Even Though We Use Them Every Day, Most Of Us Don’t Know What The Various Parts Of A Door Are Called
Have you decided to give yourself a mini-education on doors? They’re fascinating products once you dive in: the portals to your sanctuary’s soul. Considering having yours replaced, and want to know a bit more before you start calling contractors?
We can help!
As a premier entry door installer in the Orange County, CA area, we work with three incredible manufacturers: Jeld-wen, Therma-Tru, and Masonite. We’re also who homeowners around here call when they need a custom fiberglass door system ordered from a world-class manufacturer.
If you’re wondering things like…
- What are the different parts of a door called?
- What is the piece under the door called?
- What are the parts of a high-quality door frame?
Have a look at this incredible visual created by Jeld-wen called, “The Anatomy of A Reliable Door.”
Using that as a base, let’s go through each of the terms one by one in clockwise order, starting with Caming.
What is door Caming?
This is the metal used throughout the decorative glass in high-quality doors. It fuses them together or holds the pieces of textured glass and bevels in place. Whether you opt for antique brass, copper, chrome, satin nickel, or wrought iron, the higher the quality the better and longer-lasting.
What is a Transom?
This is the section of the door that separates the core slab from a typically ornamental window or glass section above the door. They are used to increase the aesthetic value and enhance design, as well as to let in more light from the doorway.
What is door Casing?
Simply put, this is the trim around the door that covers the jam edges. Together with the frame, the basic door Casing has three parts: two on either side of the door and a framed head casing on the top.
What is a door Rail?
These are the horizontal pieces of a door.
What is a door Stile?
These are the vertical pieces of a door.
What is a door Lite (Light)?
This is the decorative glass inserted into the primary slab of the door (vs. sidelites). The glass can come in a vast assortment of styles and types to boost design and energy efficiency; highly customizable.
What is a door Mullion?
The mull, or Mullion, is a separating seam between panels (like in the image above) or between two frames in a door (like the image from Marvin Doors below). So, for example, the mull between the door and a sidelite section.
What is a door Panel?
Many wooden doors are assembled, piece by piece, so you could have a 6-piece panel (slab). Fiberglass doors on the other hand are built as one solid piece, then molded to look like they have the exact same kind of assembled, detailed panel.
What is a door Sweep?
Between the bottom of your door and the threshold, door sweeps are installed to improve energy efficiency. They’re usually made of common materials like neoprene, silicone, or nylon. They also minimize the amount of moisture coming in through the bottom, as well as bugs and small critters.
What is a door Sill?
A sill system often works in conjunction with a sweep mechanism to prevent air and moisture from getting through the door. There are typically three parts: the sill deck (typically metal), the sill cap that provides a seal, and the sill substrate.
What is a door’s Panel Profile?
When you talk about a door’s panel profile, you’re referring to the panel configuration. They come in a massive assortment that can accommodate nearly any architectural style you desire.
What is door Sticking?
Sticking is another architectural or design element that enhances the look of doors. It’s machined into the edges of your door stiles and railing for a more striking and distinct overall character.
What is a door Sidelite?
Often confused with ‘lights on the side of a door,’ sidelites are actually vertical pieces of glass placed on the sides of doors, either one or both. They are decorative, used to let in more light, and can be functional to behave like windows.
What is a door Mull Post?
This a separating post in the door frame between your door and a sidelite.
What is a door Jamb?
If you refer back to the image we included to show you mullion between two frames (door + sidelite), you can see the two kinds of door jambs — the head jamb on the top, and the side jamb (fasted to the frame) that makes it possible for a door to be installed into a wall.
What is a door Mull Cover?
Simply put, this is a horizontal separating piece between the door and the decorative glass transom above.
What is a door Sash?
When we talk about a door sash, we’re talking about the framing of the glass in the transom. Not the caming that holds the glass together, but the container.
Some extra parts we could include are:
What is a Pre-Hung Door?
These are ideal for exterior remodeling and entry doors. Rather than being nothing but a door slab, pre-hung doors sold by manufacturers are almost complete door packages that include: the slab, hinges, three-sided frame, doorknob and deadbolt holes/prep, weatherstripping, etc.
What is a door Slab?
These are ideal for interior doors. When we talk about a basic door slab, we’re referring to a stripped-down door with nothing else but a pre-cut hole for a doorknob: no frame, no coating, no hinges, no hardware, etc. This is in stark contrast to a pre-hung door.
What is a door Grille?
Used in the context of a door, the grille refers to the horizontal or vertical bars that divide the different parts of a door window/glass area (similar to regular windows).
What is a door’s Brickmold?
Brickmold (sometimes spelled brickmould) is a trim, made of one of a variety of materials (vinyl, wood, PVC), that surrounds your door and the door frame. Its uses are primarily aesthetic. It surrounds the door frame, serving as a barrier between the doorframe and the exterior walls of the home. This provides a more cohesive flow in terms of the style. (Learn More)
What is a door’s Astragal?
Astragals are hardware used to seal gaps between double doors or between doors and sidelites. Compared to a mullion, astragals are fastened to the door vs. being attached to the frame.
