
- Install hinges and hang door
- Adjust hinge screws to fine-tune fit and swing
Install Door Hardware
Install doorknobs, levers, or handles with appropriate function for each room. Privacy locks for bathrooms and bedrooms, passage sets for closets and common areas. Install strike plates with proper alignment to latch.
- Install latch mechanism in door edge
- Mount interior and exterior knobs or levers
- Position strike plate to align with latch
- Mortise strike plate flush with jamb
- Test operation and adjust as needed
Fine-Tune Door Operation
Adjust doors for smooth operation and proper closure. Doors that swing on their own indicate out-of-plumb installation. Adjust hinges to correct gaps, rubbing, or latching issues. Properly hung doors stay in any position.
- Test door at multiple positions - should stay in place
- Adjust top hinge to fix door dropping at handle
- Tighten or deepen hinge mortise to fix rubbing
- File or adjust strike plate if latch doesn't catch
- Verify consistent gap (1/8") around door perimeter
Install Door Stops
Add door stops to protect walls from doorknob damage and control door swing. Choose floor-mounted, wall-mounted, or hinge-pin stops based on floor type and door location. Install at consistent heights and positions.
- Use floor stops for hardwood and tile floors
- Use wall stops for carpet (floor stops get buried)
- Hinge-pin stops provide invisible door stop option
- Position stops where door naturally comes to rest
- Match door stop finish to door hardware
Final Inspection and Touch-Ups
Walk through and test every door in the home. Verify smooth operation, proper latching, consistent gaps, and tight hardware. Note any issues for adjustment. Clean all doors and hardware before final acceptance.
- Open and close each door multiple times
- Check that all doors latch securely
- Test privacy locks and dummy functions
- Verify door stops protect walls appropriately
- Clean fingerprints from doors and hardware
Interior Door Types Comparison
Hollow Core Doors
Light doors with cardboard honeycomb interior.
- Cost: $50-150 per door
- Weight: 15-25 lbs (easy to hang)
- Sound: Minimal sound reduction
- Durability: Dents and punctures easily
- Best For: Closets, pantries, low-traffic areas
Solid Core Doors
Composite or particleboard core with veneer face.
- Cost: $150-400 per door
- Weight: 50-80 lbs (substantial feel)
- Sound: Good sound reduction (STC 30-35)
- Durability: Excellent impact resistance
- Best For: Bedrooms, bathrooms, offices
Solid Wood Doors
Traditional solid lumber construction.
- Cost: $300-1,500+ per door
- Weight: 60-100 lbs (heaviest option)
- Sound: Good sound reduction
- Durability: Can be refinished, long lifespan
- Best For: High-end homes, visible locations
MDF Doors
Medium-density fiberboard, smooth paintable surface.
- Cost: $80-250 per door
- Weight: 40-70 lbs (moderate)
- Sound: Moderate sound reduction
- Durability: Smooth, no wood grain
- Best For: Painted applications, modern styles
Cost Breakdown (15-Door Home)
| Door Location | Quantity | Door Type | Cost per Door Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Bedroom | 1 | Solid Core 32" | $400-700 |
| Secondary Bedrooms | 3 | Solid Core 30" | $350-650 each |
| Bathrooms | 3 | Solid Core 28-30" | $350-650 each |
| Bedroom Closets | 4 | Hollow Core Bifold | $150-300 each |
| Pantry | 1 | Hollow Core 24" | $200-350 |
| Laundry Room | 1 | Hollow Core 28" | $200-350 |
| Home Office | 1 | Solid Core 30" | $350-650 |
| Hardware (all doors) | 15 sets | Levers/Knobs | $30-80 each |
| Total | 15 doors | Mixed | $4,500-10,500 |
Pro Tips
Consider 8-Foot Doors
Eight-foot tall doors make standard 8-foot ceilings feel taller and more elegant. They cost 30-50% more but transform the feel of a home. Essential if you have 9 or 10-foot ceilings where standard doors look undersized.
Upgrade to Three Hinges
Solid core and tall doors benefit from three hinges instead of two. The middle hinge prevents door sag and keeps the door operating smoothly for decades. Many pre-hung doors come with three hinges - verify before ordering.
Use Screws in Top Hinge
Replace one short screw in the top hinge with a 3-inch screw that reaches the jack stud. This prevents door sag by anchoring the heavy top hinge solidly to framing, not just the jamb.
Plan Barn Door Blocking
Barn door hardware requires solid blocking above the opening to support the door weight. Plan this during framing - adding blocking after drywall is messy and expensive. Header should extend full track length.
Undercut for Carpet
If carpet is being installed, trim bottom of doors 1/2-inch higher than for hard floors. Install doors after flooring to set proper clearance. Doors should clear carpet with pad by at least 3/4-inch.
Buy Quality Hardware
Budget hardware wears out, finishes flake, and mechanisms fail. Spend $40-80 per set on quality brands like Schlage, Kwikset, or Baldwin. You'll touch door hardware thousands of times - cheap hardware annoys daily.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Installing Out of Plumb
A door that is not perfectly plumb will swing open or closed on its own. Even 1/8-inch out of plumb causes issues. Take time to shim carefully and check plumb multiple times before nailing. This is the most common door installation mistake.
Wrong Hand or Swing Direction
Pre-hung doors are manufactured for specific swing directions. Ordering wrong-hand doors means they cannot be used without major modification. Verify hand for every door before ordering - stand inside room, hinges on left means left-hand door.
Using Hollow Core in Bathrooms
Hollow core doors provide almost no sound privacy and feel cheap. They transmit conversation and other sounds clearly. Bathrooms, bedrooms, and home offices need solid core doors for acceptable privacy and quality feel.
Misaligned Strike Plates
Doors that require force to latch or that rattle in the frame have misaligned strikes. The strike must be positioned so the latch easily engages and pulls door fully closed. File strike opening or move plate as needed.
Forgetting Door Stops
Without door stops, doorknobs punch holes in walls. This happens quickly in high-traffic areas. Install door stops before occupancy - repairing drywall holes is messier than installing stops properly from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pre-hung and slab doors?
Pre-hung doors come attached to a frame (jamb) with hinges already installed, ready to set into the rough opening. They cost more but are faster to install. Slab doors are just the door panel without frame or hinges, used when replacing doors in existing jambs or for custom applications. Pre-hung is preferred for new construction and remodels with new framing.
What is the standard interior door size?
Standard interior doors are 80 inches tall (6 feet 8 inches). Standard widths vary by use: bedroom doors are typically 30-32 inches, bathroom doors 28-30 inches, and closet doors 24-30 inches. Modern homes often use 8-foot (96-inch) tall doors for visual impact. ADA accessibility requires minimum 32-inch clear opening, which means 34-36 inch door width.
Should interior doors be solid core or hollow core?
Solid core doors provide better sound insulation, feel more substantial, and resist damage better. They cost $150-400+ versus $50-150 for hollow core. Use solid core for bedrooms, bathrooms, and home offices where privacy matters. Hollow core is acceptable for closets and pantries. Solid wood doors ($300-1500+) offer premium aesthetics but similar sound performance to solid core.
Which way should interior doors swing?
Interior doors should swing into rooms, not into hallways, to avoid blocking traffic. Bathroom doors swing inward unless space is very limited. Bedroom doors swing into the room. Closet doors can swing either way based on space. The hinge side is typically on the side with the light switch for ergonomic entry. Never have doors swing into each other or block each other's operation.
What door hardware finish is most popular?
Satin nickel remains the most versatile and popular finish, working with most design styles. Matte black has become extremely popular for modern and farmhouse aesthetics. Oil-rubbed bronze suits traditional and transitional homes. Polished chrome is classic for contemporary designs. Choose one hardware finish throughout the home for cohesion - mixing finishes looks disjointed.