The Clever Hinge Trick You Can Use To Widen Your Doorway

Though we use the doorways in our homes every day, most of us pay little attention to them. That is, until we encounter an issue that alerts us to a potential design dilemma. Perhaps you or someone in your family needs to use a wheelchair or a walker and can't fit it through the opening of the door. Or maybe you're trying to move large furniture that won't fit through your doorway. While you could have the door frame widened, the cost to do so ranges from $300 to $2,500. An easier and more affordable solution would be to swap out the existing hinges with offset hinges.

These are a special type of hinge that increases the clearance of a doorway by allowing the door to open beyond 90 degrees. Most interior door openings are between 28 and 36 inches wide. By adding an offset hinge, you can gain an extra 2 inches of space in the doorway. Even better, they work with most standard doors and are as simple to install as regular door hinges. 

You can find them on Amazon for under $14 or in hardware stores, and they come in several different finishes, including brass, nickel, bronze, and black. Not only is this an effective way to make your home more accessible without renovating, but it's also an easy DIY project you can tackle on your own.

Sometimes referred to as "swing-clear" or "expandable" hinges, offset hinges are a simple solution if you need to expand the width of your doorway. Before installing them, check how many hinges your door currently has (usually two or three), and be sure you have the same number. Also, look behind your door to ensure you have at least 4 inches of space to accommodate the offset hinges — they won't work on doors that open directly into a wall or cabinet. All you'll need is a Phillip's head screwdriver or power drill. It's also helpful, if you're working by yourself, to have a piece of scrap cardboard that you can slide under the door to keep it standing upright while you work.

Start by removing the existing hinges. Loosen the screws on the top hinge, and then take the hinge off the door. Continue working downward until you've removed all the hinges. Next, install the offset hinges. A common mistake to avoid when installing a new door is attaching the offset hinges to the door frame first. If you do this, your screwdriver or drill won't have enough clearance to install them onto the door. So be sure to install the hinges on the door first, and then attach them to the door frame. Once the offset hinges are installed, test that the door opens and closes properly, and enjoy the extra width in your doorway!