Main entrance Vastu
The main entrance is the single most discussed element of home Vastu. Two separate things matter: where the door sits in the home (its zone and its exact position along the wall) and which way it faces when you step out.
Reviewed 8 October 2026 · Traditional Vastu guidance, not a guarantee of outcomes.
Check your main entrance
Which zone of your home is it in?
North is at the top. Not sure? Use the compass.
Tap a zone to see its traditional rating and what you can do.
Best direction for the main entrance
Traditional Vastu treats the main door as the mouth of the home. North, north-east and east are the most widely recommended positions; the south-west is the position most texts advise against.
| Rating | Zones for the main entrance |
|---|---|
| Ideal | North, North-East, East |
| Good | West, North-West |
| Neutral | South-East, South |
| Avoid | South-West |
Inside the room, whatever its zone
- Keep the entrance well lit, uncluttered and with a door that opens inward without obstruction.
- The 32-pada method matters more than the broad direction: a door on a favourable pada of the wall is preferred even on a good side.
- Avoid placing shoe racks, dustbins or broken items directly in front of the door.
Facing direction vs entrance position
Facing is the direction you look when you step out of the main door. Position is where along the outer wall the door is located. A north-facing home can have its door in the north-west corner or the north-east corner — traditional Vastu treats those very differently. That is why the classical texts describe entrances using 32 positions (padas) rather than four directions.
The 32 entrance padas in brief
Each outer wall is divided into 8 equal parts, giving 32 padas around the home, each named after a deity of the Vastu Purusha Mandala. Counting runs clockwise: the east wall from its north-east corner, the south wall from the south-east, the west from the south-west, and the north from the north-west.
In the reading of Brihat Samhita (ch. 53, vv. 72–75), the favourable positions are E3, E4 (east), W4, W5 (west) and N3, N4, N5 (north), with E2 described as mixed and no favourable pada on the south wall. Different schools number and grade padas differently, so treat this as one classical reading. See all 32 on the direction chart, or let the floor plan analyzer read your door’s pada automatically.
How to measure your main door
- Stand in the doorway facing outward, phone flat, top of the phone pointing out of the door.
- Open the compass in “House / door facing” mode and wait for a stable reading.
- Take a second reading a step outside, away from metal grills. If they differ by more than 5°, trust the map method.
Practical ways to improve an entrance you can’t move
- Make it the brightest, cleanest point of the home: good light, a clear name plate, nothing broken or stored in front of it.
- Keep the door in good repair so it opens fully and quietly.
- If the home has a second door in a better position, use it as the everyday entrance.
- Avoid placing shoe racks or dustbins directly facing the door; move them to the side.