What "frame type" means

The frame (also called the jamb) is the wooden lining that goes around the inside of your door opening. It is the part the door attaches to and closes against. Here you’re choosing what that wood is made of. Both options are made to be painted:

In the photo above: raw MDF on the left (tan), primed finger-joint pine on the right (white).

• Finger-joint pine (primed): real pine wood. “Finger-joint” just means it’s built from shorter pieces of pine joined end-to-end, which keeps it dead straight and stable. It arrives primed (already has a white base coat), so you just paint your final colour over it. Pine grips screws and nails very well. That is useful, because the hinges and the latch hardware screw into the frame.
• MDF (raw / unprimed): a smooth, man-made wood board with no knots and no grain. It paints up to a very clean, smooth finish and costs a bit less. It comes raw (a natural tan colour, no coating yet), so you prime it first, then paint. It holds screws well, though pine holds them a little better.

Finishing: pine is already primed (light sand, then paint); MDF is bare (prime it first, then paint).

Your frame arrives ready for the door

Whichever material you pick, the frame arrives as 3 flat pieces: two long sides and one shorter top. They screw together in your doorway:

And the important cuts come already made. The hinge pockets (the shallow pockets your hinges sit in) and the latch slot (the small pocket the door's latch clicks into) are machined into the frame for you:

A hinge pocket: the hinge sits flush in this pocket and screws straight in. No chiselling, no measuring.

The latch slot: when the door swings shut, the latch clicks in here and holds it closed.

We put these cuts on the correct side of the frame based on your door swing (which way your door opens). You'll choose that at the Swing Direction step a little later in this builder, and it has its own "What's this?" guide too.

Quick pick: choose finger-joint pine for the best screw-hold and a primed head-start, or MDF for the smoothest painted finish and the lower price.

What "jamb size" means

A jamb is the wooden frame your door hangs inside. Its width (the size you're picking here) is how deep that frame is: the distance straight through your wall, from one face to the other. It needs to match your wall thickness, so the finished frame sits flush (perfectly even) with the wall on both sides.

We make the jamb in two widths. Here they are:

The shorter board is 4 5/8"; the taller one is 6 5/8". (Shown in raw MDF; primed pine is white, but the widths are the same.) Which one you need comes down to just one thing: how your wall is built.

Standard 2×4 wall → choose 4 5/8" (most common)

Most interior walls are built from 2×4 lumber, the upright wood pieces inside the wall, called studs. Add a layer of drywall (the flat panel that forms the wall surface) on each side, and the wall comes out about 4½" thick. So you'd pick the 4 5/8" jamb. This fits the large majority of homes.

The picture above is a view looking straight down through the wall. The jamb (on the left) reaches all the way across: the stud in the middle (about 3½") plus about ½" of drywall on each side: about 4½" altogether, and the 4 5/8" jamb spans it edge to edge.

Thicker 2×6 wall → choose 6 5/8"

Some walls, often exterior walls or custom builds, are framed with thicker 2×6 studs. A wall like that is deeper, so it needs the wider 6 5/8" jamb instead:

Same idea as before, just a deeper wall, with a bigger stud (about 5½") in the middle, so the jamb has to be wider to reach flush on both sides.

Not sure which wall you have?

Easy: at the doorway, measure straight through the wall, from the surface on one side to the surface on the other:

• About 4½" → choose 4 5/8"
• About 6½" → choose 6 5/8"

And don't worry if the jamb sticks out a hair past the wall. That's completely normal. The casing (the trim that frames the doorway) covers that small gap once it's installed.

What "lock prep" means

Lock prep means we cut the openings your door handle needs before the door ships. When it arrives, you set the handle in place and tighten a couple of screws. That is the whole job: no drilling, no templates, no special tools.

Choose Yes and we cut two openings in the door:

• A round 2-1/8" hole through the face of the door. This is the hole the handle mounts through.
• A 1" hole into the edge of the door for the latch (the small spring-loaded bolt that sticks out of the door's edge and keeps the door closed).

Here is what that looks like on a finished door:

On the left, the round hole through the door's face, where the handle mounts. On the right, the door's edge: the small round hole the latch slides into, set in a shallow recess so the latch's metal plate sits flush with the edge.

The holes are drilled at the standard spacing that nearly every handle sold in Canada is made for (called a 2-3/8" backset: the distance from the edge of the door to the centre of the face hole). Almost any handle you can buy will fit.

The picture above shows the frame side of lock prep: the latch slot (installers call it the strike): a small recess cut into the jamb (the frame board the door closes against). The latch clicks into this slot and holds the door shut. Ordering a Complete Door Frame Set? This pocket comes already cut, lined up with your door.

Standard or Custom handle height?

Standard puts the handle at the height used in almost every home: the centre of the handle sits about 36" up from the floor. The Complete Door Frame Set uses this height. If you are unsure, Standard is the safe pick.

Custom (available on the Door Prep path) is for matching the other doors in your home exactly. To get your number: on an existing door, measure from the top of the door straight down to the centre of the handle. On a standard 80" door that is usually about 44". Measure from the top, not up from the floor: door bottoms often get trimmed to fit, so the top edge is the reliable reference.

Choosing No?

Pick No if you want the door left solid, with no handle openings. For example: you have your own doorknob drill kit and prefer to do it yourself, or you're using a dummy knob (a fixed handle that doesn't turn or latch, common on closets and pantries). A dummy knob simply screws onto the face of the door, so it needs no holes at all.

What "swing direction" means

Swing direction (also called the door's handing) tells us two things: which side the hinges go on, and which way the door opens. Everything we machine for you (the hinge pockets, and the latch slot: the small pocket the door's latch clicks into) goes on the correct side to match your swing. It is worth a minute to check.

The easy way to check

Go to the doorway and stand with your back against the side the hinges are on (or the side you want them on). Now look where the handle ends up:

• Handle on your LEFT? It's a Left-Hand (LH) door.
• Handle on your RIGHT? It's a Right-Hand (RH) door.

Here is the same thing seen from above, looking down at the doorway:

Double Door

Choose Double Door for a wide opening with a pair of doors that meet in the middle, like the picture above. We machine both doors as a matched pair, one hinged on each side.

Please double-check your swing before adding to cart. The machining depends on it, and it is the number one thing customers get backwards.

What the "Hinges" choice means

Tell us whether you'd like us to include hinges with your order:

• Yes: we include 2 hinges per door (our standard) in the finish you pick, screws included. A third middle hinge is optional; if your door is prepped for one, we include it too. If your order includes hinge prep, they sit flush in the pre-cut slots and screw straight in.
• No: pick this if you're reusing your existing hinges or buying your own.

Pick your finish

Black (top photo) is a flat matte black. Satin Nickel (bottom photo) is a soft brushed silver. Same hinge underneath; it is purely a look choice.

Tip: match your hinge finish to your handle finish for a consistent look through the whole room.

What "custom height" means

Every door starts at the standard height of 80" (6 ft 8 in), which fits almost every doorway. Choose Custom Height if your opening needs a shorter door, and we cut it down for you. Here is how it works:

• Yes: type the finished height you need, anywhere from 75" to 80" (for example, 77"). We trim the door to that size, taking the height off the bottom edge so the door still looks right.
• No: keep the standard 80" height.

When you might need it

Older homes, openings under stairs, or rooms where new flooring (tile or hardwood) raised the floor and shrunk the opening.

How to measure

Measure from the underside of the top of the frame straight down to the finished floor (the floor surface you walk on, not the bare subfloor underneath). Then subtract about 1/2" to 3/4" so the door can swing clear of the floor. The result is your door height. If it comes out above 80", just keep the standard height; if it comes out below 75", contact us before ordering.

Keep in mind: a door can always be trimmed shorter, but it can't be made taller. If you're between sizes, measure twice before ordering.

What "hinge prep" means

Hinge prep means we cut the hinge pockets into the edge of your door: shallow pockets, one per hinge, so each hinge sits perfectly flush instead of sticking out. Here is one on a finished door:

With the slots pre-cut and the screw holes started, hanging the door is a screwdriver job. Choose No if you plan to cut the slots yourself or your door is already prepped.

Standard or Custom?

Standard puts the hinges at our standard spots. Every frame is a little different depending on the carpenter who built it, so pick Standard only if you're not matching an existing frame. Not sure what you have? Our how to measure guide walks you through checking your door and frame.

Custom is for hanging your new door on an existing frame: the slots have to line up exactly with the hinges already in that frame, or the door won't hang. Measure on your old door from the top of the door straight down to the top of each hinge, and enter those numbers. Top and bottom are required; add the middle one only if your frame has a third hinge.

For Custom we'll also ask for one photo of one of your hinges before you add to cart. It lets us match the hinge size and corner shape exactly.

What "lock prep" means

Lock prep means we cut the openings your door handle needs before the door ships. When it arrives, you set the handle in place and tighten a couple of screws. That is the whole job: no drilling, no templates, no special tools.

Choose Yes and we cut two openings in the door:

• A round 2-1/8" hole through the face of the door. This is the hole the handle mounts through.
• A 1" hole into the edge of the door for the latch (the small spring-loaded bolt that sticks out of the door's edge and keeps the door closed).

Here is what that looks like on a finished door:

On the left, the round hole through the door's face, where the handle mounts. On the right, the door's edge: the small round hole the latch slides into, set in a shallow recess so the latch's metal plate sits flush with the edge.

The holes are drilled at the standard spacing that nearly every handle sold in Canada is made for (called a 2-3/8" backset: the distance from the edge of the door to the centre of the face hole). Almost any handle you can buy will fit.

The picture above shows the frame side of lock prep: the latch slot (installers call it the strike): a small recess cut into the jamb (the frame board the door closes against). The latch clicks into this slot and holds the door shut. Ordering a Complete Door Frame Set? This pocket comes already cut, lined up with your door.

Standard or Custom handle height?

Standard puts the handle at the height used in almost every home: the centre of the handle sits about 36" up from the floor. The Complete Door Frame Set uses this height. If you are unsure, Standard is the safe pick.

Custom (available on the Door Prep path) is for matching the other doors in your home exactly. To get your number: on an existing door, measure from the top of the door straight down to the centre of the handle. On a standard 80" door that is usually about 44". Measure from the top, not up from the floor: door bottoms often get trimmed to fit, so the top edge is the reliable reference.

Choosing No?

Pick No if you want the door left solid, with no handle openings. For example: you have your own doorknob drill kit and prefer to do it yourself, or you're using a dummy knob (a fixed handle that doesn't turn or latch, common on closets and pantries). A dummy knob simply screws onto the face of the door, so it needs no holes at all.

What "swing direction" means

Swing direction (also called the door's handing) tells us two things: which side the hinges go on, and which way the door opens. Everything we machine for you (the hinge pockets, and the latch slot: the small pocket the door's latch clicks into) goes on the correct side to match your swing. It is worth a minute to check.

The easy way to check

Go to the doorway and stand with your back against the side the hinges are on (or the side you want them on). Now look where the handle ends up:

• Handle on your LEFT? It's a Left-Hand (LH) door.
• Handle on your RIGHT? It's a Right-Hand (RH) door.

Here is the same thing seen from above, looking down at the doorway:

Double Door

Choose Double Door for a wide opening with a pair of doors that meet in the middle, like the picture above. We machine both doors as a matched pair, one hinged on each side.

Please double-check your swing before adding to cart. The machining depends on it, and it is the number one thing customers get backwards.

What the "Hinges" choice means

Tell us whether you'd like us to include hinges with your order:

• Yes: we include 2 hinges per door (our standard) in the finish you pick, screws included. A third middle hinge is optional; if your door is prepped for one, we include it too. If your order includes hinge prep, they sit flush in the pre-cut slots and screw straight in.
• No: pick this if you're reusing your existing hinges or buying your own.

Pick your finish

Black (top photo) is a flat matte black. Satin Nickel (bottom photo) is a soft brushed silver. Same hinge underneath; it is purely a look choice.

Tip: match your hinge finish to your handle finish for a consistent look through the whole room.

What "custom height" means

Every door starts at the standard height of 80" (6 ft 8 in), which fits almost every doorway. Choose Custom Height if your opening needs a shorter door, and we cut it down for you. Here is how it works:

• Yes: type the finished height you need, anywhere from 75" to 80" (for example, 77"). We trim the door to that size, taking the height off the bottom edge so the door still looks right.
• No: keep the standard 80" height.

When you might need it

Older homes, openings under stairs, or rooms where new flooring (tile or hardwood) raised the floor and shrunk the opening.

How to measure

Measure from the underside of the top of the frame straight down to the finished floor (the floor surface you walk on, not the bare subfloor underneath). Then subtract about 1/2" to 3/4" so the door can swing clear of the floor. The result is your door height. If it comes out above 80", just keep the standard height; if it comes out below 75", contact us before ordering.

Keep in mind: a door can always be trimmed shorter, but it can't be made taller. If you're between sizes, measure twice before ordering.