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Doors, Windows, and Glass

Major Topics

Doors Windows Hardware Glass Curtain Wall

Doors

Broad classification as exterior or interior Wood, metal, plastic, glass, or a combination of

these materials are used to manufacture doors Considerations for selection of door include:

Fire resistance Cost Protection/Privacy Esthetics/Architectural Style

Terms Associated with Doors

Door Frames: Jamb –sides pieces Head – overhead piece Sill – on exterior doors (covered by threshold) Door Stop- strip against which door closes

Panel Doors: Stiles – vertical members Rails – horizontal members Muntins – may be vertical or horizontal; divide door

into panels Right-Hand or Left-Hand – used to describe swinging

doors- depends on which side is hinged

Types of Fire Doors

Composite – wood, steel, or plastic sheets bonded to and supported by a solid core material

Hollow Metal – flush or panel design consisting with no less than 20 gauge steel face

Metal Clad – flush or panel design consisting of metal-covered wood cores and insulated panels covered with steel of 24 gauge or lighter

Sheet Metal – 22 gauge or lighter steel of corrugated, flush sheet, or panel design

Tin-Clad – wood core with a terne plate or galvanized steel facing ( 30 or 24 gauge)

Wood – wood, hardboard, or plastic face sheets bonded to a wood block core material with untreated wood edges

Metal Doors

Most hollow core metal doors are made of carbon steel

Most are filled with standard fireproof, rot proof, and sound-deadening material

Insulated doors are filled with glass fiber or plastic foam insulation [R-values range from 8-15]

Grades range from 1: standard; 2: heavy duty; 3: extra heavy duty [grades used depends on type of building and locations in building]

Wood Doors

Kiln-dried wood, moisture content 6-12 % Type 1 ---fully waterproof bond (ext. or int.) Type 2 --- water resistant bond, interior only May be solid or hollow core (S.C. or H.C.)

Fire ratings range from 20 minutes to 1-1/2 hour for S.C. wood doors

Typical thickness: 1-3/8” (int.) 1-3/8” or 1-3/4” (ext.) Standard single unit sizes range from 1’ to 3’ width;

6’-8” to 8’ height [doesn’t include sliding or patio door styles which are much wider]

Types of Wood Doors

Flush – hollow or solid core with wood veneers, hardboard or plastic laminates

Panel – assembled from stiles and rails Sash – similar to panel door except that one or

more panel is replaced with glass Louver – composed of stile and rail frame with

integral louvers Accordion folding – narrow wood strips 31/2”

to 5” wide with fabric, plastic or metal hinges

Door Operation

Swinging – hinged on one side or may have pivot hardware to allow for swinging in both directions

Sliding – overhead tracks with rollers (Pocket doors - slide into wall cavity)

Folding – hung on overhead tracks with rollers; may be bi- or multi- fold in nature

Weather Stripping

Applied to door frames to prevent air leakage

Common types include: Foam rubber Felt Rolled vinyl Spring metal (V-strip) Interlocking metal

Door Hardware -- Locks

May be either standard, handicapped access, automatic, or security type.

Lock types: Key-in-knob Key-in-lever Mortise Interconnected Auxiliary (dead bolts) Security (electromagnetic) Padlock

Door Hardware --Hinges

There are many types of hinges available but common ones include: butt, piano (invisible), offset, spring, pivot, and decorative.

Materials from which hinges are made include: coated steel, polished plated steel, chromium-plated metals, brass, bronze, and aluminum.

Placement and number required varies according to door material and size: All exterior or S.C. interior door >7’ in height should be

hung with at least 3 hinges. Interior H.C. doors < 7’ in height need only 2 hinges

Special Doors

Revolving – prevent passage of cold and warm air and noise while always being open/closed

Typical materials include stainless steel, aluminum, and copper alloys.

Most doors are 6 - 8 feet in diameter, but may be larger for special applications (Nursing homes)

Windows

Related terms include: rail, stile, sill, sash, panes or lights (glass), muntin (divides the lights), mullion

Common materials include: aluminum, steel (including stainless), wood, or clad materials [Styrofoam core with wood cladding]

Wide range of sizes from 2’ to 10’ – not including custom orders

Window Types[page 248; figure 8-16]

Fixed Single or Double Hung Awning Sliding Casement Pivoted Jalousie

Window Hardware - Locks

Some basic types of locking devices for windows include: Friction type – includes a pin which screws into a

receptacle Pin type – a keyed device; bolt slips into a hole

drilled into the upper frame Wedge type – spreads upper and lower sash apart Stop type – uses a knob or other protrusion to

prevent window from opening very far Key operated cam latch – may be a fire hazard;

works similar to a pin type

Glass

The term glazing refers to the installation of vision panels or glass or plastic in a door, formed frame, window, packaged entrance, storefront, or glazed curtain wall.

Glass has been made artificially for more than 4500 years Romans – 1st known window glass Germany – 11th century glass hand-blown in

spheres France – 14th century “Crown glass”

produced by blowing and twirling

Glass

Glass is produced from 3 major ingredients: Sand (silica) ~70% Soda (sodium oxide) ~12% Lime (calcium oxide) ~13%

About 50 other chemicals may be added to change the following properties: Color Viscosity Durability Desired physical property

Basic Types of Clear Glass

Window or Sheet: Manufactured by a horizontal flat or vertical draw

process Float:

Manufactured by floating molten glass on a surface of molten tin, then annealing slowly to produce a transparent flat glass. This eliminates grinding and polishing (most glass in US produced using this method ~ 90%)

Plate: Transparent flat glass is ground and polished after

rolling.

Variations of Basic Glass Types

Patterned – rolled or figured glass –run through rollers which are etched to produce a design on one side

Wire – embedded welded square or diamond wire Cathedral – art glass, stained glass; usually 1/8” thick, in

many colors, textures, and patterns Obscure – one or both surfaces of glass are sandblasted

or acid etched (weakens glass) Heat-absorbing or Tinted Insulating – high thermal resistance; fuse 2 pieces of

glass together with ¾” space filled with a dry gas (often Argon)

Variations con’t

Reflective – care must be taken to avoid scratching Heat-Strengthened– greatly increased mechanical

strength and resistance to thermal stresses; 2 times as strong as annealed glass

Tempered – 4-5 times as strong as annealed; when broken…forms small cubed fragments which are much safer than annealed glass

Laminated (Safety) – tough, clear plastic polyvinyl butyral sheet (interlayer) is sandwiched between plies of other glass. When it breaks the particles adhere to the plastic film

Security – a plastic film of a min. of 0.06 in. thick in 3 to 5 plies of glass (overall thickness ¾” to 3”)

Curtain Wall

A building wall that does not carry any roof or floor load

Typically located above the first level of a structure (unlike storefront)

Consists mainly of metal, glass, and other surfacing material supported in a metal framework