How to Determine Door Handing

For entry doors and exterior doors, door handing is determined from the exterior of a house. For interior doors, stand outside of the room - for example, stand in a hallway looking into a bedroom to determine handing for a bedroom door.

If the hinges are on the left side, the door has left handing. If the door swings into the room, away from you, it is a left hand inswing door. If it swings toward you, out of the room, it is a left hand outswing door. The opposite is true of right hand doors--in that case the hinges will be on the right side. If the door swings into the room, it is a right-hand in-swing door. If it swings toward you, out of the room, it is a right hand outswing door.

What is a right-hand vs. left-hand door? 

The simplest way to figure this out is to stand in the door opening with your back to where the hinges are. If the door opens to your right hand side, it's a right hand door. If it opens to your left, it is a left hand door. 

What is inswing vs. outswing? 

This refers to the direction the door swings when opened. An inswing door swings into the room or house, while an outswing door swings out of the room or house.

Depending on the layout of the home or room, an inswing door might take up valuable floor space inside, while an outswing door might interfere with external elements like pathways, patios, or landscaping. 

Is an inswing entry door or outswing entry door better for security? 

You might imagine that outswing doors are more secure against break-ins since it's harder to kick them in. However, the hinges for outswing doors are on the outside, which can be a potential security risk unless security pins or non-removable hinge pins are used. Inswing entry doors are more secure overall, which is why we recommend them. 

Which swing direction is better for guarding against extreme weather?

For homes in areas prone to severe weather, like hurricanes, outswing doors might be preferred since they can better resist wind force pushing against them. However, the threshold and sealing for outswing doors need to be designed well to prevent water damage. A white oak threshold like what we use for our doors prevents water damage because it's smooth, so water can run off of it rather than pooling underneath the door and seeping into the door jamb. 

A Note About Building Codes and Regulations

Some local building codes have regulations on door swing directions, especially for exterior doors, due to safety and emergency egress concerns. Check your local building codes before replacing an entry door. 

To see swing direction and door handing explained more, watch the video below.