First, a bit about doors in general
Doors are typically manufactured in nominal sizes. Heights are generally 80″, 84″, and 96″. Widths are typically in 2″ increments from 24″ to 36″, then jump to 42″. Jambs are manufactured to fit the rough opening hole in your wall. The assembler selects a nominal-sized door that is larger than the jamb availability, then cuts the door down to fit into the jamb.
There is usually no problem with this technique if the downsizing of the door is less than 1″. Unfortunately, most doors nowadays are “engineered”, which is an industry term that means they are built from veneers over a core that should not be exposed. Structural parts may only be large enough for basic hardware installation. Changing the door size may expose the core or leave a door edge (stile) that is too narrow for conventional hardware. It may yield proportions that are unattractive.
As a custom manufacturer, we design and build everything to fit properly and proportionally. We use solid hardwoods so that re-sizing will never expose a core. We know what the rules are, we know how to bend them, and we know when to break them!
We need a few measurements and bits of information to build your entryway so that it will properly interface with your home. If you have a contractor or professional installer, they can easily provide this information for you, or you may wish to have them contact us directly so that no data is lost in translation. Approximate measurements should be fine for a preliminary quote, but we will need precise measurements if the entryway is actually ordered.
We’ve seen several videos on YouTube regarding how to measure or install a door. Some are better than others. We felt these folks did a pretty good job of explaining things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXfTITnSIog. Special thanks to the folks at Reeb Millwork. Nice job!
Slab Only
If you are interested in the door only, and it will be sized and hung on your existing jamb by your installer, you need only provide the following:
- Door Height
- Door Width
- Door Thickness
- Direction of Swing
The following diagram can help you determine the direction of swing:
Prehung Unit
If you want us to size and fit the door into a new jamb with threshold, hinges, and weatherstrip, this is called a prehung unit. A prehung unit may also include sidelites or transoms. The arrangement of the door, sidelites, or transoms is called the Configuration.
With a prehung unit, we need to know the actual space available. This is referred to as the Rough Opening. It usually includes the width (from stud to stud), the height (from subfloor to header beam), and the depth (from the interior surface of the sheetrock to the exterior surface of the sheathing.) If you are using a professional builder or installer, let him provide this information, as he may use certain techniques or have certain expectations in mind. You may even wish to have him contact us directly on your behalf. When the rough opening is provided to us, we will always deduct 1/2″ in the height and width to ensure that the completed unit will slide right into the space available. These revised dimensions are called the Unit Outside Dimensions.
Sometimes, a customer who is replacing an existing prehung unit, may find it easier to simply measure the existing unit and send us those dimensions for the new unit. That is okay, as long as you clearly state that these are Unit Outside Dimensions and NOT the Rough Opening. Otherwise, if we believe it is the Rough Opening, we will impose the additional deductions as mentioned above.
For a Prehung Unit, you will need to provide the following:
- Configuration
- Rough Opening Width
- Rough Opening Height
- Jamb Unit Depth
- Threshold Height
- Threshold Rest
- Direction of Swing for the Active Door
If your entryway has only one door, we will need to know its Direction of Swing from the chart above. If your entryway is a double-wide (French doors), then we need to know the Direction of Swing for the active door (the door through which you will be entering and exiting.) The other door is called the Passive Door. It will have slide bolts to keep it closed with normal use.
The Threshold Height and Threshold Rest are important. Ideally, the top of the threshold should be 1/2″ to 3/4″ above the finished interior flooring. This allows enough room for the door to clear the flooring when it is opened, but not so much higher that the threshold becomes a “stumbling block” for people passing through. Typically, the threshold rests on the subfloor. In some instances, it may rest on a sill plate, on a shim, or at the level of the finished flooring. Where the threshold rests will determine its height and may affect the Rough Opening Height. For more information on thresholds, click here.
Go here to determine your entryway’s Configuration.
