My Mom has to use a wheelchair now, and our old door into the bathroom is too narrow for the wheelchair (it’s 28″ wide). I saw a 30” door that would work, but I don’t know how to make the frame wider to fit the door?

– Sasha

Hi Sasha,

The best solution would be to remove the existing door along with the door frame around it, and replace it with a new 30” interior door unit that is prehung on the frame.

Depending on the size of the gap between the wall studs and the old door casing, you may have to enlarge the opening by removing one of the studs and reframing the opening. If you do, be sure to provide temporary support for the stud if it’s a load bearing wall.

Also, if the walls of your bathroom are tiled, be careful when removing the old door frame so you don’t break or dislodge the tile. Then the door casing will need to be trimmed back an inch on each side to fit around the tile.

Good luck with your project,


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Danny Lipford

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Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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