How To Measure for Custom Louvered Doors: A Complete Guide

Published: September 15, 2020

By the Estate Millwork Design Team | Craftsmen since 1997

Estate Millwork manufactures our custom louver doors using slab dimensions, as opposed to rough opening of finish opening dimensions. The slab dimensions are the exact dimensions of the louvered door slab, without any allowance for air gaps, jambs or framing. All that is required is to measure the width, height and thickness of the existing door slab that is being replaced, or to provide the same dimensions if a new door is being ordered. Interior louvered doors are generally 1 3/8" thick, Exterior louver doors are generally 1 3/4" inch, and by ordering these standard thickness you will get the most economical price, however other thicknesses are possible ranging from 3/4" to 2 7/8" thick.

Louver Sizes

The louver slats in the doors come in three common sizes: 1/4" X 1 1/4" (typically used for louvered cabinet doors) , 3/8" X 1 3/4" (for shutters and smaller louvered doors) and 1/2" X 2 1/4" for larger louver doors and plantation shutters. If you are ordering replacement louver doors and care about louver size, you must measure the thickness and the sectional width of the louvers. In addition to these stock size louvers. Estate Millwork can custom produce any size louver in any profile, but there are typically upcharges which increase the cost of the doors.

In addition to the louver size, the louvers should be ordered as either fixed louvers or operable louvers with an attached lift rod. In the case of fixed louvers, the pitch angle of the louvers can be specified as an angle from the horizontal, or more generally as closed pitch, or open pitch (which will allow light and air to pass more readily). The Shop Drawings and specifications for our products in the catalog pages give the details of the standard pitches, or you can contact our sales department.

Louver Field Sizes and Dividing Rail Placement

Some of our custom louver doors have dividing rails and sub stiles that break up the door panel into multiple fields of louvers. You can specifiy the number and size of these fields by placing the dividing rails in the louvered doors in the appropriate places. If your project requires specific placement of the dividing rail to match other doors or details in the house, you can simply provide us with the distance of the bottom of each rail to the bottom of the door. Estate Millwork will then generate custom drawings and sections that will allow you to see the exact louver count, placement as well as the placement of the dividing rails. Again, our default arrangements are the most economical, but customization is possible and is in most cases relatively inexpensive.

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Selecting the Perfect Custom Wood Door

A well-chosen wood door does more than fill an opening; it sets the tone for an entire room or entryway. Interior doors influence how spaces flow together, while exterior doors establish the first impression of your home. When selecting a custom door, consider three primary factors: the architectural style of your home, the functional requirements of the opening, and the wood species that best complements your existing millwork.

For traditional and colonial homes, raised-panel doors with six or eight panels create a classic look. Contemporary and transitional homes lean toward flat-panel or Shaker-style doors with clean lines. Louvered doors are ideal for closets, laundry rooms, and utility spaces where airflow matters. French doors with glass panels open up sightlines between rooms while maintaining the ability to close off spaces for privacy or climate control.

Wood species matters both aesthetically and structurally. Red Oak and White Oak are among the hardest domestic species, making them excellent choices for high-traffic exterior doors. Mahogany offers superior dimensional stability and a rich grain pattern prized for front entries. For interior doors that will be painted, Poplar provides a smooth, affordable substrate. Estate Millwork builds every door using mortise-and-tenon joinery with hardwood dowel pins, ensuring joints that will not loosen over a lifetime of daily use.

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