I'd like a full view storm door in front of my front door. The left side of the opening is 80" and the right seems to be about 79 7/8". The frame is some kind of wood. I'm a complete novice, so I'm not sure if sanding it makes a lick of sense, or if it's better to find someone that makes a slightly smaller storm door (and if so, where to look).
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Are you taking about the size of the door itself, the size of the opening that the door fits (closes) into, or the size of the rough opening (RO) that the door frame fits into?– SteveShCommented Jul 1, 2020 at 0:10
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I think I need to understand the definition of RO better, but I've listed the height at the outermost "notch" (one level in from where the doorbell sits). That's where I've been assuming the door will go.– A_PCommented Jul 2, 2020 at 1:29
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Usually (though not always) a door comes with a frame that fits into the rough opening that's framed with 2x4 lumber.. If the door itself (that part that swings open) is 34 inches wide, for example, the RO for that door, with its frame would be 36 inches wide.– SteveShCommented Jul 2, 2020 at 1:42
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Sounds like your door wasn't installed into the rough opening square, If it was, the vertical dimension of the door opening (the inside of the frame) would be the same on the left and right ride of the door.– SteveShCommented Jul 2, 2020 at 1:44
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Is that true for storm doors though? The ones I'm looking at are aluminum.– A_PCommented Jul 2, 2020 at 3:38
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1 Answer
You can spend an hour or two with a sharp utility knife, a saw, some sandpaper and a can of paint, or you can triple (or more) the cost of your storm door by getting a custom built one that's 1/8" smaller than standard.
To be honest, though, an 80x32" storm door is the nominal listing size - the actual door will probably be 79-3x4" x 31-3/4" and will fit quite nicely. Stop by your local storm door retailer with a tape measure in hand and measure the physical size. Or, ask the sales guy for the actual dimensions. Odds are good an off-the-shelf door will fit without any tailoring at all.
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Thanks. On the specs page it shows that it fits an opening 80" to 80 7/8": homedepot.com/p/…. One person asked if it would fit their 79.5" opening and got a negative response. Good idea to measure in store, if indeed they have it!– A_PCommented Jul 1, 2020 at 0:08
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Based on the specs listed, it is possible that the outside frame measurement is actually 80". You might want to consider looking at other doors/manufacturers to see if there's something that meets your desired look that has a frame that comes in under 80". If not, you'll definitely want to adjust the wood of your frame and not custom order - the price will be eye-watering. You might consider looking at other retailers, too.– FreeManCommented Jul 1, 2020 at 0:24
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1Thanks very much! I found that Larson makes doors that are 79.75" actual. (I also found this Andersen guide that suggests that a nominal size of 80" is likely indeed smaller, so I may need to measure it in person): andersenwindows.com/-/media/aw/files/technical-docs/…– A_PCommented Jul 1, 2020 at 2:04