# How much clearance do I need between double french doors?



## SnowDrops

Hi,
I'm installing double interior french doors and trying to figure out how wide I have to install my jambs. I have 30" doors so should my jambs be 60 1/4" wide? 
30" door
30" door
1/16" hinge clearance
1/16" hinge clearance
1/8" gap between two doors

60 1/4" total

Would this be correct?


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## Big Bob

NO, No, No,

Best to check the rough opening required on the pre-hung door unit you want to install.

Then start your demo. You will need to double your studs and install a header.


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## Sammy

I assume your making up your own frame for the doors?

Check the doors to make sure they are exactly 30 inches wide... And they dont have a bevel making one side slightly wider than the other. 

I would go with 1/8" per door edge making four edges or 60 1/2". 

Measure your frame across the top, middle and bottom as your putting it in to make sure its consistent...


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## AtlanticWBConst.

Big Bob said:


> NO, No, No,
> 
> Best to check the rough opening required on the pre-hung door unit you want to install.
> 
> Then start your demo. You will need to double your studs and install a header.


That is good advice.

FWIW, We actually stipulate in our remodeling contracts that all windows and doors must be "onsite" prior to the start of work. We have had problems with even the stated R.O. requirements not being what is needed, when the item was going into a remodel, rather than new construction project (square and plumb).

My advice: As you are dealing with a remodeling project. Buy the door and get it to your home prior to the start of your work. Measure the door yourself. Check your opening for level, plumb, square, and adjust for the required opening, if certain portions of your home are off, at all. Even tho you may be framing out the sides or even the header, there are still existing areas that can affect the door's fitment (Like a "slight" hump in the floor, etc)....


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## Kingfisher

60 7/16" 1/8 3/16 1/8 but I agree with checking on the spec for the door too. 1/16 is too tight and may cause you grief, its a door not furniture. A 1/4 is a little loose in the middle but would pass.


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## send_it_all

Big Bob said:


> NO, No, No,
> 
> Best to check the rough opening required on the pre-hung door unit you want to install.
> 
> Then start your demo. You will need to double your studs and install a header.


He never said it was a pre-hung door. Sounds like he's building from scratch.

Snow Drops...I agree with your measurements. 1/16th, 1/8th, 1/16th. If it ends up tight you can plane the doors. If you make it too loose, you'll have to shim your hinges out or cut your head jamb. It is easier to plane doors. 

As a final suggestion, I would put the stop on the jambs AFTER you have installed the jamb and doors and you have the doors aligned in the closed position.


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## SnowDrops

Thank you for all the advice.
Yes I'm making my own frame for the doors. Its not a pre-hung door unit. I already have the rough opening completed. I checked the doors and found that they are 30 1/16" not 30" as I thought. And they do have a bevel edge all around. Also the doors won't have any strip (not sure what you would call this) in between the two doors when they are closed, so would a 1/4" gap between there look bad? 
Oh, and how many hinges would you recomend installing on these doors and what size?


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## send_it_all

SnowDrops said:


> Thank you for all the advice.
> Yes I'm making my own frame for the doors. Its not a pre-hung door unit. I already have the rough opening completed. I checked the doors and found that they are 30 1/16" not 30" as I thought. And they do have a bevel edge all around. Also the doors won't have any strip (not sure what you would call this) in between the two doors when they are closed, so would a 1/4" gap between there look bad?
> Oh, and how many hinges would you recomend installing on these doors and what size?


The number and size of hinges depends on the size (height) and weight of the doors. If they are 6-8 hollow core interior doors, such as double master bedroom doors, you can use two 3-1/2" hinges per door. I would re-consider using the astragal (strip) between the doors. It will give them a more solid feel when closed.


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## SnowDrops

Thanks for the advice! :thumbsup: 
Gonna tackle this the weekend and see if I can get it done. Hopefully it'll turn out ok.


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## Ron6519

Snodrops said: "Oh, and how many hinges would you recomend installing on these doors and what size?'
Three 4" hinges. All glass doors are very heavy.
Ron


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## SnowDrops

Hey everyone,
I finally got the doors up. I intended for my jambs to be 60 3/8" but when I finished squaring it all up I eneded up with 60 1/2" :laughing:. Anyway no biggie, that can be fixed. However the gap in the middle of the two doors is not even. Its bigger on the top than on the bottom. I can't find where anything is out of square to cause this, so any ideas on how I could fix it? 

Also the gap between my hinges is different on both doors. The door on the right has a gap of 1/16" but the door on the left has a hinge gap of 5/32". How did I manage this one? Can it be fixed?


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## Big Bob

Pack your hinges as needed.... and stop looking at the doors so hard.


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## scorrpio

Last winter, I installed a new door (not french) in one of bedrooms, and it had a beautiful 1/16" gap on jamb side. Then spring came and the door swelled up shut. So I planed it some. And as summer rolled in, I had to plane it some more. And more. And more. All told, I think I had the door off its hinges and planing 5 or 6 times. Now it's winter again and the jamb gap is around 3/16-1/4. No big deal since door stop covers it up, but that is the gap I SHOULD have left in the first place given it was winter. Were I installing the door in summer, I should have made the gap as thin as possible.

Keep in mind: unless you are in Australia, it's winter.


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