Period doors were originally made to some common standard imperial sizes.
Internal doors
24 x 72" - understairs door, can be ideal for an ensuite or where there is limited space.
28 x 76" - bathroom
and small bedroom.
30 x 78" - most internal doors. This is often described as a "standard size door".
32 x 80" - principal rooms in larger properties.
36 x 84" - very large doors in larger properties e.g. hotels.
(note: the period doors are made in proportion i.e. a narrow door is also short, a wide door is also tall etc.)
(we do occasionally get various odd sizes e.g. 28x78 or 34x82 etc. - please let us know if you need something unusual)
Front doors / External doors
32 x 80" - most front doors from the Victorian period through to today.
36 x 84" - doors for some large properties
Please be aware that all of the above sizes are the original
sizes that the doors were made to. They will not still be that size now. Virtually all reclaimed doors will
have been trimmed down over the years. Period properties did not have fitted carpets, so when they came along e.g. in the
1960s/70s all of the doors in a house would have been trimmed typically by around 1" at the bottom. Also the sides of
the doors will have been planed down over the years to allow the doors to close nicely after decades of paint build up.
A typical "standard size" door (originally 30x78") will now typically measure approx 29 3/4 x 77".
If when fitting a reclaimed door there is any visible gap the normal procedure is to pack out the existing door frame e.g.
add a strip of wood to the side - once painted in it should look original. If you are repainting the door you can add a strip
to the door itself. Alternatively you can buy an oversized door and then trim it down to fit exact.
If you
are replacing an existing door in your house then please measure the actual door you currently have (assuming it opens/closes
properly). Measure the width / height / thickness. You can give us measuremnts in imperial (inches) or metric (mm) - whichever
you are hapy to work in. Generally the wider/taller doors will also be thicker. The thickness is however, usually the least
important dimension, especially for internal doors. Most internal door frames have a separate door "stop" (the thin
strip of wood inside the frame that the door closes onto). The door stops can usually be moved in or out (they are only pinned
on) to allow for thicker or thinner doors.
If you want a door for a new opening e.g. an extension then it
is always best if you can find the door before the builder/carpenter fits the new frame. That way you will have a far wider
choice of doors, and the frame can be fitted to suit the door size. Often people have new door frames fitted and then struggle
to find reclaimed doors to suit the frame sizes.
Modern doors are usually made in the following sizes:
27 x 78" - ensuite or cloakroom.
30 x 78" - most doors.
33 x 78" - wide doors.
36 x 78"
- extra wide doors.
Modern front doors are usually 33 x 78".
(note: the modern doors
are all made to the same height, unlike the period doors which were made in proportion. If you want a reclaimed door to go
into a modern sized frame e.g. 27x78 or 33x78 then the door will probably need to be trimmed to fit).
