The margin is the space between the door panel and the frame and/or sill. The purpose of the margin is to allow the door panel the clearance to open and close properly, while keeping the weather on the outside.
There are several margins to understand around a door panel:
- Hinge Margin: Space between the door panel and door frame on the hinge side of the door. A standard hinge margin is 1/16", but can vary based upon the hinges used.
- Strike Margin: Space between the door panel and door frame on the strike, or handle, side of the door. The standard strike margin is 5/32".
- Top (Header) Margin: Space at the top of the door panel. A typical top margin or header margin is 1/8".
- Bottom (Sweep) Margin: The bottom margin varies based upon the swing of the door system. For an inswing door, the bottom margin is the space between the bottom of the door panel and the top of the sill cap. An inswing sweep margin is typically 7/16". For an outswing door, the bottom margin is the space between the bottom of the door panel and the sill deck. The outswing bottom margin is typically 1/8".
- Sidelite Margin: Sidelites are stationary panels that only need enough space to be installed into the door frame. The typical sidelite margin is 1/32".