Entryway
Entryway and mudroom dimensions
The first 6 ft of a house has to hold a door, a route and everyone's coats.
On this page (7 sections)
Short answer
Thirty-six inches (91 cm) is the figure an entry turns on: the landing depth each side of an exterior door, the minimum hallway width under the IRC, and the radius of the arc a 36 in leaf sweeps. Fix those three before any furniture is chosen. What remains of the room's width is the depth budget for storage, and in most houses it is 12 to 18 in (30 to 46 cm), not the 24 in (61 cm) people plan around.
The numbers, at a glance
- Landing depth, exterior door
- 36 in (91 cm)Both sides, in the direction of travel
- Clear width, required exit door
- 32 in (813 mm)IRC; delivered by a 36 in (91 cm) leaf
- Swing arc, 36 in leaf
- 7.1 sq ft (0.66 m2)A quarter circle that must stay empty
- Minimum hallway width
- 36 in (91 cm)IRC R311.6, finished face to finished face
- Entry bay per person
- 18 in (46 cm)Hook, cubby and hanger all land on it
- Single-wall mudroom depth
- 60 in (152 cm)18 in bench, 18 in legs, 24 in to pass
- Coat closet interior depth
- 24 in (61 cm)A coat on a hanger occupies 22 in (56 cm)
- Entry illuminance target
- 100 to 200 lux (10 to 20 fc)IES residential guidance
An entry is the only room where a code requirement, a circulation route and a piece of furniture want the same square foot of floor. Two of the numbers below are law, one is a route you cannot delete, and only the last is a shopping decision. That is the order they get settled in.
32 in of clear width and a 36 in landing, first#
The required exit door of a dwelling has to deliver 32 in (813 mm) of clear width and 78 in (1,981 mm) of clear height under the IRC, measured with the door open at 90 degrees, past the leaf and the stop. That is why the standard leaf is 36 in (91 cm): a 32 in leaf yields about 29.5 in (75 cm) and fails. Each side of that door needs a landing at least 36 in (91 cm) deep in the direction of travel, no more than 1.5 in (38 mm) below the threshold. The full set is in entry door clearances, landings and the approach, and the leaf sizes and rough openings, US and UK, in front door sizes and standards.
Nothing is allowed to erode those two numbers. A boot rack that narrows the clear width to 30 in is not a styling choice, it is a code failure and the thing you trip over carrying shopping. The same logic governs every internal opening off the entry, in door sizes, swings and the space they need.
The 7.1 sq ft a 36 in door sweeps#
A 36 in leaf sweeps a quarter circle of 36 in radius, or 7.1 sq ft (0.66 m2). In a 6 x 6 ft (1.8 x 1.8 m) entry that is a fifth of the floor, and it is the fifth nearest the door, where people want the storage. Two things follow. The wall the open leaf parks against gives up 36 in to anything deeper than the leaf, and the floor inside the arc takes a mat and nothing else.
Entries that work put the storage on the wall the door swings away from and leave the hinge-side wall to a mirror. The footprints that result are in entry hall and landing sizes.
Room width minus a 36 in route is the depth budget#
Subtract the route from the width and the remainder is the depth you have. The IRC sets 36 in (91 cm) as the minimum hallway width, and 30 in (76 cm) is the honest floor for a secondary route, from hallway widths that work. Everything on the wall comes out of that number.
| Entry width, wall to wall | Storage depth | Route left | What it holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 in (91 cm) | 4 in (10 cm) | 32 in (81 cm) | A hook rail and a shelf |
| 42 in (107 cm) | 6 in (15 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) | Hooks and a narrow ledge |
| 48 in (122 cm) | 12 in (30 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) | Shoe shelves or a slim console |
| 54 in (137 cm) | 18 in (46 cm) | 36 in (91 cm) | A bench nobody can be passed on |
| 60 in (152 cm) | 18 in plus 18 in of legs | 24 in (61 cm) squeeze | The single-wall mudroom |
| 84 in (213 cm) | 18 in (46 cm) each side | 48 in (122 cm) | A galley, bench and lockers |
The fifth row is the one people misread. A bench is not 18 in of floor: it is 18 in of bench plus 18 in (46 cm) of seated legs, and 24 in (61 cm) while a lace is tied. That is why the minimum single-wall mudroom is 60 in deep, and it drives every plan in mudroom sizes and layouts that actually work. Where the budget is 12 in or less, the answers are wall-hung, in small entryway layouts.
Storage adds up in 18 in bays#
Once the depth is fixed, the only variable left is wall length, and entry storage resolves onto one module. A coat on a hanger takes 18 in (46 cm) of rod, a cubby bay 12 to 15 in (30 to 38 cm) for a child and 18 in for an adult coat, a bench 20 to 24 in (51 to 61 cm) per seat. A closet is 24 in (61 cm) deep because a hanger and a bulky coat measure 22 in (56 cm) front to back, the argument in coat closet dimensions. Shoes have their own module: 12 to 14 in (30 to 36 cm) of depth, a 7.5 in (19 cm) pitch and 1.4 pairs per foot, from shoe storage dimensions.
Hooks at 60 in, bench at 18 in, mirror at 57 in#
Heights are the last decisions and the cheapest to change, which is why they should never be made first.
| Element | Height above finished floor | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bench seat | 17 to 18 in (43 to 46 cm) | Chair height, for pulling boots on |
| Child hooks | 36 to 42 in (91 to 107 cm) | Set to the child, expect to move them |
| Adult hooks | 60 to 66 in (152 to 168 cm) | Or 40 to 48 in (102 to 122 cm) above a bench |
| Console top | 30 to 34 in (76 to 86 cm) | Depth 10 to 14 in (25 to 36 cm) |
| Mirror centre | 57 to 60 in (145 to 152 cm) | Standing eye line, not wall centre |
| Coat rod, single | 66 to 68 in (168 to 173 cm) | Long coats hang 60 in (152 cm) |
| Pendant base | 84 in (213 cm) minimum | The 80 in door head plus 4 in |
The mirror is sized against the console rather than the wall, as entry console and mirror heights sets out. Hook and cubby heights, including the two-row arrangement that stops a family sharing one rail, are in entry bench, hook and cubby heights, and ledge heights for keys and charging in drop zone and charging station dimensions. Where users vary in height, design to the reach envelope rather than the average, set out in reach zones and useful storage heights.
Mats, and 100 to 200 lux, last#
Matting is sized by performance, not by the room: as wide as the door opening, and 12 to 15 linear ft (3.7 to 4.6 m) of walked-on matting to catch most of the grit, which means an outside mat plus an inside runner rather than one rug. The catch is thickness, since an interior door is undercut only 1/2 to 3/4 in (13 to 19 mm), and the sizes that clear it are in doormat and entry runner sizes.
Light comes last because it is fixable after the plaster is on. Aim for 100 to 200 lux (10 to 20 foot-candles), hang a pendant base at 84 in (213 cm), and work the lumen figure from floor area rather than fitting count, using the room lighting lumen calculator and the heights in entry lighting heights and lumen targets. Take one more measurement on the same visit, the clear width from the front door to the largest room, since that path decides what furniture ever reaches the rest of the house: measuring the delivery path.
In this section#
- Coat closet dimensions: depth, rod height, doorA coat closet needs 24 in (61 cm) of clear depth, because a hanger is 17.5 in (44 cm) wide. Rod and shelf heights, door types, and what each one costs.
- Doormat and entry runner sizesAn outside mat wants 30 x 48 in (76 x 122 cm) and an inside mat 24 x 36 in (61 x 91 cm). Thicknesses, door clearance and runner widths that fit a hall.
- Drop zone and charging station dimensionsA drop zone needs 18 in (46 cm) of front edge per person, a ledge 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) deep at 36 in high, and a socket 6 in above the surface.
- Entry bench, hook and cubby heightsAn entry bench sits at 17 to 18 in (43 to 46 cm) and adult coat hooks at 60 in (152 cm). Child heights by age, cubby modules, and where the two collide.
- Entry console and mirror heightsA hall console belongs at 32 to 34 in (81 to 86 cm), with the mirror above it topping out at 72 in (183 cm) so the tallest user can see their own crown.
- Entry door clearances, landings and the approachThe IRC wants 32 in (81 cm) of clear width and a landing 36 in (91 cm) deep on both sides of an entry door. Where each of those numbers comes from.
- Entry hall and landing sizesThe IRC wants a 36 in (91 cm) deep landing at every exterior door. A usable entry hall starts at 5 x 7 ft (152 x 213 cm), because the door swing takes 7 sq ft.
- Entry lighting heights and lumen targetsHang an entry pendant with its lowest point at 84 in (213 cm) above the finished floor, and light a 6 x 8 ft hall to 1,800 to 2,000 lumens installed.
- Front door sizes and standardsThe standard US front door leaf is 36 x 80 in (914 x 2,032 mm); the UK equivalent is 838 x 1,981 mm. Rough openings, clear widths, sidelights and transoms.
- Mudroom sizes and layouts that actually workA single-wall mudroom needs 60 in (152 cm) of depth and a galley needs 84 in (213 cm) wall to wall. The depth budget, three layouts and the arithmetic.
- Shoe storage dimensions: depth, pitch and capacityShoe shelves want 12 to 14 in (30 to 36 cm) of depth and a 7.5 in (19 cm) pitch. Outsole lengths by size, boot allowances and pairs per linear foot.
- Small entryway layouts: what fits in 3 to 6 ftIn a 48 in (122 cm) entry, a 36 in (91 cm) walkway leaves 12 in (30 cm) for storage. Worked plans for 3, 4, 5 and 6 ft deep entries.
Frequently asked questions#
How much space do you need for an entryway?
A usable entry is about 6 x 6 ft (1.8 x 1.8 m), or 36 sq ft (3.3 m2), because a 36 in landing plus a 36 in walkway plus a shallow storage wall will not compress much below that. A narrow hall entry works at 42 in (107 cm) wide if the storage is limited to hooks and a shelf, but it will never take a bench.
How deep should entryway storage be?
Take the width of the space, subtract the walkway you must keep, and whatever remains is the depth. In a 48 in (122 cm) entry that is 12 in (30 cm), which suits shoe shelves and a slim console. A bench needs 18 in (46 cm) of depth plus 18 in of seated legs, so it needs a room 60 in (152 cm) deep, not 18 in of spare wall.
What is the minimum width for a hallway or entry?
Thirty-six inches (91 cm) is the IRC minimum for a hallway serving habitable rooms, measured between finished faces, not between studs. Forty-two to 48 in (107 to 122 cm) is where two people pass without turning. Anything you hang on the wall is subtracted from the 36 in, so a 4 in (10 cm) deep hook rail in a 36 in hall takes it below code.
How high should coat hooks be?
Sixty to 66 in (152 to 168 cm) above the finished floor for adults, and 36 to 42 in (91 to 107 cm) for children under about eight. Where hooks sit above a bench, measure from the bench seat, not the floor: allow 40 to 48 in (102 to 122 cm) of clear height above an 18 in (46 cm) seat so a coat hangs without folding onto the cushion.
How wide should a doormat be?
As wide as the door opening, which means 36 in (91 cm) for a standard leaf, and 24 to 36 in (61 to 91 cm) deep outside. Inside, a runner that gives three or four footfalls does most of the work: about 6 ft (1.8 m). Keep the total pile under the door undercut, usually 1/2 to 3/4 in (13 to 19 mm), or the door will foul on it.
How many lumens does an entryway need?
Aim for 100 to 200 lux (10 to 20 foot-candles), which is roughly 1,800 to 2,000 delivered lumens in a 6 x 8 ft (1.8 x 2.4 m) entry once fitting and surface losses are counted. Entries read as dark because they are usually windowless and finished in dark floors, so specify to the top of that band rather than the bottom.
Can a bench and a walkway fit in the same entry?
Only in a room 60 in (152 cm) deep or more. A seated person's legs project 18 in (46 cm) from the bench face, and 24 in (61 cm) while a lace is being tied, so an 18 in bench consumes 36 to 42 in (91 to 107 cm) of floor while in use. Below 54 in (137 cm) of depth nobody gets past somebody sitting down.
What is the standard front door size?
Thirty-six by 80 in (914 x 2,032 mm) in the United States and 838 x 1,981 mm (33 x 78 in) in the United Kingdom, both 1.75 in (44 mm) thick. The US size exists because the IRC wants 32 in (813 mm) of clear width at the required exit door, and a 36 in leaf delivers about 34 in once the stop and the open leaf are subtracted.
Sources and standards referenced#
- 2021 International Residential Code International Code CouncilExit door clear width, landing depth and hallway minimum width
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design US Department of JusticeThreshold height, clear floor space and reach ranges applied to entries
- Approved Document M, Volume 1: Dwellings UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentPrincipal entrance clear width and level threshold requirements
- The Lighting Handbook, 10th edition Illuminating Engineering SocietyIlluminance targets for domestic entries and circulation
- Architects' Data Ernst Neufert, Wiley-BlackwellCoat storage bay widths, closet depths and circulation allowances
- Human Dimension and Interior Space Panero and Zelnik, Watson-GuptillSeated leg projection, reach heights and passing widths
We cite published codes, industry planning guidelines and manufacturer specifications. Where a figure is our own recommendation rather than a published standard, the text says so. See how we measure.