Skip to main content
Interior hallway with wood door showing hinge side

​
Handing and Operation

Handing errors are among the most common and costly mistakes in door orders. A door built with the wrong handing cannot be corrected in the field — it must be remade. Always confirm handing before submitting any order.
Handing tells the manufacturer which side the hinges are on and which way the door swings. It is one of the most misunderstood concepts for new reps — and one of the most important to get right.

​
The Two Things Handing Defines

​
1. Hinge Side

Which side of the door opening has the hinges — left or right. This is the primary handing determination. You determine handing by standing on a specific side of the door (see below).

​
2. Swing Direction

Whether the door opens into the building (inswing) or out from the building (outswing). This must be recorded separately from handing and affects frame, threshold, and weather seal design.

​
The Four Handing Combinations

“Reverse” in LHR and RHR means outswing. When hinges are on the left and the door swings outward, it is a Left Hand Reverse. This is the convention used by most manufacturers and order systems.

​
How to Determine Handing in the Field

For exterior replacement doors — the most reliable method.
  1. Stand outside the building, facing the door (the side the door will swing away from if outswing, or toward you if inswing).
  2. Look at the closed door.
  3. If the hinges are on your left, the door is Left Hand (inswing) or Left Hand Reverse (outswing).
  4. If the hinges are on your right, the door is Right Hand (inswing) or Right Hand Reverse (outswing).
For exterior doors: always stand outside. For interior doors: always stand in the hallway or the room you are entering from.

​
Inswing vs. Outswing

The door slab swings into the building when opened. This is the most common exterior and interior configuration. The hinges are visible from inside when the door is closed. Weatherstripping on the interior side seals against the doorstop.Typical uses: Entry doors, interior passage doors, most residential exterior applications.
The door slab swings out from the building when opened. The hinges are visible from outside when the door is closed. Outswing doors require a different threshold design and have the weatherstripping on the exterior side.Typical uses: Storm-zone applications, screen porches, tight interior spaces where inswing would block furniture or walls. In hurricane zones, outswing is sometimes required by code.
On an outswing door, the hinge pins are exposed on the exterior. For security-critical exterior outswing installations, specify non-removable hinge pins (NRP hinges).

​
Handing for Double Doors

For double door systems, handing is referenced from the active panel (the panel with the operating lockset).

​
Active Panel Left

The lockset is on the left door panel. The active door is left-hand or left-hand reverse depending on swing direction.

​
Active Panel Right

The lockset is on the right door panel. The active door is right-hand or right-hand reverse depending on swing direction.
Always confirm which panel is active before entering a double-door handing code. The inactive panel has a flush bolt or surface bolt — not the primary lockset.

​
Handing Quick-Reference Diagram

​
The Golden Rule of Handing

Before closing any quote, state the handing out loud: “This is a Left Hand Inswing” or “Right Hand Reverse.” Make the customer or installer confirm it verbally. If they are uncertain, do not proceed. A handing error costs more than any other single mistake in a door order.