How to measure a storm door

How to Measure a Storm Door

Standard storm door measurements generally follow standard door sizes and generally are readily available at most lumber stores in the 2'8" and 3'0" sizes. There is a 3/8" tolerance for a storm door...1/8" under and 1/4" over. So a 36" storm door will fit 35 7/8" to 36 1/4" for instance. There is also a 1" tolerance in height and a standard door will fit between 80" to 81" in height. If the measurements vary by more than the tolerance amount or if the brickmold has a bow in it then modifications are in order. Storm doors also have a 1" depth requirement. Study the drawing below.

    Measure the door width in three spots (top, middle, bottom) and the height. Make sure the height and depth is within the allowed tolerance. Also check to make sure the mounting surface is straight and true. Remember that if your measurements are right at the upper or lower tolerance limits then you'll probably have to make modifications to your mounting surface. If you're having the door professionally installed then the installer will want some consideration for the extra work involved. There are a lot of nuances in the door installation process so you may want to hire a professional who has experience with dealing with these "nuances".  If you do it yourself read the instructions carefully. Click the image to enlarge.

Knowing how to measure a storm door correctly can save you the fee an installer will charge for pre-measuring your door. Bear in mind though that if you have to special order a door for any reason most merchants will not take it back. In that case let them measure it even it requires a fee. It's worth it. Also note that standard storm doors are reversible so they will swing either left or right.

It is not unusual to have to modify mounting surfaces for correct installation so don't be surprised by this.