Standard Door Sizes UK – An Internal & External Guide
What is the standard size of external front doors?
There actually isn’t a single standard door size in the UK, but homeowners and door manufacturers widely use a series of sizes. In England and Wales, the typical door width is 2’6” (30 inches or 762mm). However, in Scotland, doors are generally narrower, measuring about 28.5 inches (726mm).
How an installer defines a ‘standard’ door also varies between companies and is determined by their fitting method and product mix. From our standpoint, we would regard a ‘standard’ door as any door, as we insist on crafting bespoke door solutions for customers.
Why Awareness Of UK Standard Door Sizes is Helpful
Gaining insight into standard door sizes in the UK and the height of doors for UK homes is incredibly valuable to know when embarking on a project. Recognition of common door dimensions removes some of the difficulty involved in buying and will see that compliance with Part M accessibility guidelines and clear–opening widths is accomplished. Incidentally, before buying, we’d also advocate reading up on the best front door colours.
Some grasp of standard sizing also comes in useful for when you enter into conversation with an installer or designer, and will help them help you.
UK Door Size Conventions: Metric, Imperial & Their Equivalents
Standard internal door sizes in the UK still use metric and imperial naming systems. As an example – a door in an older building might be classed as “2 ft 6” by some installers, but the metric equivalent is 762 mm. Being aware of both is worthwhile if you decide to undertake a renovation or want to talk doors with a tradesperson.
Imperial sizes like 2’3”, 2’6” and 2’9” are very common in England and Wales, but Scotland tends to favour metric measurements, especially in newer residential buildings, where many specify 2040 mm tall doors.
We thought it useful to produce a table, in which we provide an overview of common standard door sizes, with the typical width and height in metric and imperial units:
Standard Internal Door Sizes (Most UK Homes)
Standard interior door sizes in the UK heavily lean on their 1981 mm x 762 mm slab. Measuring “2’6” × 6’6” in imperial, the slab offers a middle ground of width and accessibility, making it a popular choice for English and Welsh dwellings.
The 2040 mm tall series needs mentioning too, fast growing in popularity here and extremely commonplace in Scottish new-builds, at properties crying out for loftiness and modern character. Their typical widths include 726 mm, 826 mm, and 926 mm.
For a quick comparison of sizes, refer to our chart. You’ll see that we pair up imperial and metric labels with where each size is most commonly used. This avoids having to do any guesswork when carrying out a door upgrade.
Standard External Front & Back Door Sizes
Sizes are pretty consistent where standard front and back doors in the UK are concerned. The most common external door dimensions begin at 1981 mm in height, with a width in the region of 762 mm to 1020 mm. These sizes correspond to most traditional door openings and the best doors for security UK, reducing the complexity of finding a suitable replacement door.
There has been a slight change though recently, with 2010 mm x 900 mm becoming a frequently quoted size for standard external doors by installers and manufacturers overseeing work at contemporary homes. The taller and broader slabs have an ample design and better satisfy accessibility requirements.
For homes with an intense design focus, taller doors like 2040 mm and 2184 mm are greatly admired, creating an unmissable visual impact of significant scale.
Slab thickness can vary depending on the chosen door material. Timber doors mostly range from 44 mm to 56 mm, composite doors are more like 44 mm to 70 mm and UPVC doors are the slimmest of the lot. It’s more than just an aesthetic difference, also influencing insulation, security and hardware compatibility.
Discern what is the best fit with a look at our chart, in which we break down common external door sizes and materials for you.
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Different Door Types Different Door Sizes
There are as many replacement doors in South Wales around as types of windows and in a series of sizes. Obviously, bi-folding doors are very differently sized to traditional front doors.
Door functionality differs between styles, with some all about opening a home to a garden and others squarely about protecting a house and keeping its inhabitants safe.
A bit of awareness of UK standard door sizes for each available door will reduce the possibility of installation problems, save you some time and help make your decision-making straightforward.
Pair / Double Doors
You can use the term paired doors and double doors interchangeably and they normally span from 915 mm (3 ft) up to around 1512 mm (just under 5 ft), with an average height of 1981 mm (6 ft 6 in).
They are often selected for large interior openings and lavish entrances, requiring two equal matching leaves to attain a consistent aesthetic.
French Doors
French doors are typified by their chic design and synonymous with practicality. An internal French door has a thickness of around 35-40mm, but external French doors tend to be slightly thicker at 44 mm.
Their size can be anywhere from 36 in (approx. 914 mm) to 60 in (approx. 1524 mm) in standard door width UK. Some of our customers like to have side panels to amplify the volume of natural light that reaches their interior.
Sliding & Bi-Fold Systems
The panel configuration of sliding and bi-folding doors will determine their overall size, as will how clear the opening happens to be.
A simple two-panel sliding door could roughly measure about 1800 mm wide, whereas a seven-panel bi-folding door stretches to around 6400 mm. It needs stressing that the aperture width is properly accounted for, taking into account any stacking space.
Garage Doors
The UK’s two most common garage door sizes are 1981 mm × 2134 mm (6 ft 6 in × 7 ft) and 2134 mm × 2134 mm (7 ft × 7 ft). They befit most single garages and get selected for a lot of sectional and up-and-over designs.
Building regulations need thinking about if you are intending to install a side garage door, as it will need to offer a fire exit or escape route if it’s the only alternative access point to the house.
Fire Doors
Sizing for fire doors is strictly regulated because of their safety aspect. Imperial fire door widths are typically 27 in, 30 in, and 32 in, with metric sizes obeying the 2040 mm height standard with widths of 626 mm, 726 mm, and 926 mm.
A fire door’s frame setup will also be impacted by fire ratings such as FD30 (30 minutes) and FD60 (60 minutes) and for compliance reasons, you require intumescent seals, the right frame clearances, and certified ironmongery.
A Step-By-Step Measuring Guide
Accurate measurements will ensure that things go without a hitch and help you identify a door that neatly fits into the available aperture. Here’s how to go about it.
When undertaking a door replacement, start off by measuring the opening’s width and height, preferably from brick to brick or render to render on the outside. Capturing the height needs you to measure from the top of the aperture to just under the cill. Measurements should be taken from three places (top, middle, bottom for width; left, centre and right for height) so you’re not left with any irregularities or a wonky frame. The smallest measurement is what should guide your order.
You can measure the actual door or the internal reveal if it’s a new opening or an old door has been taken out, but this may not give you a clear picture.
Total accuracy is key so that you don’t waste any time or money and don’t have to worry about making a return.
Hand over the job of doing all of that to First Class, who know exactly what to do to measure a home up for a new door.