Gentlemen,
I need to build a closet for a 10×14 foot room in a house that I’m renovating. When you build closets, what standards do you go by when determining how deep a closet should be?
I’m planning to make this closet 5 – 6 feet wide, and the ceiling’s going to be over 9 feet – so I’m planning on providing plenty of storage space up above.
Thanks,
Frank
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Replies
25" minimum rough framing dimension
"he...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
For an ordinary closet, we frame 24" rough which gives 23" finished when using 1/2" wallboard. I wouldn't go any less if you have a closet rod. The clothes on the hangers will hit the door.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
We always use 25" framing depth as a minimum too.
Jay
Also, you will find that depending on the height of the self and clothes rod, and the use of a regular 6'8" door(s) , you will have trouble utilizing the storage space above the shelf.
"Citius, Altius, Fortius"
If you are planning on using the space above the height of the door for storage, you may need some additional depth to allow room for getting stuff past the shelving. i.e. with a 2' deep closet, even with a small 12" shelf depth you only have 12" of clear space to put boxes and stuff on those top shelves.
I like 26-28" rough. My closet is 25" rough and my shirt sleeves get caught in the doors. 2" is not much to spare.
Jon Blakemore
RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
23" in the finish here.
blue
25" rough minimum
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can we assume that this closet wil be used to hang cloths in?
if it's not for anything but shelves, 25" might be too deep...
Closets are generally around 24" finished. A bit narrower is OK for skirts, pants and other slimmer clothes if that is the intended use. If your making it for wider folks this might not be so true.
If you storing heavy coats or other similar items that can use more room something a bit deeper saves trouble. A nice amenity. A local carpenter shoots for 24" deep normally but tries to make closets likely to be used for heavy coats 26".
We worked on a house owned by a couple who were simply huge. He has 6'6" at least and a definite 'wide body'. She was almost as wide as she was wide. Closets were made deeper. Closer to 28" or so. Might have been closer to 30".
It has been many years so the exact measurement is inexact. I do remember mounting lights in them and thinking to myself that the extra room was nice.
Anything close to 24" is usually good. But it can be trimmed or stretched to meet the particular use or users.
"...24" finished. A bit narrower is OK for skirts, pants and other slimmer clothes"That is whjat I thought when we were building our house, and I rationalized that I could cut that corner for myself where I wouldn't for a customer. Space was tight in that one spot so I compromised on 22"My wife tells me at least once a week that I screwed up that one!
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In my old house (ca 1852)....all bedrooms have an 18" deep closets, clothes are stored on an angle. Does not cause too much trouble since most of mine are in dresser, and DW's are in her own private 10 x 10 walkin w/ a window.
Coat closet downstairs is 36 " deep (great for when stuff is hanging on the back of the door...like kid's coats), and has an automatic switch for the overhead light.
If I was building from scratch....I would be very tempted to do all closets 30" deep, and put the auto switches on them.
Just cause once you get used to something.........
These hundred year old houses here have a lot of closets that are either 16" deep or 30", but no hanger rods at all, just hooks around the perinmeter
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"I rationalized that I could cut that corner for myself where I wouldn't for a customer." And "My wife tells me at least once a week that I screwed up that one!"I feel your pain. That's one error most tradesmen seem to commit regularly. Myself included. Classic case of: 'The cobbler's kids going barefoot'. Shortcuts and compromises I wouldn't dream of using on an outside job come too easy when working close to home.Problem is, as it was so well put: 'If mama ain't happy no one is happy'. The way I see it work is hard and rough enough without having to face excess resistance and regrets at home. I know it's hard, I'm still trying to live up to myself and still fail, but try to give the home as good as what we give the customers. In this I find myself sometimes looking Up to DIYers in the care they invest in their own homes. In DIY they can spend time lovingly tweaking and massaging a job to get it 'just right'. A luxury I only approximate on the job and seldom even approach on my own residence. I'm still struggling with the later part. There ought to be a support group. 'My name is Bill and I do lower quality work on my own home.' <Many voices in approximate unison> 'Hello, Bill'...You are by far a better carpenter than I will ever be. Has something to do with my being an electrician who only learns carpentry second hand, odds jobs and odd bits I pick up. Fortunately I have had the luck of working around what I think are a few really good ones. I noted that one carpenter I worked with sometimes frames the backs of interior closets with the studs turned sideways. He says it gets him a quick 2" interior room and that the thinner walls don't make much difference, sound or structure wise, for interior partition walls. He keeps the front wall, holding the door, framed normally so the door and wall remain stiff. Makes for some interesting wiring issues with routing and box placement, why I remember the method, but once covered with drywall I don't think most HOs notice anything more than the closets seem somehow 'better'.The sort of subtle, understated amenity that doesn't advertise itself. But one that, when combined with many other small changes, makes for 'Fine Homebuilding'. Even if the living room is not large enough to shelter a 747.
You are by far a better carpenter than I will ever be. don't cut yourself short. most of what I know I learned form watching those who know more than I an you are an apt student
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Some0one in th last 150 years added rods to mine. But you are right, either too skinny or nice and deep not a 24" in sight.
RE-your post to 4lorn1......remember the one liner......"a smart man will learn a lot more from"....just add on the end....."and even more from other smarter men".
If you really want storage on high, I'd suggest something (like sliding door cabinets) that is accessable from outside the closet. It's really pretty difficult to access anything higher than the shelf over the closet pole because so much is in the way.
Consider doing something other than a "normal" closet to get the best impact and bang for your work.
Instead of a 6-8 door go all the way to the ceiling or almost with sliding panels to give full access to the upper storage. Make it kind of like a built in cabinet. Either build the upper shelves yourself or use one of the closet systems available.
The size room you're looking at will really shrink down with a conventionally framed closet.
I'd go at least 24" deep probably at little more.
I just framed several where i framed em for 6'8 doors and inside finished height was around 90" decked the top if they want to store something on top in the 36" between the closet deck and the finished ceiling... they have that option... i did others like this for a place to put the waterheater...
p
Thanks to you all! As always, you're a great resource.
waterheater? Please explain.
on top in the 36" between the closet deck and the finished ceiling
I've put in cabinetry in those spaces, with a library ladder for access. If I ever have to do that again, I'm recommending pantry-style swing-outs to better used the space (that "dead" 18" behind the cabinets jsut annoyed me a tad--even if the custoemrs didn't mind).
I've seen the beginnings of a trend where the "closet" is not behind a door at all. The fancy "closet structure/furniture" is the finish. Which makes a certain amount of sense if you drop a few grand on Italian closet fixtures--might as well be able to see it.
Now, in OP's case, the space "over" the closet could just have a framed opening for cabinet fronts, and the storage space behind configured to what ever the client's needs are, later. Nice elegance to that, the "footprint" of the closet is uncoupled from the need to be able to "get to" the higher shelves in a 108" tall closet.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
You could take the opportunity to create a bold visual here.
Instead of floor to ceiling doors (I've seen dozens of mirrored doors like this, but it gets monolithic fast), why not go with regular 6'8" doors, then make the space above full depth cabinet doors. You can play with colors, textures, backlit semi opaque glass, display shelves, etc. You could also switch it so the cabinet is on the bottom and the doors on top, there would still be a high shelf of course as an 8'8" rack is a little high.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Why not skip the framed in closet and make it like a large cabinet from plywood/MDF? You'll gain 3" at the front and side/s inside of the closet, or to the room area. Think of a 2 sided wardrobe.
goog idea
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
25" rough and all of the other above. Oversize the doors for proper access to the upper shelves.
Old House Closet !
Probably noone will see this 'cause it's to a 2006 post...
Came across this site in a research attempt to help determine overall closet design that I'm in a push to figure.
Well, that entails quite a lot, not the least of which is overall dimension: H, W, D. Hmmm. ...
So far, I've determined 28" deep; not extravagant, but certainly adequate.
It'll be built into the corner... and I'm considering a short, narrow-depth leg along the adjoining wall.
Built to the 9' ceiling, I'll wrap the crown and baseboard around it.
Lower [main] closet will have two shelves over one rod, and its ceiling will double as the upper closet's floor.
Two doors [I'll make 'em] on top to access [w/ladder] about 4.5''w x18"h x 28"d space of the upper closet. Two 24" doors on bottom; I'll either refinish some old ones I have, or make them from heartpine t&g wall boards [taken of this 1905 restoration].
My thots are: You can never have too much storage. I'm already building a closet, might as well build it all the way up. Make it function. Make it look good. [<i>of course</i>, build it right]
No sheetrock [none for me, ever, if I can help it]; siding will be original to the house, heartpine. Also considering using an old door as the one side wall [of lower closet]. Think it would be cool to try.
Sounds like I mostly have it figured out...We shall see.
RE the "leg" of the lower closet, here's what I'm thinking: It'll be about 15" wide and 12" deep [shoe cubbies - ?], framed to fit a single top-half stained glass Sidelight as door. Again (a door I have and), it would allow putting an ambient light inside to come thru the stained glass.
Good luck to me! Hope I can do it. Cheers all.