Door frames for interior doors: types, sizes, how to choose

Manufacturers offer different types of door frames. They all differ from each other in several ways. For example, the material from which they are made, construction, size, configuration, design.

Snow-white door

In order for the door block to be reliable, wear-resistant and harmoniously aesthetically pleasing, it is important to select all the components for it correctly. Particular attention should be paid to the door frame. By choosing it correctly and adding all the necessary details, you will be able to create a strong, single, neat door structure for your home.

Interior door

What is a door frame

The frame itself is one of the main elements of the door block. She is motionless. Usually made in the form of a standard rectangular frame. Great for swing doors. Hinges are attached to the frame to hold the door leaf.

Wooden door

This design is often installed in the first stages of renovating a room. It is attached to the wall opening and, as it were, covers it from above.

The standard door frame is rectangular. The product consists of 2 reliable racks located vertically and one horizontal bar on top. The lower part is usually left free.

Door with glass inserts

But today you can find other models on sale - options with a second horizontal part. It is located at the bottom of the structure and becomes a threshold.

Neat doorway

Rectangular one-piece options are usually chosen for bathrooms, separate showers, toilets, saunas and rooms with a mini-pool in a private home. Such designs make it possible to increase the waterproofing of the room. To make the box look more neat and attractive, boards are attached to it to cover the end walls of the opening (extensions) or platbands.

Door frame to match the color of the canvas

The extensions, in addition to their aesthetic function, also perform a protective function. They strengthen the entire structure and prevent it from loosening.

Sliding interior doors

The kit for installing sliding interior doors differs from the standard one. It includes: a door leaf, a frame, guides and a special mechanism that ensures the door slides along the rails. This mechanism includes lower and upper guides, as well as a special carriage with rollers.

To install sliding interior doors, you will also need special fittings - a stopper that is attached to the wall and a stopper on the floor. They determine the boundaries of movement of the door leaf.

Types of door frames by material

Door frames today are made from a variety of materials. As a result, the designs are distinguished by wear resistance, durability, appearance and cost. Each material has its pros and cons, which are important for the buyer to know.

Snow-white door frame

The table will help you understand them.

*Materials of construction*	*pros*	*Minuses*
Natural wood	The safest and most environmentally friendly option. A box made of beech, walnut, oak, ash is characterized by high reliability and wear resistance, but is expensive. And cheaper options made from pine can last a shorter period.	High cost of most options. The material may have various small defects that are difficult to get rid of (for example, knots). It is necessary to regularly paint the surface or renew the varnish layer.
HDF, MDF	These are inexpensive, accessible materials that are made from wood waste. To increase strength and resistance to moisture and mold, structures are covered with a special film or finished with a laminate.	Their cheap price is combined with a short service life of the products. The strength of MDF structures is lower than, for example, that of wooden products.
Glued laminated timber	During the production of the material, the timber is delaminated, and any defective parts are removed. The remaining segments are glued together. The result is a very durable and reliable design. The wear resistance of this material is even higher than that of natural wood. If you cover it with varnish or paint, then the timber will not be afraid of moisture and mold.	Glue is used in the production of the material. This reduces its environmental friendliness and safety.
Layered	Such structures consist of several types of material at once. They are combined by layering or mixing. The result is the most durable and reliable products possible. To avoid the need for finishing, layered composite materials are covered with a laminate. The cost of the structure is approximately equal to the options made from laminated veneer lumber. They are durable and attractive in appearance.	Average moisture resistance.

Due to the difference in materials, the proposed design options also differ greatly in aesthetic qualities. But here the choice depends only on the personal preferences of the buyer.

Unusual door frame

Installation

The installation process is a complex procedure, the implementation of which will require not only significant experience in this field, but also special woodworking equipment, a complete set of which will cost an amount significantly exceeding the cost of all installed panels. You will have to think several times before proceeding with the installation yourself; if all of the above has not frightened you in any way, then the following video material will help you carry out the installation work yourself.

Types of door frame designs

We can name 4 of the most popular door frame design options among buyers.

Stylish modern door frame design

They all have different devices:

Angular.
Made from timber. The corner from the outside of the opening is “hidden” under the platband. This option is most often chosen when installing entrance doors.
Telescopic.
They have a special original shape. It resembles the letter "G". The main part comes complete with platbands and extensions. The option is considered easy to install and universal. It completely covers the door opening on 3 sides. As a result, the design looks neat and aesthetically attractive.
End
The main feature of this option is installation directly to the doorway. The platbands are already attached to the top of the box. This option is most often chosen when installing interior doors.
Hidden.
Excellent for decorating hidden door structures. They are a standard frame without a threshold and additional decorations. First, the structure is completely installed and only after that it is designed similarly to the adjacent wall. This makes the box invisible.

U-shaped design

You should select the design of the box based not only on your own taste. Here it is important to take into account the features of the doorway, the purpose of the room, and the design of the room. And also what doors will be chosen.

Standard door frame

What tools and consumables may be needed for installation

Installation of the load-bearing element for filling the opening cannot be carried out without a set of certain tools. Considering that the work is carried out in several stages, each of them will require the following equipment:

Taking the dimensions of the opening, as well as marking the structural elements of the box, is done using a tape measure, a construction angle, a ruler and a pencil.
To trim linear elements for subsequent joining, you need to use a hacksaw with a fine tooth and a miter box, an electric jigsaw for wood, a hand-held circular saw, or a professional miter saw with an adjustable bed. In some cases, craftsmen resort to using a standard grinder with a cutting disc.
The box is installed using anchor bolts fixed in pre-drilled holes. For these purposes, you need a hammer drill with drills, a hammer, anchor bolts, a screwdriver, or a screwdriver and a wrench if we are talking about tightening spacer hardware.
To position the supporting frame in the opening, taking into account the installation gaps, you need to purchase a set of spacer dowels and one or two cans of polyurethane foam with a gun to be able to apply it.
To fix the position of the box after installation, masking tape and spacer bolts are used. To remove excess parts of the foam after hardening, you should have a construction folding knife at hand.
To check accuracy when installing the door frame, you will need a plumb line, a building level (regular or laser) and a square.

Rice. 5. Cross-cutting machine with adjustable bed

If it is necessary to dismantle the old frame, the master must have a crowbar, a nail puller and a household ax. The principle of performing this work depends on the material of the box, as well as on the need to preserve the old structural element and reuse it in another place.

Door frame options

Door frames are sold in different configurations. Additional parts may be included with the main design. Depending on them, the following options are available for sale:

complete set (with all necessary parts and threshold);
U-shaped version (with 3 parts);
with or without seal.

Excellent combination of door frame and leaf

The buyer should pay special attention to the presence of a seal in the kit. This is an important component of the entire design. It is distributed along the entire perimeter of the box and significantly increases its sound and heat insulation properties.

Popular U-shaped door frame design

Also, using a seal, you can increase the service life of the door block. Usually it is always included with expensive high-quality boxes.

How to calculate values for an opening using measurements

The opening does not always comply with GOST or another standard. Then you have to measure them. Each parameter has its own scheme.

The height is measured from the lowest point on the floor (if there is a baseboard, it must be taken into account) to the highest. The opening can be uneven, then measurements begin in the narrowing area and go to the casing;

Width is measured based on height

It is important to note that the measurement is not taken from the top, but exactly in the middle - the height is divided in half and measured from the center point of the right casing to the center point of the left. Again, if the opening is uneven, the narrowing is also fixed;

The depth is measured from above and below and in the center, the maximum value is found and then based only on it.

Width measurement (from middle to height)Source i.ytimg.com

Parameters and sizes of door frames

Most of the designs offered on the modern market have standard parameters. After all, goods are most often purchased for standard apartments. When constructing high-rise buildings, standards for doorways are strictly observed.

They differ slightly depending on the purpose of the rooms. So, a door with dimensions of 70 by 200 (cm) is suitable for the kitchen, 60 by 190 or 200 (cm) for the bathroom, and 80 by 200 (cm) for other rooms.

If the opening turns out to be larger than a standard door, the situation can be easily corrected with platbands. Or the opening is filled with suitable materials.

In the table we will analyze the standard sizes of door frames:

*Options*	*Characteristics (in cm)*
Height	In products from domestic manufacturers it is usually 190, 200 or 200
Width	Standard - from 50 to 90. For the living room it can reach a maximum of 124
Thickness	Will match the wall thickness. This is 10 for wood and 7.5 for brick

If the structure has a threshold, then it is important to take into account the dimensions of this part. In its absence there should be a 5-10 mm gap between the floor and the product. For the kitchen, this figure increases to 15-20 mm. On the sides and in the top, the optimal gap is 3-4 mm.

How to prepare an opening for installation

In order to mount the supporting frame to fill the opening in the wall, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. This procedure is performed in several stages, namely:

In case of replacing a door that has become unusable, the old supporting structure for the door leaf installed in the wall must be completely dismantled with all sealing elements.
If it is necessary to change the width or height, the master makes an expansion by dismantling part of the wall, or narrows the opening.
If the edges of the opening are uneven, they must be plastered, maintaining the orthogonality of all 4 corners.
After the preparatory work, you need to take measurements for the subsequent order of the box. In order to prevent errors, the obtained parameters should be transferred to paper, drawing up a primitive drawing. This figure should indicate dimensions such as the height and width of the opening, as well as the thickness of the wall.
If the wall element has deviations, then the listed dimensions must be taken at several points along the height, width and thickness of the future box.
Based on the received sketch, taking into account installation tolerances, the supporting frame is selected and ordered.

Rice. 3. Measure the opening before installation

After purchasing the door frame, it is necessary to ensure its assembly and installation in the opening. It should be noted that when ordering parts, the master must understand the direction of movement of the canvas when opening or closing, since the position of the box relative to the thickness of the wall depends on this.

Useful tips and mistakes to avoid

Due attention should be paid to fastening the door frame on the side where the door is hung. You should not increase the number of screws or dowels more than two, because the entire load will be transferred through the hinges. No matter how many screws are attached between them, they will not change anything. There will only be extra holes in the box, sometimes very noticeable. Fastening hardware can be hidden. It is only necessary that they are securely installed. Even the most minor fluctuations must be corrected immediately.

The fact is that foam holds lateral load well, but is practically useless when compressed. It is not a problem if some of the fasteners are longer than necessary and come out slightly on the wrong side. This will not affect the strength of the fastening. If no cracks have formed on the frame, then everything is in order, all that remains is to slightly disguise the defect if it catches your eye. However, it may not be visible at all.