This blog helps you savvy with the basic terminology connected to door parts so that you can buy one that truly resonates with the vibe of your home and also satisfies all your safety requirements.
This knowledge will also help you choose a door that has more details, looks appealing, and plays with light.
Door Parts: Including Door Frame And Hinges
Almost every door is designed keeping two door parts in mind - the basic frame and the hinges that connect it to the rest of your home. What's interesting is that every door has multiple door parts, and every part has a unique name and function!
Door and Door Frame Parts
Head Jamb
One of the most important door frame parts, the top most horizontal part of a door frame is known as the head jamb. The head jamb is placed right above the door and fits like a glove when it is closed.
Side Jamb
These two vertical frames on either side of the door, which are placed on the wall, are also important door frame components. Usually, the side jambs and head jambs are made of the same material.
Mullion
When a door is designed with two door panels that connect, the seam between them is called the mullion. The seam offers support and adds an aesthetic appeal based on how it is designed.
Sill
The bottom part of the door, known as the sill, is attached to the floor. Unlike in the case of windows, only those doors that lead to the outdoors tend to have sills.
Threshold
While a sill is part of the door frame, the threshold is placed on top of the sill. The main purpose of the threshold is to make the door weather tight and keep out all the elements like rain, dust, and frost.
Glazing
When a door has a glass component, it is known as glazing. It can comprise two or three layers of glass, and typically incorporate tints and colours for aesthetic appeal.
Side Light
Some doors are designed with narrow windows on either side of the door. These windows are known as sidelights, and they enable light to shine through, adding a little detail to the design at the same time.
Casing
Sometimes doorways are designed with a gap between the wall and door. The casing is a part of the design meant to fill in the gaps. It also adds a unique aesthetic appeal to the overall look.
Brick Mould
This type of casing is designed like a thin frame and placed on the wall around the door. It tends to be used often for doors meant to serve as a home entrance. It can be made with different materials like aluminium or wood, which are resilient to the elements.
Weather-stripping
Weather-stripping closes any gaps between the door frame and the closed door and protects homes from external elements like rain or dust. An indispensable part of any exterior door, it is usually made of silicone, rubber, or any other tough material.
Door Sweep
The door sweep is the specific weather-stripping placed at the bottom of a door frame, typically between the frame and the sill. It acts as an additional layer to protect the home and insulate it from external disturbances.
Astragal
Sometimes a door is designed with two panels, and it opens up in the middle. An astragal is placed on the seam between the door panels. Additionally, it can be fitted with weather-stripping to make it resilient to dust storms and rainy weather.
Transom
Some doors have a window above them. This part of the door is called a transom. Not all transom windows are functional: some are just added to allow sunlight and lend an aesthetic appeal to the door.
Muntin Bars
Some doors are made up of multiple glass panes connected together by wooden strips. These dividers are known as muntin bars. They create the illusion of a glass door, which allows a lot of sunlight into any room and makes it look bigger.
Simulated Divided Lite Bars (SDL)
SDL bars rest on the surface of a single glass pane to create a grid look. These have replaced muntin bars in many ways since the cost of large panes of glass is more affordable.
Grilles
These are similar to SDLs but slide or roll over the glass pane, allowing it to be cleaned without a hitch. Grilles come in many patterns and allow for greater ventilation into your home without compromising safety.
Panel
This is the entire door part that is opened and closed. Most doors are made up of one panel. However, some are divided into multiple panels that are connected together.
Rail
Every panel is typically made up of multiple rails - horizontal segments that are located typically at the bottom, top, or middle of the main door panel.
Stile
Every panel is also made up of narrow vertical segments, located on its extreme right and left. The segment with the doorknob or handle is known as the lock stile, whereas the one attached with hinges is known as the hinge stile.
Lockset
The lockset includes knobs, locks, latches, handles, and other related components that enable you to open and lock the door. Some doors have multiple reinforcements.
Handle
The handle is the lever - could be a knob or a regular handle - used to unlock, unlatch, open, and shut the door. These include entry handles, bath handles, and passage handles, which have different mechanisms based on the purpose.
Latch
This type of fastener lines the panel and helps you lock and unlock the door with ease. Modern designs have transformed the traditional latch, giving it a slicker look and ease-of-use.
Deadbolt
This is a locking mechanism that protrudes from the edge of the door panel and into the door frame. They offer superior security and make it harder for intruders to break into your home.
Thumb Turn
This is a very specific type of deadbolt that locks when you turn it clockwise and unlocks when turned anti-clockwise. The benefit of it is that you can lock your home without a key.
Mortise Plates
Mortise plates refer to the pockets on which a lock, latch, or deadbolt is often fitted on. These door parts add more strength to the mechanism and keep it sturdy.
Strike Plates
These are tiny plates with holes that are fixed on the door jamb. To close or lock the door, the bolt must enter the strike plate.
Escutcheons
This is a plate with an ornamental appeal, and it is fixed close to the handles and key cylinders. Although they are purely decorative sometimes, escutcheons can be quite functional, too.
Door Hinge Parts
Leaf
This is a movable plate on the hinge that rotates when the door is opened and closed. Hinges typically have two leaves, which have holes to support the fasteners.
Pin
The pin is the cylindrical-shaped plug that fits into the hollow knuckle, formed when two hinge leaves come together. It is the main mechanism used to keep the two hinge leaves securely in place.
Screw Holes
The hinge leaves have screw holes through which they are firmly screwed onto the hinge stile. Ensuring good quality of hinges will make sure the screw holes work well in securing the leaves to the door panel.
Kunckles
This is the hollow tube located between the two leaves when they are placed vertically on the edge of the hinge stile. When two hinge leaves come together, it forms a knuckle. It is not a separate part by itself.
Conclusion
Understanding door anatomy in detail can help you improve your consultations and negotiations with contractors, interior designers, and other experts who are supporting you in your home redecoration.
Being savvy with these terms will help you also pay attention to detail and ensure your doors are sturdy and safe to use. This is especially important because doors not only bring aesthetic appeal to a home - they play a key role in keeping you and your family safe.