Measuring for a Patio Door Frame

Before you purchase a patio door frame, you need to be certain about the measurements you need to fit your space. The last thing you want to do is to purchase a patio door and have it not fit. Most patio doors feature standard measurements but you will also run into doors that are made for custom doorways. In order to purchase a correctly-sized patio door, you’ll want to take several measurements:

Inner Vertical Frame: Measure from the top of the subfloor to the top of the inside portion of the frame.

Inner Horizontal Frame: Measure the length you desire between two studs in the wall while keeping the tape measure level. Make sure you add two inches to account for the frame.

Two Vertical Measurements: Make a vertical measurement on either side of the door and make sure that the figures are the same.

Two Horizontal Measurements: Measure the length at the bottom and the top and ensure that the two numbers match.

If you are completing a do it yourself job by adding your patio doors, there’s a chance that you won’t be able to find patio doors that are an exact match for your required dimensions. In this case, it’s better to choose a patio door that is slightly too small rather than slightly too big. This is because it’s more difficult to cut into the wall to make additional space than it is to add to the frame to make it fit the space. If you are having difficulty with making your patio door frame fit, consult a contractor for a measurement.