Offset hinges are the simplest way, since they swing the door fully clear of the opening and typically add about 1.5 to 2 inches of clear width. Removing the door or, where no framing change is needed, using a barn or pocket door can also help. Widening the opening is permit work outside our scope.
Offset hinges, also called swing-clear hinges, replace the existing hinges and carry the door out of the opening when it is open. On a standard door, the door and stop normally take up part of the width, so this small change can be enough for a walker or a narrow wheelchair to pass without catching a hand or wheel. They work with the existing door and frame, so the job is quick and affordable compared with framing work. Measure the wheelchair or walker first, including the room hands need on the rims.
Other in-scope options depend on the room. Removing a door altogether gives the full width of the opening and may work for a closet or a hall bath where privacy can be handled another way. A barn door mounted outside the opening clears the swing, as long as the wall has the space and solid backing for the track. A pocket door helps only where no framing change is needed, and that is uncommon, since it normally slides into a wall cavity. Rehanging a door to swing the other way can also free up floor space.
ADA standards use a 32-inch clear opening as a benchmark, but turning into a narrow hallway can make a doorway harder to use than its width suggests, so we measure the path as well as the door. Lever handles belong on the same list, since they are easier to work from a seated position. Widening the opening itself means a new header and a permit, so it is outside the projects we take on. We keep our projects within the scope that does not require a building permit, and we tell you at the first visit if what you have in mind would need one.
Answered by Legacy Construction & Design · CA License #790442 · October 2026