Mark the hinge location precisely and remove as little material as possible so the finish stays intact.

Start by measuring and marking the hinge outline on the door edge using a thin pencil line and a square held flush to the face so the plane of the hinge is exact. Tape the face around the outline with painter’s tape to protect the finish and to create a clean visual edge for chiseling. Use a sharp bevel edged chisel sized to the hinge width and make light paring cuts toward the layout lines, holding the chisel at a low angle to avoid digging into the finish; keep the bevel side toward the waste. For depth control score the perimeter with the chisel or a utility knife first so the paint or varnish will not lift beyond that line. Work in small increments checking the hinge fit frequently by dropping the hinge into the mortise until it sits flush with the face, removing only what is necessary. If the door edge is painted or varnished and the mortise reveals bare wood, sand the small exposed area lightly with fine sandpaper and finish with matching touch up paint or a thin layer of wood filler followed by finish coat once cured.

The three most common mistakes are cutting too deep and weakening the door edge, chiseling beyond the layout lines and damaging the face finish, and using a dull chisel that tears wood fibers and leaves a rough mortise. If you cut too deep, glue a thin veneer shim or apply a thin layer of wood filler trimmed flush after it dries and then refit the hinge. If you damage the face beyond the tape line, sand the edge smooth and feather in finish or fill small chips with paintable wood filler before repainting only the small repair area. If the chisel is dull swap to a properly sharpened chisel or hone the blade until it takes a fine shaving and work with controlled light strokes rather than forceful blows.

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