Domakihub How to Hang Double Doors: A Step-by-Step Guide
Get plumb, level, and square — and end up with two doors that actually close.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 6 min read
Double doors make a real difference in a home, holiday rental, or hotel room — they open up a space, improve airflow, and create an impression the moment guests walk in. The video above walks through the full process visually; this article breaks it down into clear, ordered steps with the key tolerances and common mistakes explained in plain language. Whether you are refreshing a villa bedroom or fitting out a new-build apartment in Greece, getting the hang right the first time saves a costly re-hang.
Slab or Prehung — Which Are You Fitting?
Double doors come in two forms: prehung (frame, hinges, and sometimes hardware included, shipped as one unit) and slab (bare door panels only, dropped into an existing frame). Prehung sets are far more common in renovation work because the manufacturer has already mortised the hinges and aligned the pair. Slab doors require an existing frame that is sound, plumb, and correctly sized — if the opening is out of square by more than about 3 mm, you will be chasing the fit for hours.
In Greek construction, masonry openings are frequent. A masonry opening means you must build or fit a timber sub-frame (kasoni) before hanging anything. This sub-frame work must be correctly anchored into the wall; if the wall is load-bearing or the opening is structural, consult a civil engineer or licensed builder before cutting or widening it. No permit is needed simply to replace an existing door of the same size, but enlarging a masonry opening in a structural wall is a regulated intervention.
Tools and Materials to Prepare Before You Start
You will need: a spirit level (at least 600 mm), a long straightedge or laser level, a mallet, a wood chisel set, a drill-driver with bits (including a hinge-size spade bit or a router for mortising), shims (softwood wedges), a set square, a measuring tape, and appropriate screws — typically 70–80 mm for hinge fixings into solid timber sub-frames. For masonry sub-frames add: chemical anchors or frame fixings, a hammer drill with masonry bits, and expanding foam or mortar to seal gaps after fitting.
Pick up a tube of silicone or a door-sill seal strip rated for your climate. Greece's summer heat and occasional high humidity mean expansion gaps matter: allow roughly 2–3 mm clearance along the top rail and 2 mm at each side. The gap at the floor depends on your flooring finish — typically 8–12 mm for a fitted carpet, 3–5 mm over tile or stone.
How to Hang Double Doors: 5 Key Steps
- 1
Prepare and check the opening
Before the new frame or door set goes anywhere near the opening, measure the rough opening width and height at multiple points — top, middle, and bottom for width; left and right for height. A masonry or plasterboard opening is rarely perfectly square. Identify the worst deviation. If width varies by more than 5 mm across the height, you will need to pack or trim the sub-frame accordingly. Mark the hinge side clearly; on a double set, decide now which leaf will be the active (primary) door and which will be the fixed or secondary leaf — this determines where the flush bolt or cremone bolt goes later.
- 2
Fit and plumb the sub-frame (kasoni)
For masonry openings, cut the timber sub-frame sections to length and dry-fit them. Set the hinge-side vertical jamb first, using a spirit level on two axes — face-plumb and edge-plumb. Shim behind the jamb at hinge positions to create a solid bearing. Once plumb, drill through the jamb and into the masonry and fix with frame anchors (minimum 3 fixings per vertical jamb, spaced evenly). Fit the head jamb next, checking it is level. Fit the latch-side jamb last, checking the inside clear width matches your door-pair width plus the required clearances. Check diagonals: both should be equal to confirm the frame is square.
- 3
Hang the passive (fixed) leaf first
With a prehung set, the leaves may already be hinged to the frame — skip directly to setting the unit in the opening. With slabs, mark hinge positions on the passive leaf (typically 200 mm from the top, 200 mm from the bottom, and one centred). Mortise the hinge recesses to the exact depth of the hinge leaf so the knuckle sits flush. Screw the hinges to the door, then offer the door up and mark the frame from the hinge positions. Mortise the frame to match. With a helper holding the door level and plumb, pin the top hinge first, check alignment, then pin the bottom. Test the swing before driving all screws home. Adjust shims in the frame if the door binds or gaps unevenly.
- 4
Hang the active leaf and align the pair
Hang the active (primary) leaf by the same method. The critical check here is the margin between the two meeting stiles — the gap down the centre where the doors meet. It should be consistent from top to bottom: 2–3 mm is the target. If the doors sag at the meeting stile, the hinges may need shimming out, or the frame jamb may need packing. Adjust one hinge at a time, in small increments, closing the doors after each adjustment to check the gap. Once you are happy with the gap, check that both doors sit flush (neither proud of the other at the meeting stile).
- 5
Fit hardware, astragal, and weather seals
Fit the astragal moulding (the vertical strip that covers the meeting gap) to the passive leaf so it overlaps the active leaf when both are closed. This stops draughts and conceals the gap. Fit the flush bolt or cremone bolt to the passive leaf — this is what locks it in position when only the active door is in use; drill the receiver holes into the head jamb and floor. Fit the latch and lock set to the active door. Finally, run your draught-seal or compression strip around the frame perimeter. Close both doors and check for consistent contact all round. Adjust the striker plate so the active leaf latches cleanly without lifting or dropping the handle.
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FAQ
- Do I need a building permit to install double doors in Greece?
- Simply replacing an existing door with a new double door of the same overall size in the same opening does not normally require a permit. However, if you are widening or altering a masonry opening — especially in a structural or party wall — you need a licensed civil engineer to assess the work and, in most cases, a permit. Holiday rentals and hotels may also have fire-safety rules about door widths and swing direction, so check with your local municipality (dimos) before starting.
- My doors keep swinging open on their own — what is wrong?
- This almost always means the hinge-side jamb is not perfectly plumb in the forward/back plane, or the hinges themselves are set at a slight angle. A door on a frame that leans back will swing open by gravity; one that leans forward will swing shut. Remove the hinge pins one at a time, pack behind the hinge leaf with thin card or a hinge shim, and recheck. Another common cause is hinge screws that have stripped and are allowing the jamb to twist slightly — use longer screws or fill the holes with wooden dowels and re-drill.
- Can I hang double doors by myself, or do I need a second person?
- A competent DIYer can hang slab doors alone using a door jack (a simple wedge tool that holds the door at the right height while you drive screws), but a helper makes the job significantly easier and safer, especially when manoeuvring a heavy prehung unit into a masonry opening. Prehung units for exterior or acoustic-rated applications can weigh 60–90 kg — these should be installed by at least two people. If you are working in a rented apartment, hotel, or holiday home in Greece and unsure of the wall type, call a local carpenter (maragkos) — a professional re-hang is far cheaper than repairing a damaged frame or an out-of-square fit.