Understanding the door rough opening chart is not actually complicated, but it can be downright confusing if you’re not familiar with construction stuffs. Whether you are going to purchase doors for a new house or to replace your old ones, the brief guide below will tell you where to get start and measure the numbers.
However, before getting into the rough opening measurement, let’s first talk about what is a door rough opening. A rough opening is the door’s framed opening. There’s a door component called a jam header located on the top, the bottom (at threshold or sill plate), and either side of the door. This part consumes some spaces. As an example, a 36-inch wide and 80-inch-tall door might be labeled as 3/0 – 6/8, but the actual measurements of the jamb and door will be a bit different when jamb and door measurements are combined. How much the actual door and rough opening size varies will differ, but in the door rough opening chart, the actual door number is always going to be the smaller one between these two.
To measure the door rough opening, you will need a pencil, measuring tape, pry bar, and razor blade. Follow the guide below then.
- Measuring rough opening for doors of new construction
- Measure the inside length between two studs.
- Measure the length between the concrete or plywood subfloor and the inside of 2×6 or 2×4.
- Measure the rough opening by multiplying the two numbers above.
Repeat the steps above for each doorway in the new construction, as they may have different rough opening.
- Measuring rough opening for replacement or remodeling doors
- Take of the interior casing on the upper part and sides of the door to achieve the most accurate measurements.
- Measure the inside length between two studs.
- Measure the length between the concrete or plywood subfloor and the inside of 2×6 or 2×4.
- Measure the rough opening by multiplying the two numbers above.
The steps to measure the rough opening for interior and exterior doors are similar. Once you get the basics, you can measure it by yourself. However, just to make sure, it’s still recommended to consult again to professional if you’re not an expert at this area. Home improvement and building professionals will be able to help you to take the right measurements by using door rough opening chart.
Source: https://www.ksrdoor.com/how-to-measure-your-rough-opening/
