traditional hinge spacing?

[michael craigdallie]

what is the traditional spacing for hinges on doors (entry doors). i think they are done symmetrically now so that doors can be flipped either, but didn't it use to be something like 7" from the top and 11" from the bottom?

was this the case or was there never any rule of thumb and it was just up to the maker?

cheers,
michael

[Peter Quinn]

Its all over the ball park. There are no hard and fast rules that I can tell. In my 100+ year old house its roughly 8" down from the top, 9" up from the bottom, and one on center. Some of my interior doors are hinged so dead on and I was able to use the same hinge template on several doors when making replacements, others not so dead on, but close.

At work when we make doors, exterior or interior, we place the bottom of the bottom hinge even with the molding flat on the top edge of the bottom rail, the top of the top hinge even with the flat on the bottom of the top rail, and other hinges centered of three are used or equally spaced if 4 or more are used. It looks pleasing that way. Try to say that four times fast! It makes sense if you draw it up quick.

I think the most important detail is to pick a hinge spacing scheme of your choosing and be consistent about it through out the house. I am more apt to notice hinge spacing that is all over the place than the actual distance from top and bottom. Irregular spacing screams "Hack retrofit", where as the sight line down a hall of doors created by consistent spacing calmly whispers "professional installation".