Determining Handing and Swing

Determining Handing and Swing

“Handing and swing” describe how a door opens – hinge placement and swing direction. 

How to Determine Handing:

  • Stand with your back to the hinge jamb. 
    • If the door opens to the left, it is a Left-Hand (LH) door. 
    • If the door opens to the right, it is a Right-Hand (RH) door.

How to Determine Swing:

  • If the door swings into the room or home, it is an Inswing door. 
  • If the door swings out of the room or home, it is an Outswing door.

Single Doors:

The diagrams below show handing and swing options for single doors. The arrows indicate inswing or outswing direction. 

Single Doors Handing & Swing

Double Doors:

One door is designated Active (operable handle/lever) and the other Inactive (no active handle).

Inactive door includes:

  • T-Astragal: Acts as a door stop for the active door.  
  • Flush Bolt(s): Secures the inactive door closed  
    • Interior Double Doors: Flush bolt at the top.  
    • Exterior Double Doors: Flush bolts at top and bottom.  
  • All 7’0” or taller pre-hung double doors include an extended top flush bolt for easier reach.

The diagram below shows active door handing and swing direction.

Double Doors Handing & Swing

Ball Catch, Bypass, and Bi-Fold Doors

Sun Mountain offers interior double doors in a variety of specialized configurations: “ball catch,” “bypass,” or “bi-fold.” These options are often used on closet or pantry door applications.

Ball Catch

  • Common for outswing closet doors with non-working (dummy) handles.
  • Includes ball catch hardware – standard with door.

Bypass Doors

  • Slide past each other on a track, making them great for saving space. 
  • Track hardware is included.

Bi-Fold Doors

  • Hinged in the middle and folds like an accordion.  
  • Track hardware included.
    Note: Dummy handles are optional and not pre-bored on these doors.

The diagrams below illustrate these configurations for easy reference.