Reversing a door swing or buy new prehung door

Posted by on January 23, 2008, 2:28 pm

Hi,

What's the easiest way to change a bathroom door that swings into the
bathroom to one that swing into the adjacent bedroom? This would allow
a caregiver emergency access if the person falls in the bathroom
blocking the door. Replace existing door with new prehung door and
install OR rehinge existing door which sounds like a lot of work?

Thanks.

Posted by PeterD on January 23, 2008, 5:23 pm

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:28:24 -0800 (PST), rbakker7@earthlink.net
wrote:

>Hi,
>What's the easiest way to change a bathroom door that swings into the
>bathroom to one that swing into the adjacent bedroom? This would allow
>a caregiver emergency access if the person falls in the bathroom
>blocking the door. Replace existing door with new prehung door and
>install OR rehinge existing door which sounds like a lot of work?
>Thanks.

personally I'd replace the entire setup, but much depends on
construction, how old, etc., so there is (IMHO) no simple answer. If a
prehung will fit, that may be the cheapest and easiest solution.

Posted by marson on January 23, 2008, 7:11 pm

> On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:28:24 -0800 (PST), rbakk...@earthlink.net
> wrote:

> >Hi,
> >What's the easiest way to change a bathroom door that swings into the
> >bathroom to one that swing into the adjacent bedroom? This would allow
> >a caregiver emergency access if the person falls in the bathroom
> >blocking the door. Replace existing door with new prehung door and
> >install OR rehinge existing door which sounds like a lot of work?
> >Thanks.

> personally I'd replace the entire setup, but much depends on
> construction, how old, etc., so there is (IMHO) no simple answer. If a
> prehung will fit, that may be the cheapest and easiest solution.

There is no one right answer. It depends on a lot of factors.
Installing a new prehung unit will involve removing and replacing all
the old trim. Then you have to consider the base trim--sometime it
has to be removed so you get a proper fit between the base and the
door casing. If it's an old unit, it is even possible to get into
problems fitting the new door in the old hole. But if this is a house
you want to look "right" it's the way to go.

Swapping the swing is no easy job either. you will have to pull off
the door stop, remortise for the strike plate, remortise the hinges
and replace the door stop, and turn the lockset around. If you are
not terribly fussy, and don't mind looking at the old notches where
the old hinges etc. were, it might not be too bad. Save you the money
of buying a new door.

Posted by Robert Allison on January 24, 2008, 12:30 am

marson wrote:

>>On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:28:24 -0800 (PST), rbakk...@earthlink.net
>>wrote:

>>>Hi,
>>>What's the easiest way to change a bathroom door that swings into the
>>>bathroom to one that swing into the adjacent bedroom? This would allow
>>>a caregiver emergency access if the person falls in the bathroom
>>>blocking the door. Replace existing door with new prehung door and
>>>install OR rehinge existing door which sounds like a lot of work?
>>>Thanks.

>>personally I'd replace the entire setup, but much depends on
>>construction, how old, etc., so there is (IMHO) no simple answer. If a
>>prehung will fit, that may be the cheapest and easiest solution.

>
>
> There is no one right answer. It depends on a lot of factors.
> Installing a new prehung unit will involve removing and replacing all
> the old trim. Then you have to consider the base trim--sometime it
> has to be removed so you get a proper fit between the base and the
> door casing. If it's an old unit, it is even possible to get into
> problems fitting the new door in the old hole. But if this is a house
> you want to look "right" it's the way to go.
>
> Swapping the swing is no easy job either. you will have to pull off
> the door stop, remortise for the strike plate, remortise the hinges
> and replace the door stop, and turn the lockset around. If you are
> not terribly fussy, and don't mind looking at the old notches where
> the old hinges etc. were, it might not be too bad. Save you the money
> of buying a new door.

If the door is painted, or at least the jambs are painted, then you can
fill the old mortises with plastic wood and sand smooth.

I would rather reverse the door in the existing jamb than install a new
prehung unit, but then I can do it in about an hour. There are a lot of
variables with a new door jamb than can cause you headaches unless you
know what they are before you start and plan accordingly.

If you can use a hammer and chisel, you can reverse the door.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

Posted by Craig M on January 24, 2008, 7:41 am

Here is one more idea, since its a bathroom door, and acess for caregiver is
needed, how about double swing door hinges on the door, that way it will
open from either way, allowing acess comming or going.

> Hi,
> What's the easiest way to change a bathroom door that swings into the
> bathroom to one that swing into the adjacent bedroom? This would allow
> a caregiver emergency access if the person falls in the bathroom
> blocking the door. Replace existing door with new prehung door and
> install OR rehinge existing door which sounds like a lot of work?
> Thanks.

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