Can I remove the trim and flip the inside hallway door leading to the attic horizontally to create a usable closet space, or are there potential issues?
Asked by Antonino Lima 
3 months ago
Last Updated: October 9, 2024
So, I’ve got this strange double door situation upstairs that goes to a different part of the attic. The main attic entrance is all the way at the other end of the hallway.
I was thinking, could I take off the trim on the inside hallway door that currently opens towards the attic, and flip it horizontally so it opens into the hallway? That way, I could use the space behind the door like a closet. Is that something that’s possible, or are there any problems I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Sure thing, it can definitely be done as long as you have the necessary tools and a bit of know-how…
I appreciate it. I’ve got the tools, and I’m working on gaining the knowledge. Thank goodness for YouTube, right? LOL.
I find that I learn best by making mistakes! You can try taking off that door and flipping it, just be sure to keep it straight and level…..take your time and you’ll do great.
Sure, here is the rephrased text: Yes
Thanks.
There are a couple of things to consider.
First, if you’re not familiar with “pre-hung” doors, visit Home Depot or Lowes to see how they are sold.
To reverse the door, you’ll need to remove the casing trim. Start by scoring (cutting) the caulking/paint where the trim meets the painted wall and the door jam.
Keep the door closed on its hinges to maintain squareness.
To remove the casing, you’ll need a flat pry tool and a wide putty knife. Place the putty knife against the wall and the pry tool against it to avoid damaging the drywall.
After removing the trim casing, you should see the mounting of the prehung door between the door jamb frame and the wall studs. Look for screws, shims, and the attachment points. There should be no attachments along the top and possibly longer screws in the hinges. If the screws are long, save them for later. Consider using a sawsall to remove any remaining mounting hardware.
Once the prehung door is free, you can flip it around.
If this all makes sense, the next step is to reverse the process and ensure the door alignment is correct. Feel free to ask for help when you reach that stage.
You can place the hinges on the door wherever you’d like. Just make sure to measure carefully. Fill in the old holes with wood filler, sand it down, and paint. It could be a fun project. If you take off the trim and turn the door around, it won’t open towards the wall. Personally, I’d keep the frame in place and adjust the hinges.
So. Just shift the hinges to the other side of the frame? I want it to swing into the hallway. If I only change the hinges so that it opens toward the bedroom, that might do the trick.
Dude, I actually wrote a response yesterday but forgot to send it. If you keep the door frame in place and simply relocate the door, you’ll need to patch up the holes and drill new ones for the hinges and lock. I misinterpreted it initially – you could just move the entire door frame, flip it around, and have it open away from the bedroom door. ‘t forget about the trim, make sure to renail it, and apply caulk. Whichever approach you feel more confident with.
That’s fantastic. Thank you! I’m going to explore both methods.
It might seem a bit strange visually, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t do that from what I can tell
Could you breakdown the funny aesthetic for me, please?
Yeah, from what I gather, one door will swing inward and the other outward, meaning one will be flush while the other will be recessed.
If I’m not mistaken, it might work best to remove both doors and switch them around. Put the attic door facing the hallway, and the hallway door facing the attic. This way, both doors will open out of the “closet” area, allowing you easier access to the attic without having to move everything.
I totally agree, Ron! I never thought about it that way before, but having both doors swing out of the closet area really does make the most of the space.
Pocket doors
I once changed the direction my bathroom door swings to open into the bedroom instead of into the bathroom. I simply moved the hinges to the other side of the door frame … didn’t need to do much else … just made a small adjustment to the door itself. It was a pretty simple process. The door still opens on the same side, just into the bedroom instead of the bathroom. It really saved a lot of space.
Sure, it can definitely be done. You could try moving the hinge position like the first comment suggested, or remove all the trim door casing and use a saw-sall with a long metal cutting blade to cut the nails behind the side and upper jam. Another option is to use an osculating tool from both sides of the jam to cut the nails. Make sure to remove the door from its hinges by tapping the pins up – some door hinge pins have a cap on the bottom that you may need to remove. It’s also a good idea to slide something under the front edge of the door to keep it level when removing the pins. I have to do the same in my house, but I have other projects that are a priority at the moment. I’m not a professional, just sharing my thoughts and DIY experience.