What Is The Rough Opening For Hollow Metal Frames?

Beacon Commercial Door & Lock generally supplies hollow metal frames from Steelcraft. Steelcraft is a brand of Allegion. According to Allegion, these are the rough openings for the various Steelcraft hollow metal frames. (Images used from Steelcraft Shop Manual)

First determine your frame type (Steelcraft F-series frames are the most common) and then determine your wall type.

The rough opening dimensions are the same for either Welded (SUA) or Knock Down (KD) frames

For F, FN, FE, DE, MU three sided frames and four sided borrowed light frames:

• New Masonry Walls: NOTE – there isn’t a rough opening size or dimension for this wall construction.
  • For frames in masonry butt or wrap wall conditions, the frame is set in place, anchored to the floor and the wall is built or erected around the frame.

• Existing Masonry Walls: rough opening = overall frame width plus 1/2″ and overall frame height plus 1/4″.
  • Example: For a 3070 single door, the frame’s rough opening would be 40-1/2″ x 86-1/4″

• Wood Stud Walls: rough opening = overall frame width plus 1/2″ and overall frame height plus 1/4″.
  • Example: For a 3070 single door, the frame’s rough opening would be 40-1/2″ x 86-1/4″

• Steel Stud Walls: NOTE – there isn’t a rough opening size or dimension for this wall construction.
  • If a recessed Z-anchor is used frame MUST be set in place then wall built or erected.

For DW, K three sided frames and four sided borrowed light frames:

(These drywall frames are installed after drywall is up):

• Three sided frame = door opening width (order size) plus 1 1/2″ minimum to 2″ maximum and the door opening height (order size) plus 1/2″ minimum to 1″ maximum. This also applies to cased open frames.
  • Example: For a 3070 single door, the frame’s rough opening would be 37-1/2″ x 84-1/2″

• Four sided borrowed light = is frame opening (order size, rabbet to rabbet) plus 2 3/4″ (+,- 1/4″) both width and height.

See Allegion’s website to learn more about Steelcraft hollow metal frames.

Learn about hollow metal frame anchors in our previous blog post.