Start planning the details of your next design or remodel project with your front door. While a custom oversized door can be a statement piece, staying with standard door sizes can give you access to a wider range of styles, materials, and features within your preferred project budget. At Iron Doors Arizona, our door specialists are here to help make sure you have the information you need about standard exterior door size options to start sizing and planning in detail.

Tips for Door Sizing

Exterior doors come in multiple different standard exterior door size options. For example, your front entryway may have a single standard door that is 80 inches high and 30 inches across. But it may be next to symmetrical sidelight window inserts that give you enough space for a wider 36-inch door. As you measure the space and consider the possibilities, we recommend asking yourself:

  • What’s the size of your current door, and are you happy with it?
  • Do you want to replace your current door or a more extensive remodeling or design project to entirely reshape the entryway?
  • Are there features around the space, such as extra windows or a wide threshold, that can easily accommodate a bigger door, or are features nearby (such as a staircase right by the door’s inswing) that limit your options?

Exterior back doors tend to have even more variability. You might have a sliding double door that can be replaced with beautiful French doors or a single door near a blank wall that you can widen to make the way to the patio grander and filled with more light. Start with these design considerations before moving on to measurements.

How Doors Are Measured

Measuring a door alone can be tricky, but you can confidently move forward once you know the fundamentals. Doors are measured based on their height, width, and thickness. However, there are different processes based on whether you have a prehung door, a door with sidelights, or double doors. Take these measurements of your exterior door so you can start exploring options and discussing quotes with your door company:

  • For prehung doors: Measure the height and width of the door itself, not the trim. Then, also measure the door frame’s height and width. For extra precision, measure at three points along each dimension in case of warping or error. Also, measure the width of the door and door jamb.
  • For double doors: This is very similar. Rather than just measuring the width of a single door, measure the width of both closed doors together.
  • For doors with sidelights: Take the same door measurements you would as above. Then, measure the width of each sidelight (from trim edge to trim edge) and the width of the entire space, from the far edge of the left sidelight to the far edge of the right one.

Measuring your exterior door widths and heights can help you start looking at the right door sizes. But before you order a door, we recommend having a professional take measurements so the installation and refinishing work can happen smoothly.

Standard Door Width and Height

Ordering a standard-sized exterior door gives you much more flexibility and simplifies your remodeling project without removing any of the transformative pizzazz. Once you’ve measured your current doors, see which of these standard options are close:

  • Standard single door:
    • The most common exterior door size is 36″ x 80″.
    • Newer homes are likely to have bigger doors, such as 42″ x 96″.
  • French doors:
    • The most popular dimensions are 72″ x 80″ for the total width and height, with each door being 36″ across.
  • Doors with sidelights:
    • While there’s no standard for doors and sidelights, most sidelights are 12″ wide on either side of a 32″ or 36″ door.

Shop for Your Next Exterior Door at Iron Doors Arizona

At Iron Doors Arizona, we have a wide selection of high-quality doors available now in standard sizes and configurations. Browse our selection of long-lasting aluminum doors, chic barn doors with wrought iron frames, and more, or contact our friendly team to take the next step on your new design and get professional assistance finding the right standard exterior door size.