Convert Single Door to Double Doors — Widen the Opening, Hang the Pair
An office, dining room, pantry or primary bedroom wants a wide two-door opening instead of a single door. We do the framing and the doors in one job, both sides of the wall.
JMB Builders will convert a single door to double doors in an interior wall anywhere in the Twin Cities metro. We open the wall, add a header for the wider span, frame the new opening, set a prehung double unit or hang two slabs on a new jamb, fit the ball catch or flush bolts and the handles, then case and patch both sides. Priced per opening, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per opening, framing through casing
- French, flat-panel or solid-core double doors
- New header and framing for the wider span
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Going from a single door to a pair is a framing job first and a door job second. The existing header only spans the single opening, so the wall comes open on one or both sides, the old king and jack studs come out, a longer header goes in, and new jacks carry it. Then the rough opening gets checked plumb and square, because two doors meeting in the middle show every bit of lean that one door would hide.
If the wall carries load from above — a ceiling joist bearing, a wall under a beam line, a second floor — the header has to be sized for that and the ceiling held up while it goes in. We tell you which kind of wall you have from the photos and the layout of the house, and a bearing wall may need a permit from your city. Most bedroom, office and dining room walls that run parallel to the joists are not bearing, and the job is a day of framing and a day of doors.
The doors themselves can be a prehung double unit, which comes as one jamb with both doors hung and is the fastest to set, or two slabs hung on a jamb we build in the opening, which is the way to go when you want a specific door that only comes as a slab or the opening is an odd size. Either way the pair gets an astragal or a T-astragal on the inactive door, flush bolts or a ball catch to hold it, and handles with a dummy lever on the fixed side. Casing goes on both sides and the drywall patches get taped and sanded. Painting is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What you supply
- The double door unit, or two matching slabs, in the width you want the opening to be
- Handles and a dummy lever for the inactive door, plus flush bolts or a ball catch if the unit does not include them
- Photos of the doorway from both sides and one of the wall from a few feet back
- Paint color if you want the doors and casing painted — painting is quoted as a separate line
What JMB supplies
- Demolition of the existing jamb, casing and framing on the widened side
- New header, king and jack studs, and temporary support if the wall is bearing
- Prehung double unit set plumb and square, or a site-built jamb with two slabs hung and fitted
- Astragal, flush bolts or ball catch, and hinge mortising on slabs
- Casing both sides in a profile matched to the room, drywall patched, taped and sanded
- Painting of the doors and casing when you want it done, quoted as its own line
- Photos of the finished opening in your job folder
How it is priced: per opening
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Bearing wall vs. non-bearing wall — a bearing wall means a larger header, temporary support and possibly a permit
- How much wider the opening gets, and whether the wall can be widened on one side or has to open on both
- Prehung double unit vs. two slabs hung on a site-built jamb
- Electrical in the way — a switch or outlet in the widened section has to be moved by an electrician first
- Drywall patching on both sides and whether the wall is textured
- Flooring under the old jamb and threshold that has to be patched or covered
- Painting the doors and casing, quoted as a separate line
Send a photo of the doorway from each side and one of the whole wall, and tell us what is above the wall (attic, second floor, or roof). The quote covers framing, doors and casing together.
How long it takes
Non-bearing wall with a prehung double unit: one to two days including patching. Bearing walls, slabs on a built jamb, or textured drywall add a day.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Prehung French double doors
Glass French pairs come as a prehung unit with both doors on one jamb and the astragal already fitted. Fastest to set once the opening is framed. Good for an office or dining room off a hall.
Two slabs on a site-built jamb
When the doors you want only come as slabs, or the opening is an odd size, we build the jamb in the framed opening, mortise the hinges, hang both slabs and fit the astragal and bolts. More labor, any door you like.
Solid-core double doors
Flat-panel or shaker solid-core slabs for a primary bedroom or a room you want quiet. Heavier, so the hinges go into solid framing with long screws and the jamb is shimmed at every hinge.
Widen without doors — cased opening
Same framing, no doors: the opening gets jamb and casing on both sides and stays open. A common choice between a kitchen and dining room. Doors can be added later on the same jamb.
Convert Single Door to Double Doors — Widen the Opening, Hang the Pair: questions, answered
Can any single door be converted to double doors?
Most interior doors can, as long as the wall has room on at least one side for the wider opening and nothing is in the way in that section of wall. The things that stop it are a light switch or outlet that has to move, plumbing or ductwork in the wall, or a bearing wall where the header gets large enough to need engineering. A photo of the wall from a few feet back usually tells us which situation you have.
Does it matter if the wall is load bearing?
Yes. A bearing wall carries floor or roof weight from above, so the wider opening needs a header sized for that load, the ceiling has to be held up while the old framing comes out, and your city may require a permit. A non-bearing wall just needs a header stiff enough to keep the jamb straight. We tell you which one you have before we quote, based on what is above the wall and which way the joists run.
How wide does the opening need to be for double doors?
Double door units come in several standard total widths, and the rough opening is a bit wider and taller than the unit to leave room for shimming. Pick the door first, then we frame the opening to match it. If you are working with a fixed amount of wall, tell us the width you have and we will tell you which door sizes fit in it.
Do double interior doors need a ball catch or a latch?
One door is the active door with a regular latch or a passage lever; the other is the inactive door and needs something to hold it shut. Flush bolts at the top and bottom of the inactive door are the standard on French pairs; a ball catch at the top is simpler and fine on a closet or pantry pair. Either way the inactive door gets a dummy lever so the handles match.
Do you patch and paint the drywall after widening the opening?
We patch it. The new drywall goes on, gets taped, mudded and sanded on both sides so the casing sits flat and the wall is ready for paint. Painting the patches, the doors and the casing is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself. If your wall is textured, tell us so we can match it.
Should I buy a prehung double door or two slabs?
Prehung if the pair you want is available that way; it comes on one jamb with the astragal fitted and the doors already aligned, and it sets in a fraction of the time. Two slabs make sense when the door style only comes as a slab, when you want a specific wood or a solid-core door, or when the opening is a size no prehung unit matches. Send us a link to the door before you order and we will tell you which way to go.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All doors pages
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