How much clearance does a door need for carpet?

Author: Dr. Kenyon D'Amore  |  Last update: Thursday, August 7, 2025

A well fitted door should have a 2mm gap on either side and at the top. The gap at the bottom will depend on the thickness of your flooring/carpet. Plane the door as required, using an electric plane will help you get an even finish, and sand for a smooth finish.

How much do you cut off a door to allow for carpet?

Different doors will mean different depths, if you have a solid wooden door you can typically remove more than a hollow core door. But, the first thing you should check is the manufacturer's recommendation. These are commonly 5mm -10mm, so if you can't find a recommendation stick with these measurements.

How high to set a door for carpet?

But with carpet, that discrepancy is hardly noticeable. For that reason, I cut both jambs to a length that keeps them roughly 3/8 inch off the subfloor. I also make sure that there will be plenty of space to keep the bottom of the door clear of the carpet.

Should a door touch the carpet?

NO (between 2 and 2.5cm is perfect between the carpet and the door)

How much floor clearance do I need for a door?

Having a gap allows for the smooth opening and closing of the door, preventing scraping and wear of the door itself or the floor underneath. There are safety concerns to consider as well. In general, the gap beneath an interior door will be between three-quarters of an inch and half an inch.

How to Lay Carpet In To Door Thresholds Bar/Fit Carpet in to double & single edge door bar.

How much clearance between door and carpet?

A well fitted door should have a 2mm gap on either side and at the top. The gap at the bottom will depend on the thickness of your flooring/carpet. Plane the door as required, using an electric plane will help you get an even finish, and sand for a smooth finish.

What is the minimum clearance for a doorway?

The minimum width of each door opening shall be sufficient for the occupant load thereof and shall provide a clear width of not less than 32 inches (813 mm). Clear openings of doorways with swinging doors shall be measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees (1.57 rad).

How far should a rug be from a door?

An entryway rug should be positioned 12" to 18" from the front door, if the door allows it. If your door cannot clear the rug, 24" to 36" from the door is a better option.

Should there be a gap between door and floor?

While gaps under your door may limit privacy, they do serve a purpose. The main reason the gap exists is to keep the door from scraping your floor. After all, flooring is expensive! Another reason is to make central heating and air conditioning more efficient and effective.

What to do if the door is dragging on carpet?

A frequent cause of rubbing doors is one or more loose hinges. The symptoms for this condition are hinge screws that are protruding or hinges that move back and forth when the door is operated. This can be fixed by simply tightening their screws back into the hinge.

What is the proper clearance for a door?

Regardless of the door frame and door con- struction, and the level of fire rating of swinging doors, NFPA 80 limits the maximum clearance dimension between the bottom edges the doors and the floor surface to 3/4-in.

How much of a gap for carpet?

Most recommend installing beforehand and leaving an approximately 1-inch gap above the subfloor.

How high to hang doors for carpet?

If you are going to carpet the floor, shim the door jambs off the floor about 3/8″. This will allow carpet to be tucked under the jambs and usually leaves enough clearance so the door doesn't rub on the carpet.

Can I cut 4 inches off a door?

We will go into specific materials below, but a general rule of thumb is that you don't want to be trimming more than two inches off any door or you may risk damaging it.

Do buyers want carpet in bedrooms?

2 However, new, high-quality carpet in a neutral color in the bedroom may add value to a home. Some home buyers, however, may not appreciate carpet in the bedroom that's tough to vacuum, traps allergens, and wears out faster than hardwood.

How much clearance does a door need?

There should be a 2mm or 3mm gap between the door and the frame on both sides and the top. If you do need to cut the door down to size, keep in mind that you need to cut all four sides of the door equally whenever possible to retain an accurate shape or pattern if the door is panelled.

What is the acceptable door gap?

the gap between the underside of the door and unfinished floor should be between 10mm and 22mm, with the ventilation requirements for the building taken into account when determining the gap beneath internal doors.

What is the ideal door gap?

A gap of around 1/8th of an inch is recommended for standard doors to keep the elements out, protect the paint on the trim, and ensure that the door closes and opens smoothly. The right amount of space is equal to the thickness of your door with a little extra room for clearance while opening or closing.

How much clearance should be between bottom of door and carpet?

As a guide the average undercut of your door should be between 8mm and 10mm, that's around ⅝ inch to ¾ inch from the bottom of the frame. if you are in doubt, shave or cut off a little and if it's not enough, shave off some more.

What is the 18 inch rule for rugs?

The 18-inch rule: This is a well-known standard in interior design. It stipulates that there should be around 18 inches of uncovered floor between the edge of your rug and the walls of the room to keep everything in good proportion. Reduce this to around 8 inches for smaller rooms.

Do I need a rug at my front door?

A rug is a great way to protect flooring near your front door from dirt, snow, rain and sunshine. We also recommend placing a door mat outside your front door so people can wipe their feet before they come in.

What is the ADA clearance next to a door?

If a person approaches the door from the hinge side and must push the door to open, the ADA requires a minimum of 42 inches of clearance on the opening side perpendicular to the doorway and a minimum of 22 inches of clearance on the side parallel to the doorway beyond the latch.

How much space should I allow for a door?

As a general guide, 5 to 10mm clearance horizontally & vertically is sufficient. This allows sufficient room to plumb, level & square the frame.

Can doors swing into clear floor space?

Doors shall not swing into the clear floor space or clearance required for any fixture. Doors shall be permitted to swing into the required turning space.

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