What is a flush-fitting door?
A flush-fitting door is a door that closes fully within its frame or lining, so the face of the leaf sits level with the frame and no part of the door laps over it. It is also described as a non-rebated or square-edged door. The opposite is the rebated or lipped door, which has a projecting lip around the top and sides that laps over the frame. In Dutch the flush-fitting type is called a stompe deur and the lipped type an opdekdeur.
Be careful with the term “flush door”. In British usage that usually means a door with a flat, plain face, as opposed to a panelled door. It describes the surface of the leaf, not how it sits in the frame, so a flat-faced door can be either flush-fitting or lipped.
Most British internal doors are flush-fitting: a square-edged leaf hung in a lining and closing against a door stop. Lipped doors are the usual type in the Netherlands and Germany. Because the gap around a flush-fitting door is visible on all sides, hanging it needs more care; on a lipped door the lip hides the gap and also helps against draughts.
| Flush-fitting (stompe deur) | Leaf closes fully within the frame or lining, face level with the frame. Gap visible on all sides, so hanging needs more care. Most British internal doors. |
|---|---|
| Lipped or rebated (opdekdeur) | Projecting lip around top and sides laps over the frame. Lip hides the gap and helps against draughts. Needs special hinges. Usual type in the Netherlands and Germany. |
Recognising it
Close the door and look at the edge. If the leaf sits level with the frame and you see a narrow, even gap all round, it is flush-fitting. If an edge of the leaf rests visibly on the frame, it is a rebated door.
In practice
- Match the leaf to the frame. A flush-fitting leaf will not work in a frame made for lipped doors, or the other way round. Changing type usually means a new frame or lining.
- Use hinges suited to the door type. Lipped doors need special hinges for the lip.
- Plane sparingly. Many internal doors have only a narrow solid edge; stay within the manufacturer’s trimming allowance.
- Aim for an even gap. An even margin all round is what makes a flush-fitting door look right.
Common mistake: ordering a “flush door” when you mean a flush-fitting one, and receiving a flat-faced door of the wrong type for your frame.
Related terms
- Rebated door
- Interior door
- Hanging a door
- Door clearance
- Door stop rebate
- Hinge
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