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Terminology for Wood Doors
For those of us who are new to wood doors and basic construction terms. Interior wood door and Exterior wood doors use many of the same distinctive terms.

Astragal Backset Bore Brickmold
Casing Flush bolt Handing / Door Swing Jamb
Mull Pre-hung Sidelite Threshold
Size / Dimension Rough Opening Masonry Opening Weather Stripping


Active Door - A door that is mostly used when entering, but mostly referred to the first door to open of a double door system, whereas the inactive door can also be opened via separate locks or by releasing the flush-bolt's.

Arch Door - A door with an Arched Top Rail, Round Top or Segmented Arched Top. A door that is not square.

Astragal - A moulding used to seal between a double door. On exterior doors; astragals are kerfed for weatherstripping, also flush bolt hardware is mortised in to hold the inactive door in place.

Backset - The distance from the edge of the Stile to the center of the Bore Hole for a door knob, dead bolt or handleset. Typical exterior doors use a 2 3/4" backset and Interior Doors use a 2 3/8" backset.

Bevel -
The angle of a doors Lock Stile outer edge is shaved on a 4 degree angle to provide a tighter seal.

Beveled Glass
- Glass design created by grinding and polishing the edge on an angle. This bends light to create a prism, rainbow effect and sparkle.

Bore -
The hole cut out of a door slab to provide for an industry standard door lock and or deadbolt lock.
Exterior Doors: The most common center-to-center hole spacing for double bore prep is 5 1/2"  and 2 3/4" backset.

Box Size -
The actual measurement of a pre-hung door unit in Width and Height including the jamb.

Brickmould -
A molding used to Trim around the outside edge of an exterior door frame. Siding, Brick, Stone and Stucco will then butt up to this moulding making future door maintenance or door replacement easier.

Came / Caming -
Formed metal stripping, usually made of brass or plated steel, used between cut-glass pieces to assemble the pieces into a decorative glass panel. Caming is soldered at joints to bond the glass assembly together.

Casing -
A Moulding used to Trim around the inside of doors and window frames.

Double Doors -
An opening with two vertical doors that meet in the middle of the opening when closed.

Elliptical -
A shape that resembles a flattened half circle (oval). Elliptical Transoms are windows placed above a door in the shape of half an oval.

Flush Bolt -
Sliding Lock Pins mounted in the edge of a door and is flush with the edge when retracted. Locks a door in place when thrown.

French Doors -
A door with glass panes throughout and separated by wood mullions.

Handing / Door Swing -
The direction of swing of a door. i.e. Right Hand Swing is: facing a door with handle on the left, hinges on the right, pushing the door away from you, is a Right Hand swing.

Hinges -
A device for holding together two parts such that one can swing relative to the other, typically having two interlocking metal leaves held by a pin about which they can pivot.

In-Swing
-
the term used to describe Exterior Entry Doors when opened the door leaf ends up in the interior of the structure.

In-active Door
-
The door leaf of a double door that is not the most used to enter or exit from and requires unlocking of the flush bolts prior to use.

Insulated Glass
-
A glass assembly of multiple pieces, separated by a uniform airspace and perimeter spacer then sealed as a single unit.

Jamb
-
the Frame that supports and is attached around the door via hinges and door lock. Includes Vertical Leg and Horizontal Head, with  Threshold on exterior doors.

Jamb Depth
-
The measurement of the jamb from the inside to the outside of the home not including casing or brickmold. example; from the interior drywall to the outer plywood sheeting.

Kerf
-
A thin slot cut into the Jamb to allow for attachment of the removable compression weather-stripping.

Kerfed Jamb -
A thin slot cut into the outer edge of the door jamb to allow for the drywall to bullnose directly into it. Using a Bullnose Kerfed Bead creates an attractive rounded encasement and there is no need for casing. (typical use is for interior doors)

Knocked Down -
A door jamb and components pre-mortised, routed and bored but delivered unassembled.

Masonry Opening -
Sometimes referred to as the MO. The Opening in a Masonry wall to accept a door or windows, similar to a Rough Opening where width and height measurements of the masonry are critical when ordering for a replacement. The term MO is not limited to just masonry: Stucco, Brick, Limestone, Stone, Wood and Vinyl Siding all can be helpful to properly measure for a replacement.

Multi-point Locking System / 3Point Locks -
Three-point locking enables the top, middle and bottom of the door to be simultaneously secured with 3 individual deadbolt latches to the frame.

Mull / Mulled -
A term describing the joining of two door units or a door to a sidelite.

Outswing -
An exterior door assembly where the door swings or is pulled open to the outside of the building.

Pre-Hung -
A door completely machined and assembled with the door jamb, hinges, lock bore, threshold, etc.

Rough Opening -
The dimensions of an opening in a wall measured to the rough framing (width x height) required to install the complete door system. Allowing for 1/2" to 1" clearance between the door jamb and the header and jack studs (trimmer studs). When accurately  measuring for replacement doors, removal of the interior casings to view the rough framing is necessary.

Round Top Doors -
A Door with a half circle shape at the top of the door. Sometimes referred to as Radius top door for having a partial of a circular shape or a segmented radius top doors where the shape is a any number of degrees above a 90 in an arched shape or arch top doors.

Sidelite or Sidelight -
The small boxed door attached beside a handed door, typically with glass to allow more light and used for decoration.

Slab -
A term used for a "door" that has yet to be machined, mortised for hinges or bored for handing, and without a door jamb or frame. A door slab is used for pocket doors and bypass doors.

Threshold - The adjustable water and air tight barrier that lies at the bottom of the door frame and fully integrated to the door jamb.

Transom - A Window or decorative glass placed above a doorway.

Trim - Decorative wood attached to the frame of the door covering the gap between the door jamb and rough opening.

Unit Size - The actual measurement of an exterior door unit in Width and Height including jamb.

Weather Stripping - A flexible strip of material to cover the joint of a door and frame when it is closed to seal out air and water penetration.


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