How Wide Is the Door Opening? Published Door Widths, Swing Arcs and Clearance by Door Family

The clear door opening on an Ella walk-in tub depends on the door family, not the tub size. The outward-swing U-shape drawings for the Monaco and Mobile print a 19 1/4 inch opening with a 165 degree swing, the LayDown glass door prints a 19 5/8 inch opening on a 115 degree arc, the L-shape Transfer door opens 172 degrees, the HomeCare door is 27 inches wide and swings a full 180 degrees, and the HoistAssist opening is 39 1/4 inches. The stainless steel inward door is the narrowest of the family at roughly 16 1/4 to 16 1/2 inches, and the Ultra's aluminum door is the widest inward opening at about 21 1/8 inches.

Figures Printed on the Spec Drawings

These numbers come straight from the dimension drawings on the current spec sheets, so they are the ones to quote first.

• Outward-swing U-shape door (Capri, Monaco, Front Entry, Mobile, Lounger, ShaK, Big4One): the Monaco and Mobile drawings both print a door opening of 19 1/4 inches. The Capri, Monaco and Mobile drawings show the door swinging through a 165 degree arc, which is why the outward family needs clear floor space in front of the tub.
• LayDown 30x60 and 32x72: the tempered glass inward door has a 19 5/8 inch opening with a 16 1/2 inch glass panel, and it swings on a 115 degree arc with a 20 1/4 inch clearance callout on the drawing.
• Wheelchair Transfer L-shape door (Transfer26, Transfer30, Transfer32, Transfer60, TransferXXL): the family drawing prints a 172 degree door opening angle, and the Transfer26 and Transfer32 drawings add a 20 inch door swing clearance callout. The door uses a two-latch gear and shaft mechanism with the handle on the front of the door.
• HomeCare 32x60 assisted-bathing tub: a 27 inch wide aluminum outward door that swings 180 degrees, with a clearance envelope of 103 3/4 inches on the drawing. This tub is for caregiver-assisted bathing only.
• HoistAssist (Transfer3060HL): a 39 1/4 inch door opening width with a 12 1/4 inch clearance height, in an aluminum door and frame.

Most other spec sheets do not print a door opening figure on the drawing. If you need the number for a specific model, your Ella dealer or the team at (800) 480-6850 can read it from the CAD drawing for you.

Figures the Team Quotes over the Phone

These come from support conversations rather than a printed drawing, so treat them as close working numbers and confirm the drawing before you cut tile or move a wall.

• Stainless steel inward door (Elite, Petite, Royal, Deluxe, Ultimate): about 16 1/4 to 16 1/2 inches wide, and the door needs roughly 17 1/2 inches of interior room to swing fully open. The Royal is a 32 by 52 inch tub (31.5 inches actual width), but its door opening is still about 16 1/2 inches because the door swings inward toward the seat.
• Ultra inward aluminum door: about 21 1/8 inches, which is why the Ultra is often suggested when someone finds the stainless door a little tight.
• Outward U-shape door: about 19 to 20 inches, which lines up with the 19 1/4 inch drawing figure.
• Transfer L-shape door: the long top section of the L is about 36 inches, the lower section near the hinges is about 19 1/2 inches, and the walk-through opening at the bottom is about 18 1/2 inches when the door is open. The same door is fitted to every Transfer size, so the opening does not grow with the tub. The cutout at the bottom of the L sits about 20 to 21 inches above the floor, which is what lets the door pass over most toilets.

How to Use These Numbers

Door width matters less than most people expect, because you do not pass through an Ella door the way you walk through a doorway. You step over the low threshold and sit down, or on a Transfer tub slide across the seat, so the measurement that decides comfort is your hip width against the seat width, not your shoulders against the door. If you are choosing between two families on door size alone, it is worth reading how to measure yourself for a comfortable fit first.

Where door size really counts is floor space. The Capri, Monaco and Lounger product videos all call for 21 inches of clearance in front of an outward U-shape door when it is fully open, and the Transfer door needs the tub width plus about 36 inches beside the tub. The full swing envelope is worked out in planning floor space for the outward-swing door.

Door Styles on Video

Which Tubs Have the Widest Opening?

1. HoistAssist, with a 39 1/4 inch opening designed around the hoist.
2. HomeCare, with a 27 inch door that swings 180 degrees for caregiver access.
3. The Transfer family, whose L-shape door opens 172 degrees and is shaped for a seated slide from a wheelchair.
4. The Ultra, the widest inward door at about 21 1/8 inches.
5. The outward U-shape family and the LayDown glass door, both a little over 19 inches.
6. The stainless steel inward door, about 16 1/4 to 16 1/2 inches.

To confirm which door your own tub has, see which door does my Ella tub have. For the outside footprint of each model, the numbers live in walk-in tub dimensions by model, and for getting the crate through the house, use the doorway measurement guide.

Related Guides

• How Far Does the Open Door Stick Out in Front of the Tub?
• Ella Capri Versus Ella Elite: Threshold, Seat Height, Door Width, Handle Location and Door Swing
• Should My Walk-In Tub Door Be on the Left or Right Side?
• Lounger Versus Transfer60: A Side-by-Side Comparison From the Spec Sheets
• Do You Have to Step Over the Threshold on a Transfer Wheelchair Tub?
• How do outward-swinging walk-in tub doors work on Ella tubs?

Common Questions

Still unsure which door will work in your space? Send your model, your measurements and a photo of the room through ellasbubbles.com/support, or call (800) 480-6850, and the team will help you choose.