A hidden bookcase occupies part of the doorway when it opens. The finished door width is not the same as the clear space available for walking through or moving furniture.
A door may fit the rough opening and still provide less usable passage than expected. Confirm that the calculated clearance works for people, furniture, equipment, accessibility needs, and all applicable building or egress requirements. This page covers standard Single Bookcase Doors only. Do not apply these formulas to Double, BiFold, Alpha, mirror, or other door configurations.
Pass-through clearance is the usable portion of the doorway remaining when the bookcase door is open. It is the number that matters when someone—or something—must actually pass through.
General rule: deeper bookcases and out-swing configurations use more of the doorway. In-swing Single Bookcase Doors generally provide somewhat more pass-through clearance.
Use these diagrams first to identify the configuration letters and measurements. Only then should you select A, B, or C in the calculator below.
The shallowest bookcase-depth configuration identified in the diagrams.
The middle bookcase-depth configuration identified in the diagrams.
Also used for Bedroom Organizers, Wine Glass Doors, and Double-Sided Doors as noted.
The minimum clear adjacent wall space required beside the finished door opening.
The in-swing bookcase moves into the room behind the wall. In this diagram, E is the estimated pass-through and D is the minimum clear wall space beside the opening.
This chart estimates the space the door needs as it opens into the concealed room. It is a general guideline and may vary with the specific Single Bookcase Door configuration.
An out-swing bookcase pulls into the room on its finished side. In this diagram, E is the estimated pass-through and D is the minimum clear wall space beside the opening.
The finished bookcase face moves into the visible room. Furniture and nearby walls must remain outside the complete swing path—not only outside the doorway itself.
After identifying your diagram configuration above, enter the finished door width—not the rough-opening width—and choose the matching selection.
Measurements may be entered as decimals. For example, 36 or 36.5.
Use the finished door width shown on your order.
A/B/C identify the bookcase configurations shown in the diagrams above. D is the minimum clear adjacent wall space.
Approximately 29-1/8 inches
Planning estimate only. These published formulas are general guidelines for standard Single Bookcase Doors and may not represent every custom configuration. When clearance is critical, confirm the completed order details with Hide-A-Way Doors before production.
Start with the finished door width. The amount subtracted represents the doorway space occupied by the open bookcase and operating geometry.
Generally provides more usable passage than an equivalent out-swing bookcase door.
| Configuration | Minimum adjacent wall “D” |
|---|---|
| A | 1-1/2″ |
| B | 3-1/2″ |
| C | 5-1/2″ |
Configuration C includes Bedroom Organizers, Wine Glass Doors, and Double-Sided Doors. Add 1/2″ to “C” for Double-Sided Doors.
The subtraction changes with the A, B, or C configuration shown in the chart.
| Configuration | Subtract | Minimum adjacent wall “D” |
|---|---|---|
| A | 10″ | 1-1/2″ |
| B | 12″ | 1-1/2″ |
| C | 14″ | 1-1/2″ |
Always match the A, B, or C selection to the applicable product chart and order configuration.
Protrusion is the distance the rear of the bookcase extends into the room behind the wall when the door is closed. Subtract the wall depth from the overall bookcase depth.
Example: An 8-1/4″-deep bookcase in a 4-1/2″-deep wall protrudes 3-3/4 inches into the rear room.
No. The rough opening is the framed opening used to install the unit. Pass-through clearance is the smaller usable space remaining when the bookcase door is open.
No. Use the finished door width shown for the order, then apply the correct in-swing or out-swing subtraction.
The deeper bookcase and its pivot geometry occupy more of the doorway as the unit pulls toward the finished side. The applicable A, B, or C configuration determines the published subtraction.
No. This calculator and the formulas on this page are for standard Single Bookcase Doors. Double, BiFold, Alpha, mirror, organizer, and other configurations can have different clearance behavior.
One inch is the published minimum recommendation for these general interference charts. Allowing more space is better, especially where field conditions, trim, walls, floors, or custom product details may vary.
The purchaser, builder, and installer must confirm that the resulting passage, door swing, and installation comply with the project's accessibility, egress, and building-code requirements.
Send us your finished opening measurements, planned wall depth, preferred bookcase depth, and swing direction before ordering. We can help identify the product information you need to review.
The purchaser, builder, and installer remain responsible for confirming all dimensions, clearances, accessibility, egress, code compliance, and jobsite suitability before ordering and installation.
