Measure Before You Order: 7 Common Door Measuring Mistakes on Site
The most expensive part of a door that arrives wrong is not the door itself. The real cost is the painting crew left waiting, the handover date that slips and the extra orders placed to “make one more”. Most of the time the problem is not in production but on the day the measurements were taken.
We have been working with measurement lists sent from construction sites for years. These are the mistakes we see on them most often.
1. Measuring at the rough-construction stage
Once plaster, skim coat and tiles are finished, a door opening can change by a few centimetres. A measurement taken on the rough wall may not fit the finished one. For final dimensions, wait until plastering and flooring are done; if you can’t wait, record the plaster thickness separately.
2. Measuring wall thickness at a single point
Walls are rarely the same thickness everywhere. Because the frame width depends on the wall thickness, measuring at the top, middle and bottom and writing down the largest value saves a lot of trouble.
3. Forgetting the finished floor level
With parquet in the room, tiles in the bathroom and carpet in the corridor, the gap under the door is different everywhere. A height given without knowing the finished floor level ends up as a door that either scrapes or lets light through underneath.
4. Writing “left” or “right” and moving on
Left or right according to whom, seen from which side? The simplest way to avoid confusion is to mark the swing direction with an arrow on the plan. The hinge side and the opening direction should appear on the same sheet.
5. Ignoring the space needed for the architrave
If there is a light switch, a corner or a cabinet right next to the opening, the architrave may not fit. Noting the clearance on both sides of the opening while measuring prevents surprises on installation day.
6. Sending one list for every floor
Even apartments of the same type can differ by a few millimetres. Giving each door a code with its floor, apartment and room makes production, shipping and installation much easier.
7. Not treating wet areas separately
Bathroom and WC doors need to be considered for moisture; stairwell and technical-room doors for fire regulations. Using the same product everywhere means doors that will have to be replaced later.
What your measurement list should include
- Door code (floor / apartment / room)
- Finished opening width and height
- Wall thickness (largest value)
- Finished floor level and floor material
- Swing direction (arrow on the plan)
- Door type: interior, wet area, fire-rated
- Lock, handle and hinge preference
The advantage of working with a made-to-measure manufacturer is that openings which don’t fit standard sizes stop being a problem. But that only works if the measurements arrive complete and correct. If you would like to prepare the measurement list for your project together, contact our team or send your drawings through the quote form.