What Way Does Your Door Swing?

Answer:  Butt to butt.  

Place your backside (YOUR BUTT) against the hinge side (BUTT) of the frame and stretch your arms to the side like airplane wings.  Which way does the door swing? To your right arm or left? This gives you the SWING.

Now, doors always swing to the right or to the left (unless they’re double acting, but that’s a topic for another day), but we always hand the door from the key side.  So, if you want the key side on the outside and the door pulls towards you, the door is handed as a reverse bevel. So, for example, if your door is a right swing with a reverse bevel, it is known as a LEFT HAND REVERSE.

I know this sounds confusing, but details matter if you want the doors machined properly.  So, which way does your door swing?