How to Measure Interior Doors: Get the Perfect Fit Every Time

Ordering a beautiful set of custom interior doors from 27EStore ensures your doors will be perfectly sized every time, but we recognize that many customers request advice about the correct measurements to take.

Sizing is essential and can impact the cost of high-quality hardwood doors, so it is important to have accurate dimensions to avoid needing to plane the wood back. Learning how to hang interior doors that don't quite match the frame can be complex and time-consuming–read on for a straightforward guide to getting your measurements right the first time!

Guide to Measuring Internal Doors

The first step is to ensure you have a tape measure and pencil to hand–any estimates or approximations can affect the way the door sits within the frame.

Should interior doors match trim sizing? Not necessarily, as you want a snug door that omits draughts but that doesn't become difficult to open or stick in the frame during warmer weather when natural wood tends to expand slightly.

How to Measure the Door Height

The height measurement is easiest to take from the vertical edges of the frame from the inside. Note that some frames are uneven, so you should take measurements from both sides to ensure accuracy.

Beginning from the top corner, measure directly down to the bottom corner, repeating the same process on the opposite side of the frame and in the center of the doorway. Whichever measurement is the longest is the height of the door you require; you may also need to consider the flooring if you intend to install a new floor as even a few millimeters of carpet or laminate wood can prevent a door from closing properly.

Measuring the Width of an Interior Door

In the same way that door heights can vary, so can their widths–it is best to measure the door width three times at the top, bottom, and middle of the frame. Measure directly across the inside of the frame from one side to the other, and use the widest figure as your required door width.

Checking the Thickness of a Door

While length and width are obvious measurements for a tailored interior door, many people forget that doors come in multiple thicknesses. This measurement needs to be taken using the width of the frame in the middle, at roughly the place where the handle will go.

Although doors tend to be supplied in standardized thicknesses of thirty-five millimeters, this may be unsuitable, depending on the property's age and whether the original frame was fitted to a standard size.

Some properties have thicker doors by design, and in others, this is a safety feature where regulations may require a denser door to act as a fire safety precaution. Therefore, we recommend measuring the depth of the door frame just as carefully as the height and width to ensure your new doors sit nicely once hung.

Tips on Taking Accurate Door Measurements

One of the best pieces of advice is to take your measurements two or three times to ensure you aren’t making any inadvertent errors–even a tiny slip of the tape measure can mean the size will be off. We’d also suggest considering other décor or changes to the room in which the door will be hung, in addition to the flooring we mentioned earlier. For example:

• Do you want the door to open to the left or right?
• Will you keep the existing frame or replace it?
• Where will the handle be positioned on the new door?
• Will changes to plug sockets or light switches affect the placement of the door?

Although standardized sizing exists, this also varies with several ‘regular’ dimensions used in door manufacturing. Unfortunately, this means ordering a new door without taking measurements can result in a door that is too large or small for the frame.

Another frequent issue is when a homeowner measures the previous door, assuming these dimensions will be identical to their upgraded door. The better solution is to measure the frame, not the door, resolving any issues where the old door doesn't fit entirely flush within the frame or allows a draught to escape through the bottom aspect.

At 27EStore, we custom cut each interior door to your sizing requirements, avoiding any issues with hanging the door or achieving the aesthetic you wish for your property. Check out our wide selection of interior doors today!