Guides / Halls, stairs and more · Published 2026-10-30
Door widths: a 36″ leaf gives about 33½″ clear
A 32″ door is not a 32″ opening.
Clear width is measured with the door open 90°, from the face of the door to the stop, and the door thickness plus the stop take about 2–2½″. So a 36″ leaf gives roughly 33½″ clear and a 32″ leaf only about 29½″. The IRC (R311.2) asks for at least one egress door with 32″ clear width and 78″ clear height, and accessible routes need 32″ clear too, which is why entries get a 36″ leaf. Draw every swing: the radius equals the leaf width.
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