Solutions for Narrow Doorway Openings

Specialty Hinges

• Even in a fully opened position, doors attached to standard hinges protrude into the doorway opening. Specialty hinges alter the open position of the door, leaving the doorway opening clear of obstruction. Common types of specialty hinges include surface mount hinges and offset hinges. Unlike standard door hinges, surface mount hinges attach to the wall's face, rather than the side of the door frame's jamb. Offset hinges attach to the door jamb, but feature an elongated profile that leaves the door clear of doorway openings in the open position.

Pocket Doors

• Whereas standard doors swing to open and close, pocket doors slide across a track and nest within adjacent walls. Like doors mounted to specialty hinges, pocket doors increase a narrow doorways usable area by eliminating the doors' protrusion into the doorway opening. Additionally, if narrow doorways lead to narrow hallways, pocket doors eliminate the possibility of damaging wall coverings, such as drywall, with outwardly swinging door knobs.

Cafe Doors

• Frequently installed between commercial kitchens and serving areas, cafe doors consist of a set of narrow door panels mounted to a door jamb via spring hinges. Spring hinges allow the door to open and close without a knob or lockset. The cafe door's hinge system consist of a pivot point mounted to the floor and spring hinges mounted to the door's jamb. The cafe door hinge system accepts door panels of any size, including single folding door panels to accommodate narrow openings.

Bi-Fold Doors

• Frequently installed as closet or utility room doors, bi-fold doors, also called folding doors, consist of narrow door panels that pivot and slide along a jamb-mounted track. In the closed position, a bi-fold door's separate panels nest at the side of the doorway opening like a closed accordion. Builders can use the bi-fold door's specialized pivot hinges and track hardware to install a single bi-fold door panel. Typically 18 to 24 inches wide, single bi-fold door panels are ideal for narrow doorways.

Custom Doors

• Door manufacturers mill doors to any specification and standard home improvement stores will order custom-fit doors for any doorway opening. Available in any size and profile, custom doors maintain a conventional appearance while accommodating unusually narrow door openings. However, custom doors are generally the most expensive solution to a narrow door opening.