Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Department of Building and Real Estate

BRE291 Construction Technology I

Components – Doors & Windows

“Component” is defined as (BS6100):

Product manufactured as a distinct unit to serve a specific function or functions

Components in a typical building may include the followings:

• Doors
• Windows
• Roofings
• Glazings / Rooflights
• Demountable Partitions
• Suspended Ceilings
• Fixings to Stairs, Doors, etc. (e.g., Balustrades, locks, hinges, etc.)
• Precast Concrete Elements (non-structural)

Doors (Internal/External)

Doors are one of the most heavily used and abused movable components in any buildings

Functional/Performance Requirements:

External Door
• To provide access and egress through enclosing fabric of building
• To provide daylight to the interior and vision to interior or exterior environment (for
glazed doors)
• To give the required fire resistance (FRP)
• When door is closed, it should act in conjunction with surrounding fabric as an
enclosing element
• To provide the required aesthetic requirements
• To be good fit to exclude wind and rain
• To provide the required thermal and sound insulation
• To provide security (with the provision of lock)

Internal Door
• To provide access and egress through internal wall or partition
• To provide the required thermal insulation, sound insulation and fire resistance when
necessary
• To be good fit to provide thermal comfort and privacy
• Design should in harmony with the internal environment
• When door is closed, it should act in conjunction with surrounding fabric as an
internal dividing element
• To provide security (with the provision of lock)

General elements in a door system include:

• door leaf
• door frame and architrave
• ironmongery (locks, hinges, surveillance eyes, etc.)

General materials for doors:

• Timber
• Metals (steel/aluminum)
• Glass

Method of hanging a door

• Hinged
• Sliding
• Folding
• Revolving
• Overhead

Type of doors leaf (external/internal)

• Panel Door
• Ledged and Braced Door (with or without frame)
• Flush Door (solid core/skeleton)
• Lourve Door (timber/metal)
• Glazed Door

Door frames are for receiving the door leaf. It can be made of wood or metal (usually
same materials as for the door).

For normal hinged timber doors, the door frame, usually made of hardwood, includes
head and jambs. For external door frame, a weathering sill (cill) should be provided. The
frame should be appropriately rebated (with respect to the swinging pattern) to receive
the door leaf (For 180o swing doors, no rebate is required) and to help separating the
environment.

To construct a door system for a brick partition wall, the frame should be erected first.
For doors fixed to the permanent structure (concrete), door opening provisions should be
left during the formworking process. Usually the size of the provision should be larger
than the door (plus the frame).

L-shaped, Z-shaped or dove-tail anchors are fixed on the opening provisions. Door
frames are then fixed to the anchors and position fixed. The space between the wall and
the frame are to be filled by cement paste or brickworks (depends on the size of the gap)
For doors fixed to non-permanent structure (internal brick/block partitions), the door
frame with anchors (dove-tailed) should be positioned first. The frame is usually braced
and shored to provide the additional rigidity. On top of the frame a precast concrete beam
called lintel should be installed to prevent cracking at the corner of the door frame due to
movement and vibration (caused by opening and closing of door). Then brick/block work
can commences and the frame is thus incorporated in the partition

To cover the junction between the wall and the frame, hardwood strips called architrave
are fixed on to the door frame

For fixing the door frame to the propriety partition wall systems (stud wall, etc.), the door
frame are directly fixed to the partition wall, and architrave are used to cover the junction

Hinges are then installed on the frame (screwing) for receiving the door leaf. A wide
range of hinges is available in the market. The most common one is butt hinge. Then the
door leaf can be fixed to position through the hinges.

Afterwards, the ironmongery can be installed, which may include:

• Locks (mortice, knob set) / Latches
• Security Chain
• Surveillance Eye
• Door Closer
• Barrel Bolt
• Door Holder

For other types non-standard door systems, (sliding, folding, etc.), since they are
available in form of proprietary system, the fixing method varies from products to
products.

Windows

Performance/Functional Requirements:
• They must be aesthetically acceptable in the context of building design and
surrounding environment
• They must be designed or selected to resist wind loadings, be easy to clean, provide
for safety and security and sited with the contact that they provide a vision out and
therefore visual contact with the world outside the building
• The size of windows opening should fulfill the statutory requirements for ventilation
and daylight
• The window should provide the required degree of thermal and sound insulations
properties
• The glass and glazings of the windows should be of position and type
• The sizing of the windows should satisfy the minimum requirements set by the
building regulations
• The windows, as well as the perimeter joints, should be adequately weather tight and
properly sealed
• The position of the windows should invite the influx of daylight to the interior of the
building

Statutory Requirements of the design of windows are governed under:

• Building (Planning) Regulations under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123)
• Code of Practice for Fire Resisting Construction
• Code of Practice for Means of Escape

Highlights of the requirements include the followings:

• Every storey of every building intended to be used for office or habitation shall be
provided with windows with effectual means of lighting and ventilation
• Every room used for habitation, office or kitchen shall be provided with natural
lighting and ventilation (through windows)
• The window(s) for achieving the above-mentioned requirements shall be not less than
1/10 of the areas of the floor of the room, at least 2m above the level of floor (1.9m for
detached buildings)
• The designated windows for satisfying the above requirement shall face into a street
not less than 4.5m wide and has a projected rectangular plane not area not less than
21m2

The term “prescribed window” is used for describing the designated window(s) for
satisfying the above requirements. (for detailed statutory requirements, see section 31 and
32 of the Building (Planning) Regulations)

Basic Elements in a window system:

Lintel The beam (usually in precast concrete), sit at the top of the window
opening to help spreading the load to be applied to the window
Head The head element of the window frame
Jamb The vertical elements of the window frame
Sill The bottom element of the window frame
Sash A moveable framework in which panes of glasses are set
Casement A window sash opening on hinges
Transom The horizontal elements separating the window sashes
Mullion The vertical elements separating the window sashes

Typical opening methods of windows include:

• Fixed light (no opening)
• Side hung casement
• Top/Bottom hung casement
• Vertical/Horizontal Pivot
• Sliding sash (vertical/horizontal)
• Lourve
Typical materials for constructing windows:
• Timber (rarely used now. e.g. Main Building in HKU)
• Steel (heavy and required extensive corrosion protection. e.g., old public housing
estate)
• Aluminum (Light weight and stiff, become the most common materials for window.
Can be found in new residential blocks (private and public)
• Plastic (UPVC windows is now being tested by the Housing Authority on public
housing estate construction. However, the durability issue needs more time to prove)

In the past, elements for a window are all separated and have to be assembled in-situ
(timber windows frame). At present, windows are supplied in system as most of the
elements are assembled in factory before delivered to the site for on site installation

The fixing of window frame to the required positions is similar to that of doors; anchors
(dovetail, L or Z-shaped) are installed on the frame or on the opening and put into
positions for fixing the frame onto the opening. The gap is to be filled by water-proofing
cement or special filling paste.

To make the window system water-proofed, a number of devices are adopted. They are:
• weather grove at the head of the window system (usually on lintel)
• Suitable inclination of the window elements to allow quick disposal of rain away from
the window
• The use of weather seal (mastic pointing or neoprene weather strip) to seal up the
junction between the frame and the sash, as well as the junction between the frame and
the sill/lintel
• The use of water bar to block the passage of water from penetrating into the interior
through the window opening

On the window frame and the transom and mullion, rebate should be provided for
receiving the sashes.

For metal windows, especially aluminum windows, the profiles on the elements are for
improving the stiffness.

The ironmongeries for windows are mainly for securing the closure of the sashes, the
degree of opening of the windows, and the movement of windows. Typical
ironmongeries include:
• Casement stay
• Casement fastener
• Various kinds of special hinges and pivot for windows (e.g., extending (easy-clean)
hinge commonly found in aluminum windows system for allowing easy cleaning to
the outer skin of the glazings.
Glazings

Regarding the glazing of the windows, the glazing itself can be:
• Clear float glass
• Solar control glass
• Rough cast glass (translucent)
• Patterned glass
• Wired glass
• Toughened glass
• Laminated glass

Common thickness of glass ranges from 3 to 6mm. The thicker the glass, the better the
thermal and sound insulations it is.

Window can be either single-glazed or double-glazed. Double-glazed windows offer

better sound and thermal insulation properties

The fixing of the glazings to the sash/casement can be achieved by:

• Putty without glazing bead
• Glazing bead (with or without putty fillings)
• Glazing bead plus neoprene gasket to provide flexibility
• Flexible compounds - e.g., rubber, sealant
• Pre-formed strip - e.g., mastic tape

Suggested Readings

Chudley R., Building Construction Handbook.

McEvoy M., External Components, Mitchell’s Building Series. Longman. (Ch. 3, 4, 7)

Blanc A., Internal Components, Mitchell’s Building Series Longman. (Ch.6)

Code of Practice for Fire Resisting Construction. Hong Kong Government.

Code of Practice for Means of Escape. Hong Kong Government.

Building (Planning) Regulations under Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123). Hong Kong
Government.

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