Installing A Swinging Butler Door

By Robert Robillard on How To, Remodeling

Butler door Hardware

Newer versions of the Butler door hardware use a metal top and receiving plate and nylon bushing. [shown below]

Installing A Swinging Butler Door

The older version used a plastic receiving plate. [shown below]

Installing A Swinging Butler Door

These doors have a tight clearance and the existing door had been rubbing at top jamb. See rub marks on right side, upper jamb. [Click to enlarge.]

The new door slab shown below is a 2′-8″ x 6′-8″, clear pine, 15-lite door with tempered glass for safety.

Cutting Door For Hinge

Cutting the door to size and applying the hardware.

Laying out the Butler hinge hardware on the door to see how I will cut the door.

This hinge is designed for wood doors measuring between 1 1/4″ and 1 3/4″ thick and has a maximum load weight of 75 pounds.

It’s important to visualize how the hinge will apply to the door and to measure several times before cutting into the door.

Hinge pattern traced and redrawn on the door. “X’s” mark the spot too cut out.

Using a jigsaw and a saw guide, to ensure straight cuts, I cut out the “X” sections for the Butler door hinge.

Butler door hinge is applied to the door. flushing the door hinge to the bottom of the door accounts for floor and rug clearance.

Top of Door Pivot

The top part of this door has a pivot point pin. The door swings back and forth on this pin, controlled and tensioned by the lower Butler hinge spring.

The top pivot pin is applied to the top of the door jamb [my pin was previously applied] and a receiving sleeve guide is applied and recessed into the top of the door.

Below is the guide for the top door pin.

Using a 7/8″ Forstner drill bit I drilled the exact profile for the recessed guide.

Guide slide into the hole with slight pressure and was secured with screws. The hole on the right is approx. 1 1/2″” deep and receives the pivot pin mounted on the top of the door jamb.

Butler Door Adjustments

This door opening was not plumb, I plumbed the new door and planed the edges to match the non-plumb sides, making the side “gap” reveals consistent all around the doors edge.

This is a common issue when installing new doors into old openings.

New door installed: View from the formal dining room. This door currently has a protective plastic film applied to both sides of the glass. This helps

New door: kitchen view.

New door: wider view.

~ concord carpenter

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About the author

Robert Robillard

Carpenter / Remodeler / Editor

Rob Robillard is “The Concord Carpenter” Rob is a builder, general contractor, carpenter, woodworker, and editor of Concord Carpenter and ToolBoxBuzz As a General Contractor and carpenter, Rob owns and operates Concord Carpenter LLC. A full-service remodeling and construction company. Rob is a recognized leader in home building best practices and a source for how-to information for building professionals. On this website, Rob covers all aspects of home construction, building science, home improvement, woodworking, remodeling, and some of the best product and tool reviews. Rob is in charge of our Tool and Product Review series - Concord Carpenter Videos where we post all of our tool reviews and video tutorials. Rob approaches remodeling and building construction with a pragmatic and problem-solving approach. He enjoys using his knowledge and experience to help and educate building professionals as well as DIYers on best practices in the construction and remodeling industry. He's a strong advocate for "raising the bar" in the construction trades and promoting the trades to youth. #BeAMentor #Green2Great Craftsmanship, quality, and pride guide his journey on this channel The Concord Carpenter's motto: "Well done is better than well said!" : Read more about Rob

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