What is the standard door gap size?

Author: Miss Bette Goldner PhD  |  Last update: Sunday, June 15, 2025

In general, the gap beneath an interior door will be between three-quarters of an inch and half an inch. This width depends largely on the type of flooring, as door frames are generally installed when the floor is unfinished. A standard door can have varying levels of clearance over different flooring types.

How big should door gaps be?

The Size That Matters

It should also be consistent — the same size from top to bottom on all three sides of the door. 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.

What is the average door gap?

One critical aspect to emphasize is the gap between the door and the floor, which should be between a half-inch and three-quarters of an inch for optimal functionality.

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 size gap should I leave around my door?

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.

FrameFit - Fire Door Gap Remedial System

What is proper door spacing?

Hinge Margin: Space between the door panel and door frame on the hinge side of the door. A standard hinge margin is 1/16", but can vary based upon the hinges used. Strike Margin: Space between the door panel and door frame on the strike, or handle, side of the door. The standard strike margin is 5/32".

What should the clearance be around a door?

Ideally, there should be a gap of about 1/2 inch between the bottom of the door and the floor to allow for expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. Additionally, side clearances should be approximately 1/8 inch on both sides to ensure smooth operation.

What is the code for the gap under a door?

NFPA 80 currently allows a maximum bottom gap of 3/4 in.

How to measure a door gap?

The measurement is taken between the bottom outermost edge of the doors and the top of the floor surface beneath the doors.

How much gap do you leave under a door?

Internal Door Undercuts

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.

What is the standard opening space for a door?

Common widths for internal doors range from 520mm to 920mm, while external door widths often fall between 820mm to 920mm.

How much clearance for a door to open?

Space at least 60″ deep in front of a door will accommodate a forward approach, except in case of hinge approaches on the pull side. On the pull side of hinge approaches, 36″ minimum latch-side clearance is required if the depth is 60″ minimum (The depth can be 54″ minimum if the latch-side clearance is at least 42″.)

What to put under a door gap?

Weatherstripping
  1. Felt rolls.
  2. Corner pads.
  3. Sticky foam tape.
  4. Tubular rubber, vinyl, or silicone.
  5. Kerf Weatherstripping.

What is the average gap under a door?

In general, the gap beneath an interior door will be between three-quarters of an inch and half an inch. This width depends largely on the type of flooring, as door frames are generally installed when the floor is unfinished. A standard door can have varying levels of clearance over different flooring types.

What is the standard undercut of a door?

Undercut is a term used to describe the dimen- sion from the bottom of the door to the bottom of the frame. Doors are undercut to provide clearance above the finish floor material. Typically they are undercut ⅝ inches to ¾ inches from the bottom of the frame.

How much space do you leave when framing a door?

Framing rough opening sizes are really quite simple. Just add 2″ to the width of the actual door size. You should add 2-1/2″ to the height of the actual door. This will give you room to space the door frame off of the sub-floor.

What is the standard interior door gap?

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 size gap around a door?

Reposition the new door in the frame and mark the exact position of the old hinges onto the new door edge, ensuring there is a 3mm gap around all sides.

What should the gap be between two doors?

Most door installers look for a gap in the middle of double doors between 3mm and 5mm – that's less than ¼ inch. This means the doors will swing correctly and there's no risk of them hitting one another. Any gap between doors bigger than 5mm is too much and will look out of place.

How do you fix a 2 inch gap under a door?

A gap between the bottom of the front door and the threshold is easily fixed with a door sweep! Door sweeps reinforce the seal between the bottom of the door and the door jamb, meaning you get extra protection from dirt, bugs, moisture, and wind.

What is the maximum door gap?

For years, NFPA 80 has set the maximum gap that can exist between the doors and the frame on the sides, top, and bottom, with those gaps ranging from an eighth to three-quarters of an inch, depending on the side.

What are doors code?

Doors codes are exchangeable for various free rewards. Some of them offer a certain amount of in-game currency (knobs) and other life-saving boosters (revives).

What is the standard clearance for a doorway?

Door openings shall have a minimum clear opening width of 32 inches; however, if the doorway is more than 24 inches deep, then a minimum clearance of 36 inches is required. The clear opening is measured from the face of the door to the stop of the frame while the door is opened to 90 degrees.

What is the gap under a door code?

NFPA 80 (the code standard for fire doors) states that fire doors must be inspected on an annual basis. Maximum allowable perimeter gap is 1/8" for wood doors, 1/8" +/- 1/16" for metal doors. Maximum allowable door bottom gap is 3/4".

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.

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