Door Hinge Placement Calculator

Correct hinge placement is critical for a door to hang properly, open and close smoothly, and maintain long-term alignment. Hinges placed incorrectly cause doors to bind, sag, or fail to latch properly.

Standard Hinge Placement Rules

For a standard interior door with 3 hinges:

• Top hinge: 7 inches (178 mm) from the top of the door to the top of the hinge
• Bottom hinge: 11 inches (279 mm) from the bottom of the door to the bottom of the hinge
• Middle hinge: Exactly halfway between the top and bottom hinges

This is the industry-standard placement followed by most professional carpenters and door manufacturers.

2-Hinge Doors

Smaller or lighter doors (under 60 inches / 1524 mm tall) may use only 2 hinges:

• Top hinge: 7 inches from top
• Bottom hinge: 11 inches from bottom

4-Hinge Doors

Heavy or tall doors (over 90 inches / 2286 mm) require 4 hinges:

• Top: 7 inches from top
• Bottom: 11 inches from bottom
• Middle two hinges: Divide the remaining space into thirds

Hinge Size by Door Weight

Standard interior door hinges: 3.5 × 3.5 inches (89 × 89 mm) Exterior doors or heavy solid-core doors: 4 × 4 inches (102 × 102 mm) Heavy commercial doors: 4.5 × 4.5 or 5 × 5 inches (114–127 mm)

Why the Top Hinge Matters Most

The top hinge bears the majority of the door’s lateral (shear) load because of the lever arm effect. A door sagging at the latch side usually indicates a loose or failing top hinge — not the bottom.

Metric Equivalents

• Top hinge: 178 mm from top
• Bottom hinge: 279 mm from bottom
• Middle hinge: Midpoint between top and bottom

This calculator gives you exact measurement positions from the top of the door for all hinges.