Short answer: check the shop drawing against the site survey and the design: opening, frame, leaf and clear sizes, handing in words, finished floor levels, the pivot axis or hinges, fixings, lock wiring, glazing, finish and tolerances. Then approve one numbered revision in writing, because the door is made from that sheet.
What does a door shop drawing set contain?
A door shop drawing is the manufacturer’s drawing of the exact door it will make for one opening. A complete set shows the door from outside and inside, plan and section details at the head, jambs and threshold, every size, the hardware and finish, and how the frame is fixed to the building.
Under AIA contract documents, the architect reviews submittals for conformance with the design concept, not the accuracy of every detail. Check who owns the dimensions under your contract.
What should you check, item by item?
Tick each line against the drawing and the site survey.
| Item | What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Door reference | Same number as the door schedule and floor plan | Right drawing, right opening |
| Opening, frame and leaf sizes | Which size each number is; the frame fits the surveyed opening with a fixing gap | The most common cause of redrawing |
| Clear opening | Leaf open 90°, measured on the wide side of a pivot | Accessibility rules use the clear width |
| Handing | In words, seen from outside: “opens inwards, pivot on the left” | LH and RH are read from different sides in different systems |
| Pivot axis | Distance from the leaf edge and the jamb; top pivot exactly above the floor pivot | Out of plumb, the door drifts open or closed |
| Hinges on double doors | Number and positions per leaf; which leaf is active; bolts on the fixed leaf | The hinges carry each leaf; the bolts hold the fixed one shut |
| Finished floor levels | Inside and outside, from one datum; floor build-up | The leaf height and bottom gap are made to them |
| Threshold and bottom gap | Profile, drop seal, gap for the hinge used | Wind and rain get in here |
| Head and fixings | What the frame and top pivot fix into; positions; packers | A heavy leaf hangs from these points |
| Leaf weight | Stated, with the hinge class chosen for it | The hinge must suit the weight and width |
| Lock and wiring | Lock model, locking points, power, cable route | No cable can be added once the head is closed |
| Glazing | Glass make-up; safety glass where your code requires it | Glass in and beside doors is often a hazardous location |
| Finish and colour | Finish type and colour code for both faces, against an approved sample | Screens do not show colour reliably |
| Tolerances | Written figures for size, squareness and flatness | You need them to accept or reject the door |
| Performance | Any wind, water, security or fire requirement, with test evidence | A drawing does not prove performance |
Notes:
- Clear width. The 2010 ADA Standards require at least 32 in (815 mm) between the door face and the stop, door open 90°; on a pair, one active leaf must meet this. Thresholds may be 1/2 in (13 mm) high at most. Check your local rule.
- Handing. North American practice reads handing from the secure (key) side; German DIN reads it from the side you pull the door from. Words avoid both traps.
- Pivot gaps. For System M+, FritsJurgens gives a 4–10 mm top gap and an 11 mm bottom gap with its squared or round floor plates, or 7 mm with a Flush plate; the Class G top pivot has a Ø7.5 mm cable entry. Take the pivot point (axis to leaf edge) from the current documentation for the system and class you use; see pivot door technical drawings.
- Glazing. Under the 2021 International Residential Code, glass in a swinging door is in a hazardous location, and so is glass within 24 in (610 mm) of either side of a door if its bottom edge is under 60 in (1,524 mm).
- Tolerances. EN 1529 (size, squareness) and EN 1530 (flatness) cover door leaves supplied without frames, EN 1530 only up to 1,200 × 2,400 mm. For a large doorset, write your figures on the drawing.
- Performance. If the project needs an EN 1627 class, a fire rating or a local certification, check what your jurisdiction requires and ask for test reports. We have no EN 1627 rating and do not make fire-rated doors. We can arrange lab testing, usually at the buyer’s cost, and provide SABER documents for Saudi Arabia. See compliance.
What should a pivot door plan detail show, including two leaves?
A pivot door plan detail should dimension the pivot axis from the leaf edge and from the jamb, draw the swing arc on both sides of the axis, and show the gaps at every edge and the clear opening. On a two-leaf pivot door each leaf has its own axis, and the two arcs must not clash.
- The pivot point no closer to the leaf edge than the hinge maker allows.
- The narrow strip that swings the other way, with nothing in its path.
- Side gaps from the hinge maker’s gap table.
- For two leaves: both axes, the meeting-edge gap and seal, and how the second leaf is held.
- The leaf weight and hinge system.
For the floor side, see preparing the floor for a pivot door.
How is the door position marked on a site measurement form?
Give each opening the same reference as the door schedule and floor plan, such as D-01, and mark it on a small key plan. Record which face is outside, the swing direction and the pivot or hinge side seen from outside, the floor levels, and where each measurement was taken.
- Width at the top, middle and bottom; height at the left, middle and right. Use the smallest.
- Both diagonals, to see whether the opening is square.
- Wall depth, and the finishes still to come, such as render, stone or cladding.
- Finished floor levels inside and outside from one fixed datum.
- Plumb of both jambs and level of the head.
- Photos with a tape in shot, labelled with the door reference.
The structural opening, frame, leaf and clear sizes are explained in what to send a door manufacturer.
Which mistakes cause redrawing or site problems?
- Surveying before the finishes. Stone or cladding added later makes the opening smaller.
- Guessing the floor level. Too thick a floor stops the door; too thin leaves a draught.
- Handing as LH or RH only. Read from the wrong side, it gives a mirror-image door.
- Forgetting the wiring. A wired smart lock needs its cable route before the head is closed.
- Taking clear width from the leaf. A pivot door’s clear opening is narrower than its leaf.
- Approving colour on screen.
- Not checking converted inch dimensions one by one.
How should revisions and sign-off be recorded?
Every sheet should carry a drawing number, a revision letter or number, a date and a revision table that says what changed. Approve one revision only, in writing, naming the drawing number and revision. Any change after that is a new revision and needs a new approval before production.
- Changes clouded on the sheet.
- A clear status: approved, approved with comments, or revise and resubmit.
- Comments answered on the next revision, not by email alone.
- The approver’s name, company and date on the sheet or approval email.
- Superseded sheets marked and taken off site; the approved set given to the installer.
How does drawing approval work with Dooream?
We send a first design direction free, usually within one working day, then a drawing for your opening. We draw in millimetres and convert inch drawings for you to check. The drawing shows sizes, opening direction, pivot or hinge side, face, finish, hardware and lock. Production starts only after the drawing is approved and the deposit has arrived, and takes 35–45 days. A 20 × 20 cm carved and painted sample can fix the colour first. Every order comes with installation drawings, and before shipment we send photos and video of the finished door; factory inspection is welcome. See our page for architects or send us the opening.
Sources, checked November 2026: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, chapter 4 (404.2.2, 404.2.3, 404.2.5); AIA Contract Documents, construction submittals; FritsJurgens, System M+ and floor plates; Lori Greene, iDigHardware, handing 101 and international handing methods; Boulder County, safety glazing (2021 IRC); EVS, EN 1529:2021 and EN 1530.
Quick answers
What should a shop drawing for a custom entrance door show?
Elevations from outside and inside; plan and section details at the head, jambs and threshold; opening, frame, leaf and clear opening sizes; the pivot axis or hinge positions; handing written in words, seen from outside; finished floor levels; fixings; hardware and lock wiring; glazing; finish and colour references; and tolerances.
How is the position of a door marked on a site measurement form?
Give the opening the same reference as the door schedule and floor plan, such as D-01, and mark it on a small key plan. Record which face is outside, the swing direction and the pivot or hinge side seen from outside, the floor levels, and where each measurement was taken.
When does production start after the shop drawing is approved?
Only after one numbered revision has been approved in writing. At Dooream, production starts once the drawing is approved and the deposit has arrived, and takes 35–45 days. Installation drawings come with every order.