How to Align Hinges

Set the door on its front edge, so the back edge -- where the hinges go -- is facing up at you.

Lay the first hinge on the edge of the door, six to eight inches from the top side of the door. Arrange the hinge so one plate is sitting flat on the edge and the other is hanging toward the side of the door that will open inward. Position the hinge pin so it's sitting just off the edge of the door.

Mark around the perimeter of the hinge plate, onto the door edge, with a pencil. Remove the hinge. Cut around the line with a utility knife, cutting about 1/8-inch deep.

Chisel out the rectangular area you outlined, using your hammer and chisel to remove a 1/8-inch depth of wood from the whole area. Set the hinge in place in the cut-out area. The surface of the hinge plate should sit flush with the surface of the wood. Remove the hinge and remove a bit more wood if necessary to make the hinge sit flush.

Sink hinge screws through each hole in the hinge plate with your screw gun to secure it to the door edge.

Repeat the hinge installation process for the other one or two hinges on the door. Install the bottom hinge six to eight inches from the bottom of the door. Center the third hinge, if applicable, between the top and bottom hinges.

Have someone help you hold the door in the doorway in its proper position. Set the loose halves of the hinges against the door jamb. Trace around them onto the jamb. Remove the door.

Cut and chisel out the hinge areas on the door jamb as you did on the door.

Separate the hinges by pulling out the hinge pins. Pull away the loose plate from each hinge, which will leave one plate screwed to the door. Screw each loose hinge plate to the door jamb, in its matching cut-out indentations.

Set the door back in place, lining up the hinge plates on the door's edge to the ones on the jamb. Reinsert the hinge pins.