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The entry door, also commonly known as the front or exterior door, is what most people consider the standard door size for a residential building. Entry or front doors can measure anywhere from 30 inches or more in door width, and are available with any number of glass patterns built-in. Front doors can also be made from solid or manufactured wood, vinyl, or metal.
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The standard size of a front or exterior door is 36 inches (three feet) by 80 inches. This is larger than the standard interior door width, which can vary from 28 to 36 inches. Below we’ve provided an extensive series of charts and tables setting out typical front door dimensions for multiple different types of front doors.
Related: Garage door dimensions | French door dimensions | Sliding door dimensions | Pocket door dimensions
Center Swing Entry Doors with Inswing
Center swing doors with inswing refer to a front door that is also commonly known as the triple door. The term “inswing” refers to the fact that this is a traditional style of door that opens into a space. Standard nominal measurements for front doors like this are 7.5 feet, eight feet, or nine feet wide, and either the standard six foot eight inches tall for most standard rooms or eight feet tall for rooms with raised ceilings.
Of the three panels in the door frame, the one which can be opened for daily use can be located either on the left or right side of the door. It is hinged to the middle of the door structure rather than at the outer edge of the door frame. These door openings can hold a glass, metal, or wood door.
Center Swing Entry Doors with Outswing
Center swing doors with outswing are essentially the same as their center swing door with inswing counterparts, except that center swing doors with outswing swing out of the space to allow more room inside it. These door types have specialty hinges to prevent possible burglars from removing them with common household tools.
Double Door with Venting Sidelights
The double door with venting sidelights consists of two doors built into a single door opening. This door type allows for the use of one door on a daily basis, or for both to be opened as an invitation to guests or to allow room for bringing furniture through the door opening. Thin windows decorate either side of this type of exterior door, and these door windows also typically stand at the same height as the door itself.
Venting sidelights on either side of a door frame can be opened to let in fresh air.
Entry Door: Front Door Frames and Panel Doors
Framed doors, or panel doors, are the typical contoured doors most people expect to see as the exterior main entrance to a house, and as interior doors as well. These types of doors offer several different contours to add strength and cosmetic appeal to their design. There are different sizes of panel doors available, but typically about 32-34 inches is appropriate for the door openings found in older houses.
New build homes, however, must have wider (36 inch, or three foot) door frame, as they are required to allow for handicap access to a space.
Entry Door or Front Door Sidelights and Transoms
A transom window, sometimes called transom light, is a horizontal window found over an exterior or interior door. When it comes to an entry door, it is uncommon and even odd to have clear glass used in a transom window. The most common glass used in a transom window above a front door is frosted glass.
This glass type allows light to enter a home, without increasing visibility into the home, as would be the case with a glass door. Another, more expensive (and more beautiful), way to accomplish this increased light but not increased visibility is by using stained glass in a transom window.
Entry Door with Grills
Grills can be used on glass doors for decorative or security purposes, or both. Door grills are iron pieces that are used as decorative enhancements or bars to allow a glass door or door with glass inserts. This allows the glass door to remain a secure option free from the constant concern of unwanted entry caused by someone simply breaking the glass.
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FAQ About Exterior Doors
What is the average standard size of an exterior door?
The average standard door size for an exterior or entry door is 36 inches (three feet) wide by 80 inches high. In older homes, often the door opening is smaller, so the door width can be smaller as well. However, because of ADA regulations, in new build homes entry doors are required to be a minimum of 36 inches (three feet) wide.
What does inswing/outswing mean?
Inswing refers to a door that opens toward the interior of a home. Outswing is its opposite, opening toward the exterior of a home.
Is a glass door safe to use as a front door?
Yes, a glass door can be safe for use as a front door. Additions like grills to glass doors or doors with glass inserts can bring peace of mind due to the increase in security they bring. However, if there’s still anxiety surrounding a glass door, but also the desire for more light in a space, a transom window is an excellent addition to make above a regular panel door.
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