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Glossary of Door Terms

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Term Definition
A
Active DoorThe door people use every time they enter or leave the home or office. The other door is called the inactive door and opens when the flush bolts are released.
Arch Top DoorA door with an arched top rail and arched frame, similar to an eyebrow shape.
AstragalVertical molding attached to the edge of the inactive door on a double door. Its function is to receive the active door and form a weather seal. Flush bolts are secured within this astragal at the top and bottom.
B
BacksetThe distance from the edge of the door to the center of the hole drilled for your entry set knob, lever or deadbolt.
BoreA synonym for hole. (i.e. lock hole = lock bore).
Brick MoldExterior trim that covers the seam between the jamb and wall.
C
CamingMetal parts of stained glass design. Options include: brass, patina, Zinc, and nickel.
CasingA wooden trim around doors that covers the seam between the jamb and the wall. It has a strong impact on the overall style, appearance, and proportion of door opening as well as the overall style of your home's interior. On the practical side, it conceals the gap between the door frame (called a jamb) and the rough opening and helps to hold the frame in the opening. Casing can be relatively plain such as square-edge design or detailed.
Custom DoorA door that does not fall into a standard category or style, designed specifically for a client or home owner. Every door made by Vintage Doors is considered custom to a certain degree, since each door is designed and built-to-order to meet the specifications of a particular home or building.
D
Dead BoltA security lock that requires a key to open from the exterior side of the door.
Door SizeThe exact width and height measurements of a door.
Door StopThe part of a door frame that the door hits when it closes.
Dutch DoorOriginating in the Netherlands during the early 1600s, this unique design features top and bottom halves that operate independently. The bottom can be closed for some privacy, while the top is left open for fresh air and neighborly chats. Or, when locked together, the two sections can work as a standard door. Dutch doors were first used on front entryways and were later placed at secondary doorways to the kitchen or scullery. These doors also provided ventilation to barns and stables. Dutch doors lend a country charm to rear entrances and outbuildings such as potting sheds.
F
Finished OpeningTo determine the size of your door slab you can measure the current opening into which the door will go from existing wood frame to wood frame.
Flat AstragalAn astragal that is flatly applied to the inactive door. An astragal is used to seal the seam between a pair of doors.
Flush BoltSliding bolt mortised into the edge of a door or astragal that typically engages into the jamb head and sill to secure the door. Commonly used on the inactive door of a pair.
French DoorA door with glass panels separated by wood Muntons (one light, five light, six light, eight light, ten light or fifteen light)
I
In Swing DoorA door that opens inside or towards the inside of a home, building or room.
J
JambThe vertical support on either side of a door.
Jamb WidthDistance between the outside house sheathing and the inside finished wall, not including trim.
K
Kiln-DryingThe wood is kiln dried for 2 weeks to a moisture content of 10-12% and has an additional week or so of "resting" to allow the wood to reabsorb moisture in the air. This process ensures that the wood regains its dimensional stability and will not warp or split. This critical stage of reabsorbing moisture allows the doors to withstand the rigors of climatic change.
M
MoldingDecorative wooden strips used for ornamentation around glass and/or panels.
MortiseTo make a pocket or relief, such as hinge mortise or lock mortise.
Mortise-and-TenonA woodworking method used to join two pieces of wood. A mortise (cavity, hole, notch or slot) is cut into one piece of wood. The tenon is created by shaping the end of the second piece of wood, so that it can slide into the mortise. After fitting the tenon into the mortise, the joint is made secure by drilling a hole though both the mortise and tenon and driving a wooden peg into the hole.
MuntinA short vertical or horizontal bar used to separate panes of glass in a window or panels in a door. The muntin extends from a stile, rail, or bar to another bar.
O
Out Swing DoorA door that opens away from the inside of a home, building or room.
P
PanelThe area on a stile and rail door that is surrounded by the stiles and rails. (Ex. 6 panel door)
Pre-HungDoors or combinations of doors and sidelights put together with jambs, hinges, threshold, T-Astragal, and trim to make a total working door system (a unit).
R
RailA horizontal bar of wood that connects the vertical bars, called stiles, in a door.
Raised PanelA door panel on which the edges have been contoured or shaped to provide an aesthetically appealing, three-dimensional effect.
Rough OpeningAn unfinished opening where a window or door will be installed. Usage: Rough openings are lined by wood members; the top one is the "header" and the side ones are the "trimmers."
Round Top DoorA door that forms a complete half circle radius of both the door top and jambs.
S
Shop DrawingA measured drawing that details the design specifications of a proposed door or entryway before construction begins.
Side-LiteAn assembly of stiles and rails, with or without a wood panel, containing a single row of glass panels or lites. They are installed parts anatomy on one or both sides of an exterior doorframe, especially a front entrance doorframe. Also used in older houses to frame interior doors.
SillThe bottom member of an exterior door frame that sits on the floor.
Simulated LiteWindows or doors that contain one piece of glass with internal spacer bars which provide the illusion of a true divided lite. Also known as SDL.
SlabDoor only. No frames, jambs or parts added to make the door operate.
Square-Top DoorA door with a flat top rail; i.e., not containing a radius. Also known op door or a flat-top door.
StileThe outer vertical components used in the construction of a door.
T
T-Astragalastragal that has a cross-sectional shape of the letter T.
Tempered GlassTreated glass that is strengthened by reheating it to just below the melting point, and then suddenly cooling it. When shattered, it breaks into small pieces. Approximately five times stronger than standard annealed glass; it is required as safety glazing in patio doors, entrance doors, sidelites, and other hazardous locations.
Textured GlassAny glass with a surface texture (frosted, etched, fluted, ground, etc.) used for privacy, light diffusion, or decorative effects.
ThresholdThe part of the door unit which is attached to the floor under the door.
TransomA decorative window directly above a door.
True ArchA window or door whose top is curved in a radius equal to half the width of the product, for example, a true-arch window having a width of 3' would have a top rail outside radius of 1'6".
True Divided LiteWindows and doors that contain individual panes of glass and are assembled in the sash using muntins. Also known as TDL.
U
UnitAll parts needed to hang the door and/or sidelights. The parts include Jambs, Hinges, Weather-stripping, Casing, Brick mold, Threshold; Flush Bolts and a T-Astragal on double doors and a sweep on an in swing unit.
W
Weather-strippingA strip of material that covers the contact point between the door and the door jamb. It is designed to prevent water and air leakage.
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