DOORS AND WINDOWS
1. INTRODUCTION
Door- is an openable barrier secured in a wall opening and is provided
to give access, protection, safety and privacy to the inside of a room of a
building.
It serves a connecting link b/n the various internal portions of a
building.
Basically a door consists of two parts
i. Door frame
ii. Door shutter
Window- is a vented barrier secured in a wall opening.
The function of a window is to:
• Admit light and air to the building,
• Give a view to the outside,
• Provide insulation against heat loss, and
• Give a measure of resistance to fire.
2. LOCATION OF DOORS AND WINDOWS
The following points should be kept in view while locating doors
and windows.
i. The number of doors in a room should be kept minimum, since
larger number of doors cause obstruction, and consume more
area in circulation.
ii. The location of door should meet functional requirements of a
room.
It should not be located in the center of the length of a wall.
A door should preferably be located near the corner of a
room – nearly 20cm away from the corner.
iii. If there are two doors in a room, the doors should preferably
be located in opposite walls facing each other, so as to provide
good ventilation.
2. LOCATION OF DOORS AND WINDOWS
iv. The size and number of windows should be decided on the basis of
distribution of light, control of ventilation, and privacy of the
occupants.
v. The location of window should also meet the functional
requirements of the room, such as interior decoration,
arrangement of furniture, etc
vi. A window should be located in opposite wall, facing a door or
Another window for cross ventilation.
vii. From the point of view of fresh air, a window should be located
in the prevalent direction of wind.
viii. The sill of window should be located about 70-80 cm about the
floor level of the room.
3. DEFINITION OF TECHNICAL TERMS
The following are the technical terms applied to doors and
windows
Frame: It is an assembly of horizontal and vertical members,
forming an enclosure, to which the shutters are fixed.
Shutters: these are openable parts of a door or window . It is an
assembly of styles, panels and rails.
Head: this is the top or uppermost horizontal part of a frame.
Sill: this is the lowermost or bottom horizontal part of a window
frame.
Horn: these are the horizontal projections of the head and sill of
a frame to facilitate the fixing of the frame on wall opening.
Style: the vertical outside member of the shutter of the door or
window.
Top rail: this is the top most horizontal member of a shutter.
3. DEFINITION OF TECHNICAL TERMS
Lock rail: The middle horizontal member of a door shutter, to
which locking arrangement is fixed.
Bottom rail: the lower most horizontal member of a shutter.
Intermediate or cross rails: additional horizontal rails, fixed
b/n the top and bottom rails of a shutter.
Panel: this is the area of shutter enclosed b/n the adjacent rails.
Mullion: vertical member of a frame, which is employed to sub-
Mullion: divide a window or a door vertically.
Sill: this is the lowermost or bottom horizontal part of a window
frame.
Transom: Horizontal member of a frame, which is employed to
subdivide a widow opening horizontally.
Hold fasts: mild steel flats generally bent into Z shape, to fix or
hold the frame to the opening.
3. DEFINITION OF TECHNICAL TERMS
4 SIZE OF DOORS
The size of the door should be such that it would allow the movement of
largest object or tallest person likely to use the door.
As, a rule the height of a door should not be less than 1.8-2.0 m.
The width of the door should be such that two persons can pass through
it walking shoulder to shoulder.
The common width height relations are:
i. Width=0.4to0.6height i. Width=0.4to0.6height
ii. Height = (width + 1.2) meters.
The following are the generally adopted size of doors for various type of
buildings
Doors of residential building
i. External door: 0.9-1.2m width and 2-2.1m height
ii. Internal door: 0.8-0.9m width and 2-2.1m height
iii. Bath room & WC 0.7-0.8m width and 2-2.1m height
iv. Garages for cars 2.25-2.4m width and 2-2.25m height
5. DOOR FRAMES
A door frame is an assembly of horizontal and vertical members
forming an enclosure, to which door shutters are fixed.
The vertical members, one at each side, are known a sposts while the
horizontal top member connecting the posts is called head.
The size of the frame is determined by allowing a clearance of 5mm to
both the sides and the top of the opening.
The cross-sectional area of the posts and the head is generally kept the
same.
Door frames are made of the following materials:
Timber
Steel section
Aluminum sections
Concrete, and
Stone
6. TYPES OF DOORS
6. TYPES OF DOORS
2.2 Classification based on working operation
2.2.1 Revolving doors
Revolving doors are provided in public buildings such as museums,
libraries, hotels, banks, etc. where there are constant visitors.
Such a door provides entrance to one and exit to the other person
simultaneously and closes automatically when not in use.
The door consists of a centrally placed mullion to which four
radiating shutters are attached.
6. TYPES OF DOORS
2.2.2 Sliding doors
The shutter can slide upward, downward or sideways.
The shutter slides to the sides with The help of runners and guide
rails.
The door may have one two or even three shutters, depending
upon the size of the opening and space available on sides for
sliding.
6. TYPES OF DOORS
2.2.3 Swing doors
The most common type of
door movement is the
swinging door either right or
left, depending on Which side
is the hinge.
swinging doors may be hinged
at the side to open and shut in
one direction (single swings)
or they may be double acting
doors, which swing in both
ways (double swinging).
6. TYPES OF DOORS
2.2.3 Swing doors
6. TYPES OF DOORS
2.2.4 collapsible steel doors
Such doors are used in workshops,
sheds, public buildings, etc. For
providing increased safety and
protection to property.
The door neither requires hinges,
for The door neither requires
hinges, for opening and closing,
nor any frame for hanging them.
It acts like a steel curtain which can
be opened or closed by horizontal
push.
It is even in residential buildings
where opening is large but there is
no enough space to accommodate
leafed shitters.
6. TYPES OF DOORS
2.2.5 Rolling steel shutter doors
These doors are commonly used
for garages, shop fronts, show
windows etc., since they are quite
strong and Offer proper safety to
the property.
The door consists of a frame, a
drum and a shutter of thin steel
plates (known as laths or slates)
interlocked together.
Rolling shutters are of two types:
Pull-push type shutters
Mechanical gear type shutters.
WINDOWS
1. INTRODUCTION
Window- is a vented barrier secured in a wall opening.
The function of a window is to:
• Admit light and air to the building,
• Give a view to the outside,
• Provide insulation against heat loss, and
• Give a measure of resistance to fire.
A window is comprised of two parts:
i. Window frame secured to the wall opening with the help of
suitable hold fasts.
ii. Window shutter fixed to the window frames by means of
suitable hinges.
A window must be aesthetically acceptable in the context of
building design and surrounding environment.
1. INTRODUCTION
The selection of size, shape, location and number of windows in a
room depends up on the following factors:
1) Size of the room
2) Location of the room
3) Utility of the room
4) Direction of the wall
5) Direction of the wind
6) Climatic condition such as humidity, temperature, etc.
7) Requirements of exterior view
8) Architectural treatment to the exterior of the building.
Windows should be selected or designed to resist wind loadings,
be easy to clean and provide for safety and security.
They should be sited to provide visual contact with the outside.
3. FITTINGS FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS
Generally the following four types of fixtures and fastenings are
required for doors and windows:
Hinges
Bolt
Handles
Locks.
HINGES
A hinge is a device that permits a door, window, or panel to turn
or swing. Hinges are of the following types:
Back flap hinge Butt hinge Counter flap hinge
Garnet hinge Parliamentary hinge Pin hinge
Rising butt hinge Strap hinge Spring hinge
3. FITTINGS FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS
BOLTS
The following various types of bolts used for doors and windows.
A. Aldrop: it is fixed on external doors where pad locks are to be used.
B. Barrel bolt: it is used for fixing back faces of doors. The socket is
fixed to the door frame while the plate is screwed to the inside of the
shutter.
C. Espagnolette bolt: used for securing high doors and casement
windows, the top of which can not be reached easily.
D. Flush bolt: used when it is desired to keep the bolt flush with the
face of the door.
E. Hasp and staple bolt: this is also used for external doors where
pad lock is to be used. The staple is fixed to the door frame, while the
hasp fixed to the shutter.
F. Latch: this is made of malleable iron or bronze. It is fixed to the
inside face of the door.
3. FITTINGS FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS
3. FITTINGS FOR DOORS AND WINDOWS
LOCKS
The commonly used locks are:
4. GLASS AND GLAZING
Glass is one of four oldest materials but through modern research
work it has been possible to alter the properties of glass to make it
more versatile material.
Glass is a super cooled liquid, one that is physically solid but un
crystallized, which has sufficient viscosity to prevent the formation
of crystals.
It is a thermoplastic material (it melts) that can be shaped at
temperatures above1261 Celcius.
In its molten state, glass is a chemical compound, but if it is held
too long in its molten state, the various chemicals tend to
crystallize.
If it is allowed to cool too slowly, the compounds will crystallize
out of the solution. When crystallization takes place, the glass
could be said to be frozen.
4. GLASS AND GLAZING
The various types of glass used in construction of doors and
windows are:
A. Plate glass: plate glass is transparent and flat glass having plain
polished surfaces and showing no distortion when through it
objects are viewed at any angle.
The thickness of plan glass varies from 3 to 6mm.
B. Clear window glass: Clear widow glass is transparent, having
plain And smooth surface. However, small waviness of surface is
present which is visible when viewed at an angle.
The thickness of clear window glass varies from2.5 to 7.5mm.
C. Obscured glass: One side of this glass is patterned while
rolling which obscures direct vision but does not obstruct light.
Figured glass or rough cast glass is example of this type.
4. GLASS AND GLAZING
D. Processed glass: There are many patterns and some provide the
privacy with a uniform diffusion of light.
The primary functions of patterned glasses are the diffusion of
light, decoration and privacy.
By means of patterned glass, rooms can be adequately day
lighted far from windows.
Small sky lights can furnish diffused light over a wider area.
E. Wired glass: Rolled flat glass having wire mesh embedded in it is
called wired glass.
Wired glass provides safety against breakage and has better fire
resistance.
F. prism glass: This has prism shaped prim for deflecting light. The
prisms with different angles are available to suit various needs.
4. GLASS AND GLAZING
G. quartz glass: Quartz glass transmits ultraviolet rays and is used
in hospital where maximum benefit from sun’s rays is desired for
the health of the patients.
H. Bullet proof glass: Bullet proof glass is made of laminated plate
glass which may break under impact but will not shatter.
The properties of glass can be controlled by adding various
metallic oxides or by coating one side with metallic films,
oxides or paint.
The tints and coatings will filter light, conduct electricity,
reflect heat and light, reduce the reflection of light, or impart
brilliant colours and decorative effects.
