Automatic Sliding Door Sizes and Dimensions
A single-slide automatic door usually fits an opening 7 to 9 feet wide, and a bi-parting door 9 to 14 feet. Both need at least 90 inches of height. Here are the numbers that decide the rest.
Call our Calgary team403-650-5232The smallest packages miss Alberta's 850 mm rule
850 mm is about 33.5 inches. Most single-slide packages clear it easily. The narrowest don't: the smallest dormakaba ESA300 single slide clears 32 7/16 inches, about 824 mm. If the entrance is on a barrier-free route, confirm the clear opening of the exact model before the order goes in.
The same code limits thresholds on those doorways to 13 mm above the finished floor, and they must be bevelled (Sentence 3.8.3.6.(5)). Telescoping doors help where wall space is tight, because the panels stack behind each other and a narrower frame gives a wider clear opening. See our full range of automatic sliding doors.
Clear opening by configuration
Clear opening is the space a person walks through. It is always well short of the package width. Figures are from manufacturer spec sheets.
| Configuration | Package width | Clear opening | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single slide | 7 to 9 ft | 35 1/4 to 47 1/4 in | Stanley Dura-Glide |
| Single slide | 6 ft 6 in to 9 ft | 32 7/16 to 47 7/16 in | dormakaba ESA300 |
| Single telescopic | 6 ft 6 in to 12 ft | 40 9/16 to 84 9/16 in | dormakaba ESA300 |
| Bi-parting | 10 to 14 ft | 48 1/4 to 72 1/4 in | Stanley Dura-Glide |
| Bi-parting telescopic, 6 panel | 71 1/2 to 108 in | 43 3/4 to 68 3/16 in | Stanley Dura-Fit |
| Bi-parting telescopic | 12 ft 6 in to 16 ft | 80 1/8 to 108 in | dormakaba ESA300 |
Sensors, headers and the space around the door
The door itself is only part of the footprint. These are the dimensions that catch projects out.
A 43-inch activation zone
ANSI/BHMA A156.10 requires the zone to be as wide as the clear opening and reach at least 43 inches (1,090 mm) out from the door face.
autodoorandhardware.com, A156.10 summaryAn 8 by 6 inch header
Stanley's Dura-Glide header is 8 inches high and 6 inches deep, on a typical 7 ft 8 in door with 6 ft 11 in clear.
stanleyaccess.com, Dura-Glide specsNo more than 8 feet unsupported
Record's 5100 installation manual warns against more than 8 feet of unsupported header, so wide bi-parting doors often need mid-span support.
Record 5100 installation manualMeasure your opening before you call
- Width. Measure the rough opening wall to wall at the top, middle and bottom. Use the smallest figure.
- Height. Measure from the finished floor to the underside of the structure above, not to a drop ceiling.
- Header room. Note anything in the way above the opening, such as ductwork, sprinkler lines or beams.
- Floor. Note the floor finish and any existing threshold. The 13 mm limit applies on barrier-free routes.
- Route. Is this door on the barrier-free path of travel? If so, the 850 mm rule applies.
Add a photo of the opening and we'll tell you which configurations fit.
What's the difference between fixed sidelite and full breakout?
On a fixed-sidelite door, only the sliding panels swing out in an emergency. On a full-breakout door the sidelites swing out too, which frees the full width of the opening. Limitless supplies single-slide and bi-parting doors in both versions, plus surface-mounted and telescoping options.
Can an automatic sliding door be all glass?
Yes. Stanley's Dura-Glide All Glass uses 1/2-inch tempered glass and comes as a single slide or bi-part. It clears about 35.3 to 47.3 inches as a single slide and 48.3 to 72.3 inches as a bi-part, on a typical 7 ft 8 in door height.
How hard is it to push a breakaway panel open?
The 2005 edition of ANSI/BHMA A156.10 limits it to 50 pounds of force, applied 1 inch from the leading edge of the panel. The standard is now in its 2024 edition, so check that version for the figure that applies to a new installation.
When is a telescoping door worth it?
When the wall space is tight and you still need a wide clear opening. dormakaba's single telescopic package clears up to 84 9/16 inches in a 12-foot frame. Its standard single slide tops out at 47 7/16 inches in a 9-foot frame.