A window into the world of doors

If you happen to be in the market for a new door and have checked things out at a home center or door shop, you may have been surprised by the wide selection.

Add in all the thousands of possible style, size and jamb combinations you can find in the catalogs, and there’s an overwhelming number of choices.

While I can’t help you decide which door will look best in your home, if you’re confused by some of the terminology, then maybe this brief overview of some of the basics will help.

Door faces

This is the decorative outside part of the door that you see. There are lots of variations and materials. Here are some of the most common.

• Flush: Flat sheets of various materials on the two outside faces. Flush doors may be either hollow-core or solidcore (see below), and the sheets may be paintgrade hardboard, wood veneer or steel; sheets of stain-grade hardwood or softwood; or sheets of fiberglass.

• Panel: A true panel door is made up of a framework of individual interlocking strips of wood, with solid wood panels inset into the framework. Because all the panels are solid with no voids, panel doors are considered solid-core doors. Panel doors are designated by how many panels they have, such as 4-panel and 6-panel.

• Simulated panel: This is a door with two face panels of hardboard, fiberglass, steel or other material that have been formed under high pressure to create the appearance of a true panel door. Simulated panel doors may be hollow core or solid core, and also are designated by the number of panels they contain.

• Louvered and halflouvered door: A door with a series of angled wooden slats set into a framework, commonly used inside where both ventilation and privacy are desired, such as in a closet. In temperate climates, they are sometimes used as exterior doors, as well. A halflouver door has a flush or inset panel on the lower half and louvers on the upper half, and may be hollow or solid core.

Door cores

The core of the door is what’s between the exterior panels. There are three basic types of cores.

• Hollow core: Between the outer faces there’s a wooden frame around the door’s perimeter, and in the middle are pieces of wood, cardboard or other material placed on edge to help stiffen the panels. Hollow core doors are lighter and less expensive than solid core doors and should be used inside only.

• Solid core: Between the panels is solid material, usually wood. These doors are heavier and more expensive, provide better security and sound deadening, and are appropriate for both interior and exterior use.

• Insulated core: The core is solid foam insulation, which helps reduce heat transfer and also deadens sound.

Door types

• Prehung door: A complete door and jamb unit, with the door already hinged to the jamb and ready for installation.

• Slab door: A door by itself, without a frame. This type of door is intended for on-site installation of hinges and fitting into a frame, as opposed to a prehung door.

• Bi-fold doors: Bi-fold doors are made up of two or more narrower door units that are hinged to one another. The units closest to the jambs are attached to upper and lower pivots, and the units closest to the center of the doorway have a single upper roller that fits into an overhead track. The door units can be set up to open completely to one side of the opening, or to both sides for larger openings.

When completely opened, bi-fold doors provide access to three fourths of more of the entire door opening, which makes them popular for use with interior closets and storage areas. Virtually any type of door in any material, solid core or hollow core, can be used for bi-fold doors, and some types also have mirrored faces.

• Bypass doors: Bypass doors have rollers on the top, and are suspended from an overhead track that is attached to the upper door jamb. Bypass doors slide horizontally, with one passing to the inside or the outside of the other. Bypass doors are common for interior closets, and are available in different configurations and materials, included mirrored. Depending on the size of the opening, bypass doors may be made up of two, three or even four panels.

Other door terms

• Swing: Doors with hinges are specified by which way they swing. The easiest way to remember this to look at the door as it opens away from you. If the hinges are on the left, it’s a lefthand door. If the hinges are on the right, it’s a right-hand door.

• Jambs: The three pieces of wood or other material that make up the finished framework of a door opening. The two long, vertical pieces are called jamb legs, and the shorter horizontal piece is the head jamb. In a doorway with a swinging door, the door is hinged to one jamb leg. With bi-fold and bypass doors, the track is mounted to the underside of the head jamb.

• Casing: The trim that surrounds the doorway, and covers the gap between the back of the door jambs and the rough framing.

• Lite: A window in a door.

Have a home repair or remodeling question for Paul? He can be reached by email at improvingyourhome@ ykwc.net.