LEFT ARMLeft Hand / LH
OPENS AWAY FROM YOU
Left shoulder to the hinge jamb.
Swing your left arm forward like the door. That is LH = Left Hand.
DOOR HANDING LESSON
Learn Your Door Swings.
So the door does not hit you on the way out. Start with Left Hand and Right Hand, then use the same body trick to make Left Hand Reverse and Right Hand Reverse make sense.
1. Learn the basic swing1. Swing
2. Throw it in reverse2. Reverse
3. Pick the reference side3. Reference
4. Practice it4. Practice
STEP 1
START SIMPLE
First learn Left Hand and Right Hand.
Start with the two basic swings. Stand in the opening, face into the room, and let your arm act like the door.
FIELD TRICK
Shoulder to the hinge jamb. Your arm is the door.
Put the shoulder on the hinge side against the jamb. Swing that arm forward into the room, just like the door. Left arm means Left Hand. Right arm means Right Hand.
RIGHT ARMRight Hand / RH
OPENS AWAY FROM YOU
Right shoulder to the hinge jamb.
Swing your right arm forward like the door. That is RH = Right Hand.
STEP 2
THROW IT IN REVERSE
Same position. Same arm. Swing it backward.
Step into the opening facing the room and put your shoulder against the hinge jamb. Stay in the same position. If the door opens back toward you, throw that same arm backward like the door.
THE BODY TRICK
Left arm backward = LHR. Right arm backward = RHR. Easy on the shoulder.
We are learning door handing, not testing your rotator cuff. 😂
LEFT ARM BACKWARDLeft Hand Reverse / LHR
OPENS TOWARD YOU
Left shoulder to the hinge jamb.
Throw your left arm backward like the door. That is LHR = Left Hand Reverse.
RIGHT ARM BACKWARDRight Hand Reverse / RHR
OPENS TOWARD YOU
Right shoulder to the hinge jamb.
Throw your right arm backward like the door. That is RHR = Right Hand Reverse.
STEP 3
THE REFERENCE SIDE
Why the reference side matters.
The reference side gives everyone the same point of view. From that side, everyone can describe whether the door opens into the room or back out toward the reference side, so the door, hardware, and installation are all being described the same way.
THINK OF THE APPROACH SIDE
Everyone needs to be looking at the door from the same side.
For this lesson, think of the reference side as the side you approach the opening from. For a building entrance, that is usually the exterior or entrance side. For an office or room, that is usually the hallway side.
The reference side affects:
Door + frame prep
Hinge, strike, bevel, and factory prep need to match the intended swing.
Keyed + handed hardware
The reference side helps identify keyed trim and handed locks, levers, or other hardware when the product requires it.
Closers + exit hardware
Some closers, pivots, exit devices, trim, and electrified hardware depend on the hand or installation side.
Ordering + installing
The supplier, hardware schedule, and installer all need to be describing the same opening from the same side.
Field rule: use the project door schedule and the manufacturer handing chart when ordering. Product-specific conventions can vary.
THE WHOLE METHOD
One position. One arm. One direction.
1Start on the reference side.
Face into the room and put your shoulder against the hinge jamb.
2Let your arm be the door.
Forward into the room is the regular hand. Backward toward the reference side is Reverse.
Door opens away from you? Swing the hinge-side arm forward like the door.
Door opens toward you? Throw the hinge-side arm backward like the door.
LEFT FORWARD = LHRIGHT FORWARD = RHLEFT BACK = LHRRIGHT BACK = RHR
SCOPE OF THIS LESSON
Start with the four basic single-door handings.
This lesson focuses on single swinging doors. Double doors, sliding doors, specialty openings, and other door conditions use different rules or project-specific conventions. Learn the four basic single-door handings first, then verify specialty openings against the project schedule and manufacturer information.
PRACTICE IT. THEN USE IT.
See if you can call the hand without thinking about it.
Use the trainer first for deliberate practice. When that feels easy, try the arcade under pressure, then take the same handing method into the field with Door Field Takeoff.
Training aid: This lesson uses the same common U.S. commercial door-handing convention as the BidSimp Door Handing Trainer and Arcade. Door and hardware conventions can vary by project, manufacturer, and specification. Always verify the project door schedule, hardware set, drawings, and supplier requirements before ordering. Terms & Disclaimer