Doors, Windows & Trim

Interior door hinge schedule — how many hinges and the 5/10 placement rule

Hinge count is set by height: ≤60″ = 2, 61–90″ = 3, 91–120″ = 4 — so a standard 80″ door takes 3. Placement is the 5/10 rule: top hinge 5″ from the top, bottom hinge 10″ from the bottom, middle centered. Go ball-bearing for solid-wood / glass / fire-rated or any leaf over ~50 lb; add a hinge over 200 lb or 48″ wide.

Source: ANSI/BHMA A156.1 (hinge count by height); 5/10 residential placement; ADA 404.2.7 (34–48″ AFF)

What this diagram shows

A door elevation showing how many hinges a passage door needs and where they go. Hinge count is set by door height: up to 60 inches takes 2 hinges, 61 to 90 inches takes 3, and 91 to 120 inches takes 4. A standard 80-inch door therefore uses 3 hinges. Placement follows the residential 5/10 rule: the top hinge is 5 inches from the top of the door, the bottom hinge is 10 inches from the bottom, and the middle hinge is centered between them. Heavy doors get ball-bearing hinges — required for solid-wood, glass, or fire-rated doors and for any leaf over about 50 pounds — and an extra hinge is added when a door is over 200 pounds or wider than 48 inches. The knob or lever centerline sits at 36 inches above the floor, within the ADA 34-to-48-inch range.

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