Making Life Easier for Cheap: Widen Your Doorway for Your Power Wheelchair

Installing Offset Door Hinges to any door in your home is a quick and inexpensive way to widen your doorway by at least 2". This will help you fit your power wheelchairs, mobility scooter or anything else through your doorway you have been struggling with.  For under $25 this can be done by even the most novice At-Home-Handyman.

Most electric wheelchairs are at least 23-26" wide and the average interior doorway ranges from 24-32 inches wide with the door taking up two inches of that space. This means most power wheelchairs struggle to get through. Also, most doors can only be opened to a 90-degree angle, leaving the door in the way of the wheelchair. Offset door hinges can add up to 2 inches of space, which is usually all the additional space a power wheelchair needs to clear the doorway. 

Offset hinges are generally not available in your local hardware store but they can be found online. They can cost anywhere from $15 and up, depending on how many hinges your door needs and the finish you want.
Switching regular hinges to offset hinges is a fairly easy process. If you’re not comfortable changing the hinges yourself, a handyman can do this in about half an hour per door. These hinges can be used in both left and right hand doors by removing and reversing the hinge pins. The corners radius of the offset hinges may be sharper than your existing hinge and could require a little trimming of the mortise.

How to change from regular to offset hinges:
1. Remove the existing hinges from the door jam and door.
2. Put all screws aside and save for later.
3. Attach the offset hinge to the door with the countersunk holes facing you. Use the same screws just removed in step 1 and screw into existing holes. Repeat this step to attach the second or third offset hinge.
4. Attach the other side of the offset hinge to the door jam, again with countersunk holes facing you. Use the same screws just removed in step 1 and screw them into the existing holes. Repeat this step to attach the second or third offset hinge.

You're ready to go!  More tips to come soon, from the Scooter Link family!

If you have any questions you can always give us a call at (888) 910-0444.