"What size is a standard door in Australia?" is one of the most searched joinery questions in the country, and the honest answer is that there are several standards, and the right one depends on ceiling height, building class, and how premium the finish needs to look. This guide covers the sizes you will actually specify and when going custom makes sense.
Standard Door Heights
2040mm: the traditional standard height, used in most project homes and many apartments with 2400mm ceilings
2100mm: a modest upgrade used in some commercial and mid-market residential work
2340mm: increasingly specified in premium apartments and homes with 2700mm ceilings
2400mm and above: full-height or "tall" doors for luxury residential, hospitality, and architect-led projects, often paired with concealed frames and flush finishes
Taller doors are one of the simplest ways to lift the perceived quality of a space. They are also where custom manufacturing becomes necessary, because most stock ranges stop at 2040mm.
Standard Door Widths
Common leaf widths in Australia are 520mm, 620mm, 720mm, 770mm, 820mm, 870mm and 920mm. In practice:
820mm is the usual choice for bedrooms and general internal doors
720mm and 770mm suit bathrooms, laundries and WCs where space is tight
870mm and 920mm are used for main entries, living areas and accessible applications
Standard Thickness
35mm: typical for internal hollow-core and standard internal doors
40mm: common for solid-core internal doors and entry doors, giving better acoustic performance and a more substantial feel
45mm and above: used for heavy entry doors, some fire-rated doors, and premium solid timber doors
Check the thickness against the hardware you plan to use. Premium lock sets and concealed hinges often have minimum door thickness requirements.
Accessibility: When Width Is Not Optional
Where AS1428.1 applies, such as accessible units, aged care, and commonly used areas in Class 2 and Class 9 buildings, doorways need a minimum clear opening, which in practice typically means specifying a 920mm door leaf. The clear opening is measured between the open door and the opposite jamb, not the leaf width, so hinge type and door thickness matter. Confirm clear-opening requirements with your certifier before you finalise the schedule.
Hollow Core vs Solid Core vs Solid Timber
Hollow core: lightweight and economical. Fine for secondary internal doors but light, with limited acoustic performance
Solid core (particleboard, MDF or timber core): the mainstream choice for apartments and quality homes, with better acoustics, a better sound when closing and better screw-holding
Solid timber or timber veneer on a solid core: used where the finish is a design feature, such as feature entries and hospitality
When to Go Custom
Custom sizing is worth the conversation when:
Ceiling heights above 2700mm mean 2040mm doors look undersized
The design calls for floor-to-ceiling doors, pivot doors or concealed jamb systems
You need consistent finish across a large run of doors, including wardrobe doors and entry doors
The project has unusual openings from heritage or adaptive reuse work
Custom does not have to mean expensive. In volume production, a non-standard size that repeats across 100 or more units is often priced close to standard once tooling is set.
Measuring and Specifying Correctly
Always specify door leaf size and the structural opening size separately, so framing and jamb allowances are clear
Confirm floor finish thicknesses so undercuts and clearances are correct
State thickness, core type and finish in the door schedule, not just size
For fire-rated or acoustic doors, specify the tested configuration, not just the nominal size
The Bottom Line
Standard sizes keep costs down in routine applications, but taller and custom doors are one of the highest-impact upgrades in premium residential and hospitality work. Define height, width, thickness, core and compliance requirements together in one schedule and your supplier can quote accurately the first time.
Send us your door schedule and we will confirm sizes, tolerances and pricing, including options for taller doors across your project.
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