Understanding Door Swing: RHI, LHI, RHO, LHO

Door swing direction describes two things: which way the door opens (in or out) and which side the hinges are on. PINKYS uses a simple, consistent way to describe this so the terminology means the same thing no matter which door you're ordering.

How to Read Swing Direction

Swing is always determined standing outside, facing the door. From that position:

• Right Hand (RH) — hinges are on the right side, handle/lock on the left
• Left Hand (LH) — hinges are on the left side, handle/lock on the right
• In (I) — the door swings inward, into the home or space
• Out (O) — the door swings outward, away from the home or space

Put together, this gives four standard configurations:

• RHI (Right Hand In) — hinges on the right, swings inward
• LHI (Left Hand In) — hinges on the left, swings inward
• RHO (Right Hand Out) — hinges on the right, swings outward
• LHO (Left Hand Out) — hinges on the left, swings outward

Single Doors

For a single door, the convention is straightforward: face the door from the exterior, and the swing designation tells you where the hinges sit and which way the door opens.

Double Doors

For a double door (two door slabs in one frame), the same logic applies, but it's based on the active door — the door slab that's typically used for everyday entry and has the handle or lock.

For example, in an RHI double door configuration, the handle or lock sits on the left side of the right-hand door slab, with hinges on the interior right side of the frame. The door swings inward, moving left to right, and rests against the right interior side of the frame when fully open.

Why Swing Direction Matters

Getting swing direction right affects:

• Traffic flow — which way a door opens into a room or entryway
• Hardware placement — where the handle, lock, and hinges end up
• Clearance — how much space the door needs to open fully, especially important for double doors and tight interior spaces

If you're unsure which swing direction is right for your space, it's worth confirming with the PINKYS team before finalizing an order, since swing is a structural part of how the door and frame are built.

This is a general explainer. Specific configurations, such as bi-fold, sliding, or Dutch doors, follow related but distinct conventions — reach out to the PINKYS team for guidance on your exact door type.