Measure the closet’s floor and say what hangs in it. You get a reach-in or the walk-in layout with the most rod, how much hanging that gives, and how high the rods and the shelf go.
Your closet
A reach-in closet, rods at 84″ and 42″6′ of rod, double hung: 12′ of hanging · the shelf at 86″ · the rod 12″ from the back wall
Quick answer: hang a single rod at 70″ and double rods at 84″ and 42″ (ClosetMaid), each rod 2″ under its shelf and at least 12″ from the back wall. Hangers need about 24″ of depth. A walk-in needs 48″ across: 24″ of clothes and 24″ to walk, 4′ × 4′ at the least, and 6′ between walls with rods on both (California Closets).
How to use the closet calculator
- Measure the width of the wall the door is in, inside the closet.
- Measure the depth, from that wall to the back wall.
- Add the ceiling height if it is low: a basement, an attic or under the stairs.
- Pick what hangs in it and who reaches the rods, then read the closet, the rods and the drawing.
The rules behind the numbers
Rod heights
ClosetMaid’s closet installation guide: “Single-hang height should be 70 inches from the floor; double-hang height is 84 inches from the floor, with the lower rod 42 inches above the floor.” John Louis Home, a closet maker, sets the upper rod at 80 to 82″ (“Consider raising the upper rod to 84 inches” for taller adults) and keeps “at least 36 inches between the rods”.
The shelf and the back wall
John Louis Home’s garment bars “mount 2 inches below the shelf”, so a hanger slides on and off, and sit “at least 12 inches from the back wall” so the hangers do not hit it.
Children and seated reach
For a child, John Louis Home says to “Start the rods at 30 and 60 inches so they can reach their own clothes”, then move them up. For limited mobility, the rods “can be lowered to 48 inches”.
Depth and walk-ins
ClosetMaid: “Your reach-in closet must be at least 30 inches deep.” California Closets: a single-sided walk-in has “about 24″ of actual built-in storage”; “allow for 24″ – 30″ of walking space”; with “hanging rods on opposite walls, aim for a minimum of 6′ of space between those walls”; and “The minimum viable size for a walk-in closet is about 4′ x 4′”.
Closet rod and shelf heights
| Who | Single (long) hang | Double hang | Shelf over the top rod |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults (ClosetMaid) | 70″ | 84″ and 42″ | 72″ / 86″ |
| A child (John Louis Home) | 60″ | 60″ and 30″ | 62″ |
| Seated or limited reach (John Louis Home) | 48″ | one rod only | 50″ |
Walk-in closet sizes by layout
| Layout | The least floor (wide × deep) | Rod there | California Closets’ size | Rod there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-sided: one wall | 4′ × 4′ | 4′ | — | — |
| L-shaped: the back and a side | 4′ × 4′ | 6′ | about 5′ × 8′ | 11′ |
| Double-sided: both sides | 6′ × 4′ | 8′ | around 7′ × 7′ | 14′ |
| U-shaped: three walls | 6′ × 4′ | 10′ | about 7′ × 10′ | 23′ |
Rod length is the wall with a rod on it; double hung, it holds twice that. An island needs 10′ × 10′ or more, with 36″ clear on all sides (California Closets).
Four worked examples
A 6′ reach-in, 24″ deep. Rods at 84″ and 42″: 6′ of rod, double hung, gives 12′ of hanging. It is under ClosetMaid’s 30″ for a reach-in, but it still takes a hanger.
A 5′ × 8′ walk-in. An L-shaped layout: 11′ of rod and 22′ of hanging, with a 36″ walkway.
A 7′ × 7′ walk-in, half dresses. A U-shaped layout: 17′ of rod, half of it double hung, gives 25′ 6″ of hanging, with a 36″ walkway.
A basement closet with an 80″ ceiling. The top rod comes down to 78″, 2″ under the ceiling, with no shelf above; the lower rod stays at 42″.
Common closet mistakes
- A rod against the back wall. Hangers need it at least 12″ out.
- A walk-in with no room to walk. Rods on both sides need 6′ between the walls.
- Double rods too close. Shirts on the top rod cover the pants below when the rods are less than 36″ apart.
- A shelf right on the rod. Leave 2″ so hangers come off.
Sizing the closet’s door? The free door size finder gives the door for the opening. The cube storage bin finder sizes the bins for its shelves, and the free 2D room planner draws the bedroom around it.
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Closet size and rod height questions
What is the standard closet rod height?
ClosetMaid’s installation guide: 70″ from the floor for a single rod, and 84″ and 42″ for double rods. The shelf goes 2″ above the rod.
What is the double closet rod height?
84″ for the upper rod and 42″ for the lower one (ClosetMaid). John Louis Home, another closet maker, puts the upper rod at 80 to 82″ and keeps at least 36″ between the two.
What is the standard closet depth?
About 24″: California Closets gives a hanging section “about 24″” of depth. ClosetMaid’s guide asks for at least 30″ in a reach-in.
What is the minimum walk-in closet size?
About 4′ × 4′ (California Closets): 24″ of clothes on one side and 24″ to walk. Rods on two facing walls need 6′ between them.
What are walk-in closet dimensions?
California Closets’ sizes: an L-shaped walk-in roughly 5′ × 8′, a double-sided one around 7′ × 7′, a U-shaped one about 7′ × 10′, and 10′ × 10′ or more for an island.
What are reach-in closet dimensions?
Deep enough for a hanger, about 24″, and ClosetMaid’s guide asks for 30″. The width is the rod’s length: a 6′ reach-in double hung holds 12′ of clothes.
What is the closet shelf height?
2″ above the rod: 72″ over a single rod at 70″, and 86″ over double rods at 84″ and 42″.