Door Clearance for Flooring Singapore

Door Clearance for Flooring Singapore: Guide

New flooring raises the floor level, and every internal door in the home has to clear that new height. It is a small measurement that causes disproportionate disruption when discovered mid-installation rather than during planning.

Quick Takeaways

Total build-up is flooring plus underlay — measure both, not just the plank
Doors need clearance to swing, not just to close, especially over thresholds
Installing over existing tiles adds height on top of an already raised surface
Trimming is straightforward when planned and disruptive when discovered late

Planning an installation? Visit the Monli showroom at Tampines for advice or WhatsApp +65 8112 4866.

Flooring ·GERCLIC

Flooring ·CLASSICO CLIC 4

Flooring ·CLASSICO CLIC 2

Measuring Before You Order

Check the gap beneath every internal door with the door closed, and note which ones already sit tight. Then compare that gap against the total build-up of your chosen flooring plus its underlay.

The doors to watch most closely are bathroom and bedroom doors, which often sit lower to begin with, and any door that already brushes a threshold or floor covering on the other side.

Designer Tip: Doors need to swing clear, not just close. A door may shut fine over a slightly raised floor but catch as it opens across the middle of the arc, where the floor is fractionally higher — check the swing path, not just the closed position.

The Over-Tile Complication

Installing over existing tiles compounds the height question. You are adding new flooring on top of a surface that already sits above the original slab level, so door clearance that was adequate for the tile alone may not be adequate afterwards.

This is worth resolving before deciding between overlay and tile removal — in some cases the clearance issue tips the decision toward removal even where the tiles themselves are sound.

Installer Tip: Have doors trimmed and rehung before the flooring is laid rather than after. Trimming a door over a newly finished floor risks scratching it, and dust from cutting settles on a surface you have just paid to install.

Flooring ·JF131+JF116

Flooring ·JF123

Flooring ·JF122

Other Clearances Worth Checking

Sliding wardrobe doors and their tracks, built-in appliances that slide under a counter, and any furniture designed to fit an exact opening. Each of these can be affected by a few millimetres of added floor height in ways that only become apparent at the worst moment.

Singapore Door Trimming Cost Guide (S$)

Service	Typical Cost
Door trimming (per door)	From S$30–80
Trim & rehang	From S$50–120
Threshold adjustment	From S$40–100

Prices are indicative. Contact Monli for a project-specific quote.

FAQs

How much height does new flooring add?
The total is the plank thickness plus the underlay. Measure both together rather than the plank alone.

Which doors are most likely to need trimming?
Bathroom and bedroom doors that already sit low, and any door that brushes a threshold or covering on the other side.

Should doors be trimmed before or after installation?
Before. Cutting over a finished floor risks scratching it and drops dust across a newly installed surface.

Does installing over tiles make clearance worse?
Yes. The new floor sits on top of an already raised surface, so the total added height is greater than a slab installation.

Do doors need to clear only when closed?
No. They must swing clear across the whole arc, where the floor may sit fractionally higher than at the closed position.

What else besides doors should I measure?
Sliding wardrobe tracks, built-in appliance openings, and any furniture designed to fit an exact gap.

Door Clearance for Flooring Singapore: Guide