• Leave a little extra room in the door frame for smooth operation of the door.door frame image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
  
  

Door Height

• Place the header, which is the horizontal framing member that stretches across the top of the door, at a height that takes into account the height of the door, the width of the jamb, the thickness of the flooring material and an extra 3/4 inches so the door isn't too tight.
  
  

Door Width

• The king studs, which are the studs framing the sides, should be far enough apart to accommodate the door, the jamb on either side of the door and an extra 1/2 inch between the door and the jamb to allow for smooth opening and closing. You also have to account for shims which may be needed to level the jamb.
  
  

Bottom Line

• Scott Grice of "Fine Homebuilding" magazine calculates the height of the header for a 6-foot, 8-inch door to be 82 5/8 inches above the subfloor, if you are using 3/4-inch flooring. He recommends the distance between the king studs be 5 inches more than the width of the door.