Large patio doors are a fantastic way to get a picturesque view of your garden from your kitchen table. They allow natural light to enter your home, and they can be as eye-catching as they are functional. If you’re considering installing or replacing your patio door, the first step is to measure.
Understanding how to measure a patio door is important, as it will determine the type and style of door you can use. A patio door replacement depends on accurate measurements — and while it’s as simple as measuring your patio door’s height and width with a tape measure, there are a few other factors to keep in mind.
Measuring Sliding Patio Doors
Measuring a patio door begins with the width of the entryway from the center, which may not be intuitive to first-timers. Place one end of your tape measure at the center, dividing the two doors and measuring to the wall on either side. You should also measure the door from stud to stud at the top, bottom, and middle. If the measurements are slightly different, take the smallest one.
Next, measure from the top of the door to the door sill. It’s advisable to do this both inside and outside to confirm your measurements are correct. Remember to remove the silicone seal to prevent inaccurate measurements. Measure the depth of the frame by checking the depth of the jamb without the trim.
Measuring Hinged Patio Doors
Begin by measuring the width across on the inside of the door. Measure across the inside at the top of the frame and the bottom, and select the smallest value as your measurement if the two differ. You may need to install a new jamb for an older home with nonstandard-sized jamb depths to get your hinged doors to fit properly.
If you’re installing a brand new patio door in a recently constructed building, you’ll want to start by measuring the width between vertical studs at the top, middle, and bottom of the door frame. These two measurements shouldn’t vary by more than two inches. If they do, the frame needs correcting before installation.
The door frame should match the width of the wall when you measure for depth. For the height, you’ll measure from the sill to the underside of the door trim. Depending on whether your door swings in or out, you’ll want to take the measured width of one door and mark the path of its radius to ensure there is sufficient room for it to swing open.
How To Measure a Patio Door for Screens
When determining how to measure a patio door for a screen, begin on the inside. To get the width, start from the side jamb’s interior and move your tape measure to the opposite end, at the center stile.
Get the height by measuring from the bottom track to the top of the frame. Do this on both the left, right, and the center, and take the smallest measurement.
Choosing the Right Patio Doors for Your Home
Thompson Creek offers energy-efficient French and sliding patio doors, and custom replacement doors can be crafted for your home in the French door style.
Thompson Creek’s sliding patio doors are constructed for maximum strength and thermal performance. They prevent water penetration and drafts with a triple-action foot locking system that features three locking positions. Sliding patio doors can also be custom designed for your house and are ideal for smaller rooms where you don’t want a swinging door to take up floor space.
Contact Thompson Creek Window Company and get a price estimate today.