A Little about Doors

You’d think that doors would be a no brainer, but I still visit with my clients about them. First of all, doors are called out in their size by feet and inches.  A door that measures 36″ across the width is referred to as a 3′-0″ (pronounced three-oh).  Most doors in a house are 80″ in height and would be referred to 6′-8″ (pronounced 6-eight). However, since most doors are all the same height, the height reference is usually omitted and used only if the door is an unusual height. So your front door to your new home would be called out as a “three-oh”, omitting the six-eight.  There are some doors that are 7′-8″ tall, but for some reason they are referred to as “eight-oh” doors in the industry. (I have no idea where this practice began.)

Front doors are usuall “three-oh”.  Bedrooms usually have “two-six” doors.  Bathroom usually have “two-four” doors.  The smallest door that I use to draw homes with are the “two-oh” reserved for the toilet closets.  A pair of “one-six” doors create a 36″ opening which is often a nice design into a master bathroom. And finally, “two-eight” doors are usually reserved for utility entrances and the door leading into the garage from the house.

These size doors are guidelines.  Often clients ask for the “three-oh” door for handicap entrances into bedrooms or bathrooms.  This is the whole idea of having a custom-drawn residence, having it planned to your needs.

As far as describing the door-swing,  place your back to the hinges and if the door should swing to your right,  it is call a right-hand door.