Standard Sizes of Doors and Windows: Picking the Right Elements

Whether you’re trying to build the perfect walk-in closet or accommodate the right appliances in your laundry room, it’s safe to say that knowing the standard sizes of doors and windows is essential today. If a contractor fails to learn these by heart, they won’t be able to pick the right elements. Worst of all, if you go for windows and doors that are either too small or too big for your home, the whole interior will look downright ridiculous.

As with everything in life, balance is key, so when choosing doors and windows, you have to take into account various factors. It’s not just about the color or the glass you’ll use. The size matters as well since it can determine how much light the rooms will get, consequently making your home a great place to live in or a dark hole.

Worried you’ll make a mistake? Don’t be; I’m here to guide you through this challenge. Here are the standard sizes you ought to be aware of, as well as some suggestions on where certain types of windows and doors would function the best. Additionally, check out the video if you’re ever in doubt or cannot figure out what kind of style would suit your home perfectly.

Standard Door Sizes

Before getting your doors custom-made or going to a DIY store or home improvement center, check how many doors you’ll actually need. Then, consider which rooms may need shorter or taller doors. Though it may seem as if your exterior door is often the same height as the interior ones — that usually isn’t the case.

Here are the standard door sizes you ought to be aware of:

Exterior Doors

If you’re looking to buy some new exterior doors, there’s a good chance most of the options will be 80 x 36 inches. Today, 96-inch doors are also quite common, especially if the building in question features a more modern design.

The width of the doors also varies from 24 to 42 inches. In general, though, 80 x 32 inches is the optimal size that ensures there’s enough room to pass through. The doors are most often 1 ¾ inch thick.

Varieties such as fiberglass or steel doors often have different dimensions. If you’re aiming to install one of these, make sure there’s enough wall space and that you’re willing to sacrifice it, to begin with. These are usually either 80 or 96 inches tall.

Other than those, there are also special doors, such as the French ones, and patio sliding glass doors. The former are often between 30 and 72 inches wide (per each door) and about 80 inches tall. Here’s an option I’m particularly fond of and would definitely put in a master bedroom.

The latter’s size, however, varies a lot and depends on how much light you’re looking to introduce into your home. In general, they are 80 x 72 inches but can be as large as 96 x 96 inches.

Interior Doors

In most homes, you’ll find that the interior doors aren’t that smaller from the exterior ones. However, there is a 6-inch difference that does make things a bit tighter inside.

Most interior doors, such as these ones, which you’d use for bedrooms or bathrooms, are 80 x 30 inches. These dimensions aren’t set in stone; 24, 28, 32, and 36 inches wide doors are also quite common. The thickness may vary a bit, though, depending on how much insulation you need. Interior doors are often 1 ⅜, 1 ½, and 1 ¾ thick.

At the same time, there are doors that are, by some unwritten rules, always a bit different. Some great examples are closet and utility doors, which may be only 18 inches wide in some older houses, such as the ones made before the 1990s.

In recent years, that has changed, so they measure 30 x 78 or 30 x 96 inches in most contemporary homes. You can make them narrower, however, and keep the width at 24 or 28 inches.

Then, there are doors that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As you may imagine, the disabled may need a wider passage in case they are in a wheelchair or otherwise prevented from passing through 30-inch doors. Because of that, 80 x 36-inch varieties are common in houses where a bit more room for movement is an absolute necessity.

Standard Window Sizes

Unfortunately for those who don’t really like numbers, there is a vast array of windows on the market today (see this list of the best window companies ), so determining the exact standard dimensions could be tricky. In the end, it’s best to check out the standard dimensions for the type of window you’re aiming to install. So, let’s look at the most common varieties:

Picture Windows

Do you have a house somewhere in the woods and would love to use that scenic view to your advantage? Getting some big picture windows will definitely do the trick.

These will not only let enough light in but also allow you to enjoy the view from wherever you are in the room. In essence, if you love the feeling of open space and don’t like having many walls around you, these are your best choice.

The sizing is also advantageous, as picture windows come in multiple variants. They can be anywhere from 2 to 8 feet wide, and from 1 to 8 feet tall.

Double-Hung Windows

If you’re a traditionalist at heart and would like to keep the exterior of your home as simple as possible, it’s likely that you will go for double-hung windows. These are extremely popular in the US, so they are available in a massive range of sizes that allows every homeowner to find their perfect match. The dimensions go from 24 to 48 (width) and 36 to 72 inches (height).

Casement Windows

Have you ever seen a postcard from Crete that shows a beautiful, old-fashioned window complete with blue wooden blinds? Those are actually some outdated casement windows, and they are another traditional option you may go for.

Most often, you’ll find these in bathrooms and kitchens, as they allow for a decent amount of ventilation. However, because they’re so aesthetically pleasing, it’s not uncommon to install them in bedrooms too.

The width of these windows will depend, of course, on how much wall space you have and if there is enough room to open them. They can be anywhere from 1 foot 2 inches to 2 feet 11.5 inches wide. As for the height, it can go from 2 feet 5.5 inches to 6 feet 5.5 inches.

Sliders

As another popular type of window, sliders are relatively common in the US, especially when it comes to bedrooms and spaces that face a patio, walkway, or a porch. Since they have to be moved back and forth alongside the track to open, they don’t take up much space, making them perfect for cramped houses as well.

Still, do know that you’re going to sacrifice a bit more wall space for these. Sliders are most commonly wider than they are taller. Their standard dimensions are as follows:

• Height: from 24 to 60 inches
• Width: from 36 to 84 inches.

Bay Windows

As romantic as they seem, bay windows offer a lot more than meets the eye. For one, they allow for more light to step into your home, just like in the case of picture windows. However, unlike those, you can open these, letting in some fresh air from time to time. Additionally, since they protrude a bit, there will be some space beneath them for a cozy nook.

Because of that, the bay window could be a good choice for bedrooms or kitchens, especially those that may lack enough space for a sitting area. Just remember to measure everything out correctly, as these are rarely tiny.

The width of a standard bay window goes from 3 feet 6 inches to 10 feet 6 inches. As far as the height goes, expect the window to be from 3 feet to 6 feet 6 inches high.

Awning Windows

Finally, there’s the awning window, a classic favorite in the kitchen where there is a need for some extra ventilation.

Contrary to popular belief, these windows are weatherproof, so you can even leave them open when there’s some rain outside. They open outward and are hinged at the top, so it’s unlikely any droplets will manage to get through.

At the same time, awning windows allow you to keep an eye on the outdoors without compromising on fresh air. The view into your garden won’t be disrupted at all when an awning window is open. Better yet, if it starts raining or there’s some light snow, you won’t have to run to close it.

Standard dimensions of awning windows are:

• Height: from 1 foot 8 inches to 7 feet 8 ⅞ inches
• Width: from 2 inches to 3 feet 10 ⅛ inches

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there aren’t just two or three numbers you can rely on when deciding on the right doors and windows. Depending on the shape and style, the dimensions can vary greatly, which can be downright confusing for some homeowners.

However, it’s not that difficult to notice some patterns, especially when it comes to doors and the standard 80 x 30 inches. The biggest worry you’ll probably have will be choosing the windows; the numbers aren’t even, and they differ significantly from one type to another.

Still, I wouldn’t let that discourage me; after all, when you start a big reno, it’s your chance to make some great changes. Now that you know what the standard sizes are, it won’t be too difficult to eliminate the doors and windows you definitely cannot get and focus on the true winners.

A Brief Look Into Standard Window Sizes and Door Sizes

A Brief Look Into Standard Window Sizes and Door Sizes

The standard window sizes and door sizes turn out to be the considerable part while working on the aspects to customize home components. And the first and foremost thing is to collect information about the choices and options in order to come up with the best possible decision that promises to satisfy all of the needs. To know how window and door parts get into their places and how they contribute to the overall performance, it’s necessary to know the terminology that is common in the industry.

Considering the significance of every window and door part, the key should be to understand the pre-requisites of getting the right components. Remember that it involves everything, from size to design, material to security level, etc. Homeowners should never compromise on any aspect even after realizing that they can be updated or customized as needed.

One of the important aspects is to look at door and window sizes that tend to vary from one place to the other, meaning that every country has some specifications and rules about standard sizes that manufacturers should follow and produce items accordingly. Let’s have a look at the details regarding standard sizes of Canadian windows and doors in order to choose the most appropriate option:

Standard Window Profiles in Canada

While installing new windows, one of the most obvious things is to look at their profile or width of the frame. There are different vinyl window profiles for every type, meaning that it is up to the homeowners what they actually want. End-vent and slider hung windows usually have low profile frames while awnings and casements are provided with wider or high frames. Fixed picture units come in low as well as high profiles. This consideration tends to have added importance when new components are going to be installed near the existing ones. Be sure to never overlook the window profile as it’s crucial to find the closest match.

The decision to choose either a high or low profile is helpful to determine the amount of natural light coming into the rooms. High profile frames have low surface area and so, provide less light. Apart from this, below are some factors that also contribute to the selection of an appropriate window profile:

• Casing: the next important feature in standard window sizes is the trim or casing around. Although every manufacturer has different measurements, the standard window sizes for vinyl are normally between 2 5/8 inches.
• Brickmould: It is a material strip, present on the exterior, to fill in the space between the frame and the wall. It is supposed to work like a seal for air and water infiltration. When it comes to choosing standard sizes for Canadian windows and doors, the size of new brickmould needs to be similar to that of the existing one while for a special case, the plank brickmould could be bigger.
• Jamb Extensions: It is used to cover the exposed area of the rough openings and also to connect the frame to the casing. Its size depends upon the width of custom windows, which is different for every manufacturer. Total Home Windows and Doors prides to offer jamb extensions that are 3 ¼ inches wide and promises to meet all the requirements. However, if homeowners want something different, other options are available as well.

Minimum and Maximum Window Sizes in Canada

Now that window profile and factors affecting window sizes are discussed, it’s time to move ahead and look at what the Canadian rules say about their minimum and maximum sizes:

Type	Width (Max in Inches)	Height (Max in Inches)	Area (Max, Sqft)
Single Slider – Double Paned	78	54	24
Single Slider – Triple Paned	78	54	24
Double Slider – Double Paned	78	54	24
Double Slider – Triple Paned	72	48	21.66
Single Hung – Double Paned	49	80	24
Single Hung – Triple Paned	45	78	21.66
Double Hung – Double Paned	49	78	24
Double Hung – Triple Paned	48	68	21.66
Casement – Double Paned	38	78	18.5
Casement – Triple Paned	36	78	16.05
Awning – Double Paned	48	60	24
Awning – Triple Paned	50	50	17.36

Here, the worth mentioning thing is that homeowners couldn’t have both maximums at the same time. Their focus should be to maintain maximum square footage with respect to the parameter or else, the windows and doors may not fit properly into the openings.

Minimum and Maximum Legal Window Sizes in Canada

Type	Width (Max in Inches)	Height (Max in Inches)	Area (Max, Sqft)
Awning – double	48	50	24
Awning – triple	50	50	17.36
Double Slider – double	78	54	24
Double Slider – triple	72	48	21.66
Single Slider – double	78	24	54
Single Slider – triple	78	24	54
Single Hung – double	49	80	24
Single Hung – triple	45	78	21.66
Double Hung – double	49	78	24
Double Hung – triple	48	68	21.66
Casement – double	38	78	18.5
Casement – triple	36	78	16.05

With the help of these standard window sizes Canada, it would be quite easy for homeowners to make appropriate selections. There is no hard and fast rule, it’s just about understanding the legal aspects of replacing old windows and doors so that nothing could go wrong in the future.

Standard Door Sizes

Now that important aspects regarding the standard window sizes in Canada are discussed, it’s time to pay attention to the rules for door sizes. Yes, just like windows, there are some instructions for doors as well. And every homeowner has to follow them in order to ensure satisfaction and efficiency.

Exterior Doors

According to the specifications, the standard door size Canada is found to be 6 ft 8 in by 3 ft 96 in. With newer exterior doors, homeowners can also think of having the dimensions measuring at 30 and 32 inches in width. There are also doors that are measured at 7 ft and 8ft in height and 24-inch to 42-inch in width.

Sliding Glass Doors

When it comes to having plenty of light in the rooms, nothing could be as effective as sliding glass doors. They are quite cost-effective and operate on the parallel motion to ensure smoothness and efficiency. The standard door size Canada is usually 6 ft 8-inch in width and 6 ft in height.

Interior Doors

Last but not least, there are interior doors having a standard size of 80-inch in height and 24, 28, 30, 32 and 36-inch in width. As for thickness, it should be 1-3/8 inches.