What are the Standard Door Sizes?
First, we should know what is meant by standard door sizes. The words common and standard will be used interchangeably. It basically means that the manufacturers run these sizes all day long. The sizes listed are standard sizes. Standard means that it is not custom made.
Standard door sizes come in stock doors and also the doors that are ordered. Stock doors are available off the shelf. It simply means that you could walk out of the supplier's store with that door in hand, because they have it in stock. Of course, the sizes and styles will be limited since they are literally in the warehouse out back. The stock sizes that any particular supplier might carry will also vary by region and supplier. Each market is a little different.
In our market, stock sizes are: Passage doors: 1-6, 2-0, 2-4, 2-6, 2-8, and 3-0. Bifold doors: 4-0, 5-0 and 6-0.
Widths
Door widths generally refer to the door opening-within the frame. A 3-0 door has an opening that is close to 36", allowing for the door plus a small gap around the door.
Look at a door installed in a house- see that the door is beveled slightly on the edges and there is a small gap all the way around it. This allows the door to operate properly in the frame.
This is a bit technical, but there are two measurements for a slab (a door by itself without the frame). One is 'full and square' which is exactly the measurement with no bevel on the edges. This allows you to retrofit doors more readily in existing openings. The other is 'beveled' which is designed to for standard jambs on a prehung door.
Bifold doors are measured the same way-sort of. The measurement called out for is the door opening also. A 4'0" bifold door unit has a 48" opening. The doors are smaller though. Because they fold, the gaps which allow them to operate are much bigger than those found on passage doors.
Height
For many years, the standard height for interior doors was 6-8 (6 foot, 8 inches), or 80". Many existing houses have this height door.
The trend in recent years is for taller ceilings in houses and, now, standard heights for doors are 6-8, 7-0 and 8-0.
The height measurement is for the door itself, whether or not it is in the frame. The jamb or frame will be taller than the called out height because all doors have a gap at the bottom to allow for air flow.
Thickness
All new (standard) interior doors are 1-3/8" thick.
Exterior (standard) doors are 1-3/4" thick.
The same jamb size is used for both exterior and interior doors. Although, good exterior jambs have a rot-proof feature on the wood itself.
The main consideration with door thickness is the knob. The knobs must fit the thickness. Fortunately, thickness is an industry wide standard so that an exterior knob fits all new exterior doors and the same is true for interior. Most exterior knobs can be adjusted to fit interior doors too, but double check.
Older houses can have doors with many different thicknesses-even within the same house! This can be a real issue, trying to fit new hardware on old doors.
When you get ready to buy doors, do your homework. It is the best thing a homeowner can do to save time and money. There is a lot of door information out there and, hopefully, this article helps to clarify the standard door sizes piece of the puzzle.
About the Author
Find info that helps a homeowner have a successful remodeling or house building project at http://www.BuilderInYourPocket.com . A buying guide can be extremely useful for your selections. Check out the Complete Guide to Buying Interior Doors. Free resources about doors, managing your project and money, the emotional roller coaster and more. Julie Groth is a builder, remodeler and teacher.
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