If you're used to buying interior wooden doors, you might be wondering:
"Why can’t I just give the door leaf size for a steel door too?"
That’s a great question — and the answer lies in the difference in structure and installation between wooden doors and steel doors.
1. Different Structure
- Wooden doors usually have a light door frame that wraps around the wall. It's mostly decorative and not load-bearing.
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- Steel doors, on the other hand, come with a heavy-duty steel frame that must be embedded and fixed into the wall. It’s a structural part of the door.
2. Different Installation
- Wooden doors are “wrapped” around the wall. Installers just need the door leaf size and wall thickness.
- Steel doors are installed by embedding the frame inside the wall opening, using screws or cement. That’s why we need the actual wall opening size (width × height × wall thickness) to make a steel door that fits perfectly.
3. Why the Wall Opening Size Is So Important
Unlike wooden doors, the frame of a steel door is not just a decoration — it’s part of the whole structure.
If we don’t know how big the wall opening is, we can’t make sure the door fits.
For example, a 1100 mm wide door leaf may need a total of 1168 mm including the frame. If your wall opening is only 1130 mm, the door simply won’t go in.
4. What If You Can Only Provide Door Leaf Size?
No problem — we’ve got a Plan B:
If you can only provide the door leaf size, we can design the full door set (including the frame) based on standard frame margins.
But please make sure your wall opening is at least 20–30mm wider and higher than the total door size we send you.
Otherwise, the door may not fit properly.
✅ Summary
|
Item |
Interior Wooden Door |
Steel Door |
|
Frame |
Decorative, wraps wall |
Structural, embedded in wall |
|
Installation |
Simple, low precision |
Fixed with screws or cement |
|
Size Needed |
Door leaf + wall thickness |
Wall opening (width × height × wall thickness) |
|
If Only Door Leaf Given |
No issue |
OK with caution – extra clearance needed |
If you're switching from wooden doors to steel doors, just remember:
Don't measure the door — measure the wall!
And if you’re unsure, contact us! we’re always happy to guide you through it.
Want to talk face to face? You're welcome to visit our factory or have a video conference. Let's find the best solution together!
