Home & Building Reference

Home Building Reference Lookup Workflow

Home building reference lookups typically happen mid-project when you need a spec quickly — at the lumber yard, standing in front of a door opening, or reading a label on a paint can. These charts are organized for fast lookups rather than extended reading.

Standard Door Sizes

Interior doors have standard heights of 80" (6'8") and 96" (8') for high-ceiling rooms. Standard widths: 24" for closets, 28" for smaller rooms, 30" for bedrooms, 32" for main entry to rooms, 36" for ADA-compliant accessibility (minimum 32" clear width when open). Rough opening width is door width + 2" (for frame and shimming). Rough opening height is door height + 2.5". An 80"×30" pre-hung door needs a rough opening of approximately 82"×32". The Standard Door Sizes Chart gives all standard dimensions including rough opening calculations for pre-hung doors.

Standard Window Sizes

Window sizes follow a naming convention where the number represents dimensions in feet and inches: a 2832 window is 2'8" wide × 3'2" tall (rough opening). Common residential double-hung windows: 2'0"×3'0" for bathrooms, 2'8"×4'0" for bedrooms, 3'0"×4'0" for living areas, 4'0"×5'0" for main rooms. Sliding windows: 5'0"×4'0" common. Egress requirements: minimum 5.7 sq ft of net clear opening, minimum 24" clear height, minimum 20" clear width. The Standard Window Sizes Chart covers all standard residential sizes with rough opening dimensions.

Roof Pitch: Rise-Over-Run Ratios

Roof pitch is expressed as rise over 12 inches of run: a 4/12 pitch rises 4" for every 12" of horizontal run. Common residential pitches: 4/12 to 6/12 for shingle roofs (below 4/12 requires special underlayment), 6/12 to 8/12 for typical two-story homes, 8/12 to 12/12 for steep traditional designs. Pitch affects everything: material quantity, rafter length, attic space, and snow load capacity. A 6/12 pitch equals 26.57° angle. A 12/12 pitch equals exactly 45°. The Roof Pitch Chart shows rise/run ratios, degrees, multipliers (for rafter length calculation), and common applications for each pitch.

Paint Sheen Selection Guide

Paint sheen levels from lowest to highest: flat/matte (no sheen, hides imperfections, not washable), eggshell (slight sheen, some washability, good for walls), satin (smooth sheen, good washability, kitchens and bathrooms), semi-gloss (noticeable sheen, highly washable, trim and doors), high-gloss (mirror-like, maximum durability, cabinets and trim). The general rule: flat for ceilings and low-traffic walls, eggshell for bedrooms and living rooms, satin for kitchen/bathroom walls, semi-gloss for trim and door casings. The Paint Sheen Guide maps each finish level to appropriate rooms and surfaces with washability ratings.

Laundry Symbols Decoded

International care labels use standardized symbols that are not always intuitive. The five base symbols: washtub (washing), triangle (bleaching), iron (ironing), circle (dry cleaning), square (drying). Lines or dots inside symbols indicate temperature; X through the symbol means "do not." Common examples: a washtub with 30 inside = wash at 30°C (86°F); a square with circle and X = do not tumble dry; triangle with X = do not bleach; circle with X = do not dry clean. The Laundry Symbols Guide covers all 50+ standard GINETEX symbols used on garment labels worldwide.