Articles & Advice > Standard Door Sizes in New Zealand

Standard Door Sizes in New Zealand

When building or renovating a home in New Zealand, one key detail to consider is the size of your interior doors. While doors can be made to any size, choosing from standard sizes is more cost-effective. If you are still in the planning stage or framing your walls it is worth double checking your door sizes to see if they are standard or custom. Here’s a guide to the standard door sizes in New Zealand, including door leaf sizes and the recommended opening sizes.

Standard Interior Door Heights

In New Zealand, most interior doors have standard heights of 1980mm, 2200mm, or 2400mm.

The most common height is 1980mm, suitable for homes with a 2400mm stud height. For houses with a higher stud height, doors of 2200mm or 2400mm are also available.

Standard Interior Door Widths

Standard door widths in New Zealand range from 410mm to 910mm.
The available widths are:

410mm, 460mm, 510mm, 560mm, 610mm, 660mm, 710mm, 760mm, 810mm, 860mm, and 910mm.

While you can have doors made to any width, it’s more affordable to choose one of these standard sizes. If necessary, adjust your opening size to accommodate a standard door.

Common door sizes

Standard Bedrooms / interior doors: 760mm wide

Accessible interior doors: 860mm wide

Exterior doors: 860mm wide

Understanding Door Leaf Size and Opening Size

The sizes mentioned above refer to the ‘door leaf size’—the size of the actual door panel that fits within the frame. The opening size, however, needs to be larger than the door leaf size. This extra space allows room for the door jamb and enough clearance to level and fit the door properly.

Door Jambs and Opening Size Adjustments

A door jamb surrounds the door leaf, and its size can affect the opening size. The most common door jamb size in New Zealand is 112mm x 18mm, with the 18mm being the jamb’s thickness.

For instance, if your door leaf size is 1980mm x 760mm, your opening width needs to be wider to account for the following:

6.5mm packer space on each side (for adjustment)
18mm door jamb on each side
3mm gap between the door and the jamb on each side
760mm door leaf

6.5 + 18 + 3 + 760 + 3 + 18 + 6.5 = 815mm opening width

This totals an opening width of approximately 815mm, allowing enough space to level and fit the door properly.

For the door height, consider:

25mm gap under the door (for carpet and underlay)
1980mm door leaf
3mm gap between the door and the jamb
18mm head jamb
9mm packer at the top

25 + 1980 + 3 + 18 + 9 = 2035mm opening height

Adjust the opening height depending on your flooring to ensure the door fits as intended. More or less gap under the door may be required depending on your choice of flooring and how much clearance you want under the door.

Need to calculate your door trim/opening size?

Save time and money with standard door sizes

Choosing standard door sizes can save time and money. Understanding how door leaf sizes relate to opening sizes ensures that your doors fit well and look great. Always consider the size of the door jamb and the flooring thickness when planning your door openings.