Terminology – Wood Entry Doors

Active Door

The leaf in a pair of doors which the lock is applied to and which is the first to open.

Adjustable Threshold

A threshold that may be adjusted up or down in order to customize a doors seal for different types of weather or humidity.

Astragal

A series of components that closes the gap between a pair of doors. Components may overlap or meet along the centerline.

Backset

A measure of the horizontal distance from a lock face to the center of the keyhole or cylinder. Measured from the center of the lock edge for a beveled front, and from the lower step of the lock face for a rabbeted front.

Bevel of Door

The angle of a door’s edge to the outer surface of its stile. The typical bevel is 1/8″ in 2″.

Beveled Glass

Glass which has had the edge of one face ground down at an angle along the perimeter in order to create a better fit.

Bored Lock

A tubular or cylindrical lock placed into a door via a bored opening.

Brickmould

A mould around the outside of a door’s frame.

Came/Caming

A metal strip, typically made of brass, which is used to hold pieces of glass in place. Used for more decorative designs. The color is usually brass, zinc or patina, and is often matched with hinges and/or threshold.

Casing

A decorative wood paneling attached to the interior edge of a window or door frame. It covers the gap where the door frame meets the wall.

Cylinder

Contains the tumbler and keyhole of a lock. This is the part of the lock into which the key is fit.

Door Panel

The leaves of the full door, attached to the frame.

Door Stop

The part of the frame upon which the door panel rests when closed. It limits the door’s opening swing.

Double Rabbet Frame

A frame with two rabbets.

Double-Acting Door

Door which is hinged in such a way that it may be swung open both inward and outward.

Dutch Door

A door with both a top leaf and a bottom leaf that can be attached by a bolt to serve as a single door or unbolted so that the top leaf may be opened independently.

Dutch Door Bolt

The bolt used to lock in the bottom leaf of a Dutch door with the top leaf.

Extension Bolt

A flush bolt connected to the operating mechanism via a rod piercing the doors thickness through a bored hole.

Floor Clearance

A measure of the space between the floor and the bottom of the door.

Flush Bolt

A bolt that is flush with the face or edge of the door when retracted.

Frame

The surrounding edge of the door to which the door panel is attached. Includes the head, sill and jambs of the door.

French Door

A door which panels consist of glass panes throughout their length surrounded by narrow stiles.

Glue Chip

Gluechip is a colorless textured glass which affords a moderate amount of privacy.

Glue Chip Bevel

A Gluechip Bevel is cut from a piece of gluechip glass, the edge is ground to a slant and then polished back to clear.

Hand or Handing

Describes direction door opens and placement of the handle. When looking at a door from the outside, it is a right hand door when the handle is on the left; it is a left hand door when the handle is on the right. This is reversed if the door swings out.

Hinges

The plates and pins used to attach the door panel to the frame allowing the door to swing open.

Inactive Door

The leaf in a pair of doors which receives the bolt.

Insulated Glass

Two pieces of glass spaced apart by a metal strip and sealed to create a more weatherproof joint.

Jamb

The vertical component of a door frame. Different types include the hinge jamb, upon which the hinges are attached, the strike jamb, upon which the strike is installed, and a blank jamb, which is not prepared for either a hinge or a strike plate.

Jamb Depth

A measure of the depth or width of the jamb, perpendicular to the door panel when closed.

Kerf

Knocked Down

Indicates that the product has been pre-assembled at factory, then subsequently unassembled and must be assembled on site.

Lintel

Lock Rail

Horizontal member of a door panel located where the locking mechanism would be installed.

Lockset

The complete lock system.

Mortise/Tenon Construction

A way of locking two wood pieces together to form a tighter bond.

Mortise Lock

A lock which is placed in a precut slot inside the door’s edge.

Mull Cover

A mould which covers the mull post.

Mull Post

The post between the door and sidelite created by the door frame.

Mullion

The vertical post dividing a door opening.

Multi-Point Locking System

Multiple locks located in various places on the door panel and frame.

Opening Size

The measure of the door frame’s opening. Measured from the floor to the head rabbet vertically and between the jam rabbets horizontally. Being larger than the actual size of the door itself: it also includes room for clearance.

Overhang

The distance how far the roof above the door extends past a wall.

Panel

A piece of wood or glass placed into openings in a wood door. A leaf placed inside the stiles and rails held in by molding. Hence the door style names: Flat Panel, Raised Panel and Glass Panel.

Pre-Hung

A full unit with the door hinged and an assembled jamb, frame, sill and moulding.

Primer

The coating applied before a coat of paint or finish.

Rabbet

The portion of the door frame the door panel is fit into.

Rails

Horizontal sections of the door between stiles (top, cross or intermediate, lock, and bottom).

Saddle

Another term sometimes used for the threshold.

Sidelite

The side panels beside a door, typically filled with glass for decoration and lighting purposes.

Sill

The bottom horizontal piece of a door. Includes both the threshold and the subsill.

Stiles

Two outer vertical pieces/edges of the door.

Strikeplate

The plate that covers the latch and deadbolt of a lock. Used to protect the jamb.

Subsill

The area below the threshold. Often will have a way to drain water away from the door.

Swing-in

A door which opens inwards into the house.

Swing-out

A door which opens out from the house.

Tempered Glass

Glass that has been heated and cooled so that it shatters into small pieces when broken. Sometimes referred to as safety glass.

Threshold

The bottom piece of the door frame usually constructed of aluminum.

Threshold Extension

A matching piece that usually slides into the outer edge of the threshold that extends the overall threshold width by additional 1-3″.

Transom

A piece of decorative glass placed atop the doorway, transoms come in various sizes and shapes.

Trim

A strip placed over the face of a doorjamb for decorative purposes.

Triple Glaze

A decorated piece of glass between two clear pieces of clear glass.

Weather-strip

The flexible strips surrounding the door panel designed to slow airflow and reduce moisture when the door is closed.