Sorry if this has been addressed, but I have searched around the site for a bit and haven't found anything that exactly describes my problem.
I am installing a new door for an interior closet. The new and old door are the EXACT same size. I have fitted the hinges to the new door and installed it in the jamb. The hinges are snug on the new door and flush against the edge. The new door seems to be way off width-wise--by like a 1/4", and equally throughout the length of the door. It seems ridiculous to trim either side of the door when it is the EXACT same size as the old door. I would rather solve the problem by thinking it through than just start chopping away at stuff. I'm just at a loss. Probably not an easy solution without actually being able to see it, but figured I'd ask in case I'm missing something completely obvious.

Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forums.

Feel free to post pictures.....How to insert pictures.
Maybe you have to recess the hinges into the door ?

 

Are the hinges mortised into the new door?

 

Well, both those things cannot be true. It can't be both 1/4" wider -and- be the exact same size as the old one, so in all likelihood, one of those things is not true.

You are reusing the old / exact same hinges?

The only thing I could imagine is that *if* the new door slab was beveled (some doors have roughly a 3 degree bevel on each side) that you have the wrong side of the door facing the door stop. If it is beveled, one side of the door will be marginally narrower or wider than the opposite side. The bevel is supposed to face the door stop because it gives some relief as the door gets close to the jamb since it follows an arc as it swings closed. If the bevel is facing the wrong way the door would act tight as it closes.

Put a machine square, tri square, combination square on the door and check the edges. If it is beveled you will see a gap... indicating the door edge is beveled, not square edge.

And sometimes a new door slab will be marginally larger than the old one... giving you the option to trim the door to make make fit. So it's not totally surprising that you might need to trim it to fit.

 

I've always had to trim or plane a new door slab to fit an existing door. (Maybe not always, but more often than not). A 1/4" difference sounds just about right to adjust for the bevel as XSleeper mentioned.

A straight edge and a circular saw takes care of that easily. For 1/4", I probably wouldn't cut both sides. But anything larger, I would split the difference between the left and right sides of the door.