Interior Doors: A Configuration Guide for Ontario Builders and Contractors
Ordering a custom interior door involves more than choosing a style and size. You also need to decide how much of the door should be prepared before it reaches the job site.
At Simcoe Door & Trim, you can browse interior doors ordered at several different stages: as an unmachined slab, machined for hardware, paired with a correctly sized frame, prepared with a U-channel and pre-mitered casing, or supplied as part of a larger installation package.
For a single opening, that choice determines how much cutting, fitting and finishing happens on site. Across an apartment building, subdivision or other multi-door project, it can affect how much repetitive detail work your crew has to handle across the entire job.
This guide breaks down each configuration, explains how to measure and determine door swing, and helps contractors and builders understand what to specify before placing an order. If you're ready to move forward, you can request a quote once you've settled on a configuration.
What Does “Door Configuration” Mean?
A door configuration describes how much preparation is completed before the door reaches you. At the simplest level, you can purchase an unmachined door slab. From there, Simcoe Door & Trim can progressively add machining, a jamb, pre-mitered casing and in some cases installation depending on the needs of the project.
The easiest way to think about it is as a spectrum: how hands-on do you want your crew to be once the door reaches the job site?
Configuration | What You Receive | What Is Left for the Installer |
Just a Door | Unmachined door slab | Machining, frame, casing, and installation |
Machined Door | Door with hardware and hinge machining | Frame, casing and installation |
Machined Door + Frame | Machined door and correctly sized jamb | Casing and installation |
Machined Door + U-Channel | Machined door, jamb and pre-mitered casing | Final installation |
The more complete the configuration, the fewer measurements, cuts, and preparation steps are left for the installer. That does not make one configuration universally better than another. The right choice depends on the opening, hardware, trim package, and how much work you want completed before pickup or delivery.
1. Just a Door: Slab Only
The simplest configuration is the door itself, sometimes referred to as a door slab. It comes with no milling or machining, which means there are no pre-bored holes for handles or latches and no hinge locations prepared.
Because it has not been machined, a slab can be used for pocket doors, bypass doors, barn doors and other specialty applications where standard hinge and handle placement does not apply.
Best suited to: specialty door applications or crews doing their own custom machining.
2. Machined Door
A machined interior door arrives with the primary hardware locations already prepared. Simcoe Door & Trim standard milling includes a 2 1/8-inch hole and machining for two or three hinges. Custom machining is also available where the project requires non-standard hardware or placement.
This removes some of the precision drilling and cutting that would otherwise need to happen on the job site.
Best suited to: standard swing doors where the frame is already in place or being supplied separately.
3. Machined Door With Frame
This configuration pairs a machined door with a correctly sized, pre-cut jamb. Standard jamb widths are available for common 2x4 and 2x6 wall construction, with custom widths available when needed.
The door and frame are prepared together, while casing can still be selected or installed separately. This can be useful when the project has a specific trim package or when the same casing profile is being carried through the rest of the building.
Best suited to: new openings or door-and-frame replacements where casing will be handled separately.
4. Machined Door With U-Channel
For projects where more finishing work needs to happen before the materials reach the job site, Simcoe Door & Trim also offers a machined door with a U-channel door jamb.
This configuration includes the machined door, U-channel jamb and casing up to 3.5 inches wide. All pieces are pre-mitered and ready to install. Casing is included on jambs up to 9.5 inches.
Because the pieces arrive already cut and coordinated, this option reduces the amount of jamb and casing preparation required on site.
Best suited to: new construction and larger projects where reducing on-site trim preparation is important.
5. Installation for Larger Door Packages
For larger projects, Simcoe Door & Trim can also provide installation as part of the door package. This is typically more relevant for projects such as apartment buildings, subdivisions and other multi-door developments rather than a single-door replacement.
The package can include the machined door, hardware, jamb, casing and professional installation. A minimum order applies.
For contractors and developers, this extends the same configuration spectrum one step further: instead of deciding which preparation work stays with your crew, the complete door and trim scope can be coordinated as part of the larger project.
Best suited to: larger residential and multi-unit projects where installation is being coordinated as part of the overall door package.
Machined Door With Frame vs. U-Channel: What Is the Difference?
These two configurations sound similar because both include the door and jamb. The key difference is casing.
A machined door with frame includes the machined door and correctly sized jamb, while casing remains a separate step. A machined door with U-channel adds pre-mitered casing to the package, reducing the amount of trim preparation required on site If your project requires a specific casing profile, you can also explore Simcoe Door & Trim’s trim and moulding options.
A framed option may make sense when the project already has a particular casing package selected. A U-channel option may make sense when the goal is to have more of the door opening prepared as one coordinated order.
For multi-unit projects, confirm the preferred configuration with Simcoe Door & Trim before the order is machined so the same specification can be carried consistently across repeated openings.
How to Measure for an Interior Door
Getting the configuration right starts with getting the opening right. Before a door is machined or a jamb is prepared, confirm the rough-opening dimensions and door swing.
Simcoe Door & Trim recommends measuring the rough opening at several points vertically and horizontally, then using the smallest measurement recorded.
The rough opening should generally be approximately 2 to 2.5 inches larger than the finished door. For example, if the rough opening is 32.5 inches wide, you would typically purchase a 30-inch-wide door.
What Are Standard Interior Door Sizes?
Standard interior door sizes vary by opening, but Simcoe Door & Trim lists the following standard door heights:
78 inches
80 inches
84 inches
90 inches
96 inches
Custom sizes and custom machining are also available. The correct width depends on the rough opening and the specific application, so measure the opening before selecting the finished door size.
Determine the Door Swing Before Machining
Before machining, double-check which way the door opens and which side the hinges should be placed on. A door may be left-hand or right-hand depending on the direction of swing and hinge location.
This matters because hinge locations and hardware holes are prepared before installation. Confirming swing direction before machining helps prevent an avoidable mismatch when the door reaches the job site.
Choose Hardware Alongside the Door
You can browse door hardware, including knobs, levers, hinges and locks, to add to any Simcoe Door & Trim configuration. Choosing hardware before machining matters, since the door needs to be prepared to match the hardware specifications.
Solid Core vs. Hollow Core Interior Doors
Door configuration and door construction are two separate decisions. Configuration determines how the door is supplied, while core construction determines the structure and performance of the door itself.
Solid-core doors use a denser core that can provide greater mass, durability and sound reduction. Hollow-core doors are lighter and are commonly used where those performance characteristics are less important.
Confirm available core options with the Simcoe Door & Trim team when selecting the door style and configuration for your project.
Where Can I See Interior Door Options in Person?
Contact or visit Simcoe Door & Trim to review available interior door, trim, casing and hardware options before finalizing an order. For larger projects, speaking with the team early also gives you an opportunity to confirm configuration, machining and delivery requirements before production begins.
Planning an Interior Door Order? Start Here
The right interior door order starts before the door is cut. Measure the opening. Confirm the door swing. Choose the hardware. Then decide how much machining, framing, casing and installation you want handled before the materials reach the job site.
For smaller custom projects, that may mean an individual slab or machined door. For larger residential and multi-unit projects, coordinating the door, jamb, casing, hardware and installation scope at the beginning can reduce the amount of detail work that has to be resolved later.
Ready to plan your door package? Request a quote from Simcoe Door & Trim.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the five ways I can order an interior door from Simcoe Door & Trim?
Doors can be ordered as a slab only, a machined door, a machined door with frame, a machined door with U-channel, or as part of an installation package.
What is the difference between a door slab and a machined door?
A slab has no machining. This is what you would want for a pocket door or a barn door for example. A machined door has the hardware and hinge locations prepared, reducing the cutting and drilling required during installation.
What is the difference between a machined door with frame and one with U-channel?
The framed configuration includes the machined door and jamb. The U-channel configuration also includes pre-mitered casing, subject to the available jamb and casing sizes.
What are standard interior door heights?
Standard interior door heights of 78, 80, 84, 90 and 96 inches are available at Simcoe Door & Trim. Custom door sizes are usually available through special order.
How much larger should the rough opening be than the interior door?
Simcoe Door & Trim recommends a rough opening approximately 2 to 2.5 inches larger than the finished door. Measure at several points and use the smallest width and height measurements.
Can Simcoe Door & Trim do custom door machining?
Yes. In addition to standard machining, custom machining is available on doors bought through Simcoe Door & Trim.
Can hardware be ordered with my interior doors?
Yes. Simcoe Door & Trim carries a great variety of knobs, levers, hinges and locks that can be added to your purchase. Hardware should be confirmed before machining.
Where can I see interior door options in person?
Visit the Simcoe Door & Trim showroom in Barrie to see interior door, trim, casing and hardware samples in person before finalizing your order. Speaking with the team early also gives you a chance to confirm configuration, machining, and delivery requirements.
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