Synopsis: This article discusses a half-dozen templates for cutting hinge mortises with a router, a time-saving device. (Note: there’s no guarantee that every model the author mentions is currently available.)

The sweet smell of ponderosa pine filled the room as Howard, my boss and teacher, deftly routed the mortises for door hinges. He was using an old router and an ancient-looking device tacked to the door jamb, a contraption of metal rods and plates with lots of thumbscrews. I was watching, for the first time, a hinge butt template in use.

As we moved from doorway to doorway through the custom home we were building and I carried a door to each opening, Howard set the template nails, quickly routed the jamb and door, and offered advice to me every so often in his own quiet way. Soon the mortises were cut for doors throughout the house, and Howard left as I began screwing in hinge leaves. I remember being surprised at the speed with which he worked, particularly since it had taken me what seemed like days to set all the jambs.

That happened years ago. Now, as a building contractor, I have to hang all sorts of doors, and usually within strict time constraints. Once I hung 8-ft.-tall oak church doors in the morning and spent that afternoon hanging a number of interior residential doors. On a day like that, a hinge butt template can make the difference between getting home in time for supper or snarling at the dog when you finally arrive home around midnight.

A good template will give you a dependable and versatile way to do the trickiest part of hanging a door: cutting the mortises. Templates will work for most interior and exterior doors, and I’ve found mine to be an invaluable aid for saving time and ensuring accuracy. Just as important, it gives me the confidence to tackle a demanding job without balking. In fact, I don’t hesitate to use the template even if I have only one door to hang.

Basic template anatomy

A hinge butt template (some manufacturers use the term “butt hinge template”) is a tool for spacing, sizing, and guiding the cutting of hinge mortises in doors and door jambs. Since the templates are basically router accessories, it’s no surprise that the major manufacturers of hinge butt templates also make routers. These companies each make one version of the tool except for Bosch, which offers two.

All the templates I’ve seen are similar. They consist of three metal template bodies arranged along adjustable extension rails. A separate one or two-piece collar (usually called a template guide or guide bushing) attaches to the base of the router and guides the router bit within a space in the template body.

For more drawings and details, click the View PDF button below:

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Original Speed Square

A Speed Square or rafter square can help you cut rafters, measure angles, and accurately guide your saw for straight and angled cuts. It's a must have.

Buy at Amazon

Smart String Line

String lines — sometimes called dry lines — are invaluable for straightening walls and a million other things. The reel makes it easy to stretch and wind the string.

Buy at Amazon

Anchor Bolt Marker

Quickly transfer anchor bolt locations to mud sill stock without measuring mistakes.

Buy at Amazon