Windows and doors measurement

How to correctly measure aluminum sliding windows and doors?

Assembly errors resulting from incorrect measurements generate high costs for your company and – unnecessary – additional “paperwork”. They also contribute to your customers’ dissatisfaction. So how do you measure openings for frameless aluminum sliding doors so you don’t waste money?

In this guide, we focus on frameless aluminum sliding doors, but remember that the rules of measurement and installation will be the same for any material such as vinyl, pvc, aluminum or wood.

Take measurements in metric units, not imperial units.

Due to the fact that the windows will be ordered from the Polish manufacturer, it is safer to use metric units in centimeters.

If you have doubts about how to properly measure to place an order correctly, contact us.

Opening width measurement

First, measure the width of the door opening from right to left in 3 heights and choose the smallest dimension. Subtract 0.79 in on the left and 0.79 in on the right. This will give you the width of the opening at the narrowest point minus 1.57 in.
Quick contact with the debesto.com broker regarding measurements for the order (here).

Opening height measurement

Determining the height is a more difficult task. It all depends on the assembly conditions.

If the floor in the building is finished and the threshold cannot be embedded into it, then the height of the sliding door from the floor to the lintel line should be determined by subtracting 0.08 in – 0.12 in for expansion joints.

The final door height will be approximately 1 inch lower than the height from the floor to the lintel at the lowest point.

Remember!
Remember to order the door with the lowest possible threshold if possible.
Quick contact with the debesto.com broker regarding measurements for the order (here).

Example

You find a window opening which dimensions declared by the investor or your client are 13 ft 1.48 in wide and 7 ft 2.61 in high.

Opening width measurement

It turns out that you measure the width at the bottom and the real dimension is 13 ft 0.69 in, in the middle – 13 ft 1.48 in, and at the lintel 13 ft 1.87 in.

The width of the opening that you should provide to the window manufacturer is the smallest dimension minus 1.57 in: 13 ft 0.69 in – 1.57 in = 12 ft 11.12 in.

Opening height measurement

When measuring the height, you discover that: for the left jamb the height is 7 ft 3.01 in, for the middle jamb 7 ft 3.8 in, and for the right jamb 7 ft 4.19 in.

The height of the opening that you should provide to the window manufacturer is the lowest dimension minus 0.79 in: 7 ft 3.01 in – 0.79 in = 7 ft 2.22 in.

The final dimensions for the order that you should provide to the window manufacturer are:

12 ft 11.12 in x 7 ft 2.22 in (width x height)

Remember!
Always remember that width is the first dimension.

Opening width measurement

To measure the width of the opening, follow the guidelines described in Situation 1 because the lack of a finished floor does not affect the measurement of the opening width.

Hole height measurement

When the floor is not ready yet and you need to measure the opening for the sliding door with the threshold embedded in the floor, it is best to do this as follows:

STEP 1:
Measure the height from the “zero” level to the lintel in at least 3 points. Then subtract 0.79 in from the lowest height obtained. This is the height of your door from the threshold to the top of the frame.

STEP 2:
To complete the measurement, you need to know the following parameters:

• The height of the opening from the lintel to the zero level.
• Model of the door and the height of the threshold which will be embedded in the floor.
• Height from the lower frame to the zero level (here the rule of “lowest of 3 measurements” also applies).

Remember!
In order to correctly order the door and provide its actual dimensions, the height of the threshold should be added to this height, which, depending on the model, may be from 0.79 in to even 3.54 in!

The supplier will select sliding doors with an embedded threshold of optimal dimensions and system profiles extending the jamb or floor profiles, e.g. made of XPS or styrodur.

Opening width measurement

You take measurements and in practice the width of the opening at the floor level is 13 ft 1.87 in, in the middle it is 13 ft 1.09 in high, and at the lintel it is 13 ft 1.48 in. The width that you should give to the manufacturer of windows and doors is: 13 ft 1.09 in – 1.57 in, i.e. 12 ft 11.51 in.

Opening height measurement

The declared height is 7 ft 10.49 in. However, it turns out that in practice the finished floor will be 7.87 in higher than the present bottom jamb.

After marking the opening on the walls and measuring it in three places with a laser level, the dimension from the future zero level to the lintel on the left is 7 ft 3.01 in, on the right 7 ft 3.01 in and in the center 7 ft 2.22 in.

The height from the threshold to the upper jamb is: 7 ft 2.22 in – 0.79 in, i.e. 7 ft 1.43 in. But that’s not all. You add the threshold height as described below.

Taking the Cortizo Cor Vision Plus sliding door as an example, let’s assume that the threshold is 2.24 in high. Therefore, the final height of the opening will be: 7 ft 1.43 in + 2.24 in of the threshold, which is a total of 7 ft 3.69 in.

Thus, the width and height are: 12 ft 11.51 in x 7 ft 3.69 in.

Then you take into account the system extensions for the window (door) that will be embedded in the floor. You take three measurements from the finished floor level to its current level. The measurements show: 7.87 in on the left, 7.48 in in the middle and 8.27 in on the right.

In our example, the necessary extensions resulting from the threshold are: 7.48 in – 2.24 in = 5.24 in

The final dimensions to be ordered that you should provide to the manufacturer of windows and doors are:

12 ft 11.51 in x 7 ft 3.69 in + extensions for the window 5.24 in.

Remember!
Always remember that width is the first dimension.

Opening width measurement

To measure the width of the opening, follow the guidelines described in Situation 1 because the lack of a finished floor does not affect the measurement of the opening width.

Hole height measurement

In the case of installing sliding doors with the base of the threshold at the floor level, the measurement will be much simpler than in Option 1.

To make the measurement, the height from the “zero level” of the finished floor to the lintel must be measured in three places. Then you need to subtract 0.79 in from the lowest dimension and this is the size of the opening that you must provide to the manufacturer of windows and doors.

As in Option 1 the widenings should also be measured. To do this, measure it at 3 points, as in Option 1 (height from the level of the finished floor to the bottom jamb).

Provide the supplier with the lowest value as the dimension to which the system profiles should be selected to extend the frame or ground profiles.
Quick contact with the debesto.com windows and doors broker regarding measurements for the order (here).

Example

The opening declared by the investor or your client is 13 ft 1.48 in x 7 ft 10.49 in. The finished floor will be 7.87 in higher than the current height.

Opening width measurement

The situation with the width is the same as in the previous example in Option 1. You are taking measurements and the actual dimensions are: bottom 13 ft 1.87 in, 13 ft 1.09 in in the middle and 13 ft 1.48 in at the top. The width that you should give to the manufacturer of windows and doors is: 13 ft 1.09 in – 1.57 in = 12 ft 11.51 in.

Opening height measurement

After taking measurements from the level of the future finished floor to the height of the extension, you get the following dimensions: height from the left: 7 ft 3.01 in, from the right 7 ft 3.01 in, in the center 7 ft 2.61 in. The height of the opening will be: 7 ft 2.61 in – 0.79 in, i.e. 7 ft 1.83 in.

Thus, the final dimensions of the opening are: 12 ft 11.51 in x 7 ft 1.83 in.

There is still systemic extension that has to be included. So measure the height from the threshold to the finished floor height (zero level) and the real dimensions are: left 0.79 in, center 0.75 in and right 8.27 in. So to the supplier, you will give the 7.48 in dimension.

The final dimensions to be ordered that you should provide to the manufacturer of windows and doors are:

12 ft 11.51 in x 7 ft 1.83 in + 7.48 in widening for the window

Remember!
Always remember that width is the first dimension.