Learn About Single, Double Doors

Door units, without pre-hanging, are also called “slabs.” We sell our Knotty Alder doors as single doors or in pairs (double doors). Double doors are two/each of the single doors. For example, if you order a double door in our Square Top Rail style, the door will be two of the single doors positioned side by side.

For the Top Rail Arch style doors (in both raised panel and plank styles), double doors have the normal Top Rail Arch on each of the doors in the pair, as shown below.

If you choose to purchase a pre-hung double door, the entire double door is framed with a double door jamb. In this case, you’ll choose one of doors as “active,” with a working handle or lockset. The other door of the pair is inactive (still opens and closes, but with no working knob or handle), and includes a “T-Astragal” attached to the door edge for latching the active door. A flush bolt (top flush bolt only) is included to secure the inactive door in the closed position. A variety of handing and swing choices are available with pre-hanging (see “Handing and Swing” options).

In addition to normal “swinging” doors, we can pre-hang your double doors in either “Ball Catch” or “Bypass” configurations. These options are often used for double closet doors. These choices are available with pre-hanging, under the “Select Handing and Swing” options.

How Do I Measure Width & Height?

The first step in measuring the width and height of your new door is to measure the rough opening where the door will be placed. Rough opening means the opening of the stud wall structure prior to installing the door frame (door jamb). The process for determining the door width and height needed for your rough opening is as follows:

1. Measure the width of the rough opening, from inside of wall stud to inside of wall stud (see the illustration below for this measurement). Measure this in three places—top of the opening, middle of the opening, and bottom of the opening—and then use the smallest of these three measurements. Then, subtract 2” from this width. This equals your needed door width. Example: Rough opening measurement = 32”. Door width needed = 30”, or 2’ 6” (32” – 2” = 30”, or 2’ 6”).
2. Measure the height of the rough opening, from the floor to the bottom of the upper stud of the opening (see the illustration below for this measurement). Measure the height on both corner edges of the opening, and then use the smallest of these two measurements. Then, subtract 3” from this height. This equals your needed door height. Example: Rough opening height = 83”. Door height needed = 80”, or 6’ 8” (83” – 3” = 80”, or 6’ 8”).

If you are framing the rough opening for a new door (i.e., constructing the wall stud frame), just reverse the measurements above (select your desired finished door width and add 2” to this measurement, then select your desired door finish height and add 3” to this measurement).

Why does the opening need to be larger than the door and its jamb? First, the additional space provides room to adjust the door and jamb to the rough opening. The stud wall structures of rough openings are not always plumb and square, so providing extra space allows the installer to “shim” the jamb for a perfectly plumb, level, and square door installation. Second, the additional height allows space for flooring material above the sub-floor such as carpeting, wood, or tile. Last, walls may expand and contract slightly with the natural humidity and moisture changes that occur with changing seasons. So, the extra space allows for minor adjustments to your door fit, as necessary.

Learn About Jamb Species, Types

Jamb Species

We offer solid Knotty Alder wood jambs.

Jamb Types

Our door jambs are flat jambs with an adjustable stop. We also offer kerfed flat jambs with an adjustable stop (at an extra charge). Kerfed flat jambs are slotted on the edge for wrapping the drywall corner bead (rounded or square drywall corners) into the jamb. Kerfed flat jambs provide for a clean opening, with drywall connecting directly to the door frame, and no case mouldings. Our jambs have eased (rounded) edges on the facing side of the jamb.

How Do I Measure Jamb Width?

To choose the proper jamb width for your pre-hung door, you must determine the thickness of the wall where your door will be placed. Wall thickness includes the wall stud plus the sheetrock thickness. Normally, either 2×4 or 2×6 studs are used for wall framing. Sheetrock is usually either 1/2” thick or 5/8” thick. Determine your wall stud and sheetrock thickness and then use the charts below to select the proper jamb width to match your application.

Jamb Widths

Flat door jambs, with attached adjustable stop, are available in the following widths, to match the following wall stud and sheetrock thicknesses:

Solid Knotty Alder Flat Jamb with Adjustable Stop

Kerfed flat jambs, with attached adjustable stop, are available in the following widths, to match the following wall stud and sheetrock thicknesses (Note: Kerfed flat jambs are more narrow than regular flat jambs, to allow for wrapping the drywall corner bead into the jamb):

Solid Knotty Alder Kerfed Flat Jamb with Adjustable Stop

How Do I Choose Door Handing and Swing?

Handing and Swing refers to the side of the door that is hinged, and the way the door swings inside or outside of the room. Consider the way you would like your door to open when making this choice.

A simple way to understand handing is to stand in the doorway with your back against the jamb of the door where you want the hinges to be placed. From this position, if you want the door to open to your left, it is a left-hand door. From this position, if you want the door to open to your right, it is a right-hand door.

Next, determine if you want the door to swing inside or outside the room. Inside is an “inswing” door, and outside is an “outswing” door. Review the illustrations below to identify the way you would like your door to be handed and swing (Note: These illustrations apply to single doors).

For double doors, one door is designated as “active” (with an operating knob or handle to open the door), and the other door is designated as “inactive” (still opens and closes, but no working knob or handle). The inactive door includes a “T-Astragal” attached to the door edge for stopping and latching the active door. A flush bolt is also included at the top of the inactive door to secure it in the closed position. Review the illustrations below to select which side of your double door you would like active, and its handing and swing (inside or outside of the room).

In addition to these handing and swing options, we also offer double doors with a “Ball Catch” or a “Bypass” configuration. These double door options are most frequently used on closet door applications. For example, Ball Catches are typically used with “dummy” (non-active) handle sets, on outswing closet doors. Ball Catch hardware is included at no additional charge on double Ball Catch doors, and track hardware is provided at no additional charge on double Bypass doors. We do not bore for the dummy handle sets on these options. Review the illustrations below to select one of these double door applications.

How Do I Choose the Right Bore Position? 

When you order a pre-hung door, we can bore your new door for a handle or lockset at no extra charge (see Pre-Hanging to learn more). Our standard bore options and dimensions are documented in this help section.

The bore position for your new door depends upon the type and function of the hardware (knob or handle) you desire to use on the door. Consult your hardware supplier for their recommendations.

We offer both single bore and double bore options (for dead bolt hardware). Our bores include mortising the edge of the door for the latch (latch and dead bolt for double bore), and mortising for the “strike plate” on the jamb leg where the latch inserts (or latch and deadbolt for double bore).

The knob or handle bore is 36” from the bottom of the door to the center of the bore hole, and the bore hole is 2-1/8” in diameter. For double bore options, the distance between the two bore holes is always 5-1/2” center to center (from the center of the diameter of the knob or handle bore to the center of the diameter of the dead bolt bore).

Available Backsets

Available “backsets” (the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the bore diameter) are:

2-3/8”
2-3/4”

Review the following illustrations to select the bore and backset you desire for your new door.

If these bore positions and dimensions do not match your desired hardware, please contact us to order custom specifications. Alternatively, you may select the “No Bore” option, and have your new door bored for hardware by your installer.

Learn About Hinges

Factory pre-hanging ensures that hinge pockets are mortised square and precise, and that hinges are always flush on the door and frame.

3.5” square-corner hinges are included in the price of pre-hanging. Nine different hinge colors are available, at no additional cost.

Learn About Pre-Finishing

Factory pre-finishing is a hallmark of our company. Our pre-finishing experience began over 30 years ago, and our finishes are renowned in the door industry. We offer the highest quality factory-applied stains, glazes, and topcoats—available in 29 color options. Our pre-finishes are “fine furniture” quality, providing much higher quality and lower cost than on-site painting. And our pre-finished products are ready to install, further adding value by reducing time and scheduling in the construction process. The advantages of our factory pre-finishing include:

• A minimum of 30 minutes per door hand-sanding—ensuring grain closure and perfect preparation prior to finishing
• Top quality catalyzed conversion varnish systems (similar to high-end pre-finished cabinets and fine furniture)
• Proprietary stain formulas created specifically for our manufacturing environment and applied using HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) and air-assisted spray guns—ensuring even tones with no blotchiness
• A “clean room,” dust-free environment not achievable on the jobsite—preventing small dust and dirt particles from settling on the product before drying
• Six-sided coating on doors, providing moisture seal on all sides, preventing warping, and increasing our door Warranty from one year to five years

Step-by-Step Process

Our step-by-step pre-finishing process includes:

• Sanding preparation. A minimum of 30 minutes per door, starting with heavier 150 grain sandpaper and working down to finer 180 grain sandpaper. This ensures grain closure, required for a furniture quality finish.
• Stain coat. Using our proprietary, solvent-based stains.
• Seal coat. Using top quality catalyzed conversion varnish to seal and protect the stained wood.
• Seal sand. Additional sanding to smooth the sealed surface and prepare for final topcoat.
• Glaze (completed on Glaze color options only). Hand-wiped, solvent-based glaze to beautifully shadow profiles and edges.
• Topcoat. Provides the final finish coat of the wood, again using top quality catalyzed conversion varnish.

Pre-Finished Jambs (Pre-Hung Doors)

If you select pre-hanging for your door, the jamb will be pre-finished matching the pre-finish color you select for your door. The jambs and stop are finished separately, providing for on-site adjustment of the stop without finish touch-up.

Color Options

Twenty-nine color options are available, shown here in the following palettes:

• Light Stains & Glazes
• Dark Stains & Glazes
• Red Stains & Glazes
• Gray Stains & Glazes

Glazing beautifully shadows the profiles and edges of the door.

Please note that pre-finish colors illustrated on computer screens may not exactly match the actual pre-finished colors of the doors. We assume no liability for such color discrepancies and encourage buyers to request color samples to ensure satisfaction.

Light Stains & Glazes

Dark Stains & Glazes

Red Stains & Glazes

Gray Stains & Glazes

Pre-finish colors illustrated on computer screens may not exactly match the actual pre-finished colors of the doors.