UNITY UNIVERSITY

DEPARTEMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION (CENG 4071)

CHAPTER-8
Doors & Windows (Part one)

By: Fekadu B.
 Introduction
 Location of doors and windows
 Definition of technical terms
 Size of doors
 Door frames
 Types of doors
 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.

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 A window also consists of two parts
i. Window frame secured to the wall opening with the help of hold
fasts
ii. Window shutter held in position by the window frame.

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 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.

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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.

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 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.

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 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-
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.
 Hol d fasts: mild steel flats generally bent into Z shape, to fix or
hold the frame to the opening.

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 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 = 0.4 to 0.6 height
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
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 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 as posts 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

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Timber door frames
 Timber frames are more
commonly used because they
look much better than the
other materials, and they can
be polished, if desired.

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 Steel door frames are made of any of the following sections
i. Single angle iron
ii. Double angle iron
iii. T-sections
iv. Channel sections formed from pressing steel plates

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  Doors commonly used in building are classified into the following
types:
Classification Classification
Classification Classification
based on method based on
based on types of based on working
or manner of arrangement of
material used operation
construction components
Framed and Battened and
Wooden doors Revolving doors
panelled doors ledged doors
Glazed or sash
Glazed doors Sliding doors doors Battened, legged
and braced doors
Plywood doors Swing doors Flush doors
Battened, legged
and frame doors
Plastic doors Folding doors Louvered doors
Battened, legged,
Wire-gauged braced and
Metal doors Collapsible doors doors framed doors.

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 It may be either hollow core or solid core. They can as well be built
up of small individual pieces.
 Solid core doors are used as exterior doors, in location where
extremely heavy service is anticipated.
 Hollow-core doors are used for only interior applications.
 Wooden doors can take a good polish and can be given different
types of moulding to produce an attractive appearance.
 Unless properly seasoned, wooden doors are easily attacked by
vermin especially when in contact with walls built of mud masonry.

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 Glass is used in panels of doors to admit light.
 Coloured glass, frosted glass and beaded glass can be used for
ornamental appearance.
 Steel framed door with a single, two or three glass panels are mainly
used in external doors for residential buildings and could also be
used as internal doors in offices.
2.1.3 Plywood doors
 The various types and quality products of plywood brought the use
of ply wood skins over wooden frame works to the widespread use
of the flush doors.
 Such doors are mainly used for internals.

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 Flush doors covered in high pressure melamine laminates are
manufactured to fit in specific openings.
 The plastic laminate is applied to both faces of the door and comes
in wide variety of colours and in many wood-grain patterns.
 Plastic laminate clad doors offer good resistance to impact and
abrasion and usually do not need refinishing for the life of the
building.
 The surface resists stains and can be cleaned with soap and water or
other detergents.
2.1.5 Metal doors
 Flush doors covered in high pressure melamine laminates are
manufactured to fit in specific openings.

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2.1.5 Metal doors
 Steel and aluminium doors are most popularly used as metal doors.
 Aluminium has a shiny colour, has light weight and provides
attractive appearance and costs more than steel doors.
 Steel doors are used practically for any type of door opening.
 Steel frame are produced in depth and width fit most
various wall conditions.
 Metal doors are of the following types:
 Mild steel sheet doors
 Corrugated steel sheet doors
 Hollow metal doors
 Metal covered plywood doors.

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 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.

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 based on

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.

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2.2.2 Sliding doors

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 based on

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).

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2.2.3 Swing doors

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 on working

 Such doors are used in workshops, sheds,

public buildings, etc. For providing
increased safety and protection to property.
 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.

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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.

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 These types of doors are widely used
in almost all types of building since
they are strong and give better
appearance.
 This door consists of a frame work
of vertical members (called styles)
and horizontal members, called rails
which are grooved along the inner
edges of the frame, to receive the
panels.

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2.3.2 Glazed doors or sash doors
 They are provided where
 additional light is required to be admitted to the room through the
door, or
 Where the visibility of the interior of the room is required from
adjacent room.
 They are used in residential as well as public buildings like
hospitals, schools, colleges, etc.
 The doors may be either fully glazed, or they be partly glazed and
partly panelled.

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2.3.2 Glazed doors or sash doors

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2.3.3 Flash doors
 These doors consist of solid or semi-solid skeleton or core covered on
both sides with plywood, face veneers, etc. Presenting flush and joint-
less surface.
 Flush doors are becoming increasingly popular these days because of
their:
 Pleasing appearance
 Simplicity of construction
 Less cost
 Better strength and durability
 They are used both for residential as well as public and commercial
buildings.
 Flush doors are of two types:
A. Solid core flush door or laminated core flush door.
B. Hollow and cellular core flush door.
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 Such a door consists of the wooden
frame consisting of styles, and top
and bottom rails is used for holding
the core.

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B. Hollow core and cellular core flush door
 A h ollow cor e flu sh door consists of frame made up of styles, top
rail, bottom rail and minimum two intermediate rails.
 The inner space of the frame is provided with equally spaced
battens each of minimum 25mm width.
 The area of the void is limited to 500 cm2.
 A cellular core flu sh door consists of a frame of styles, top rail and
bottom rail, with the void space filled with equidistant battens of
wood or ply wood.
The battens are so arranged that the total area of voids does not
exceed 40% of the area of the shutter.

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B. Hollow core and cellular core flush door

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 Louvered doors permit free ventilation through them, and at the
same time maintain the privacy of the room.
 These doors are generally used for latrines and bath rooms of
residential and public buildings.
 The door may either be louvered to its full height, or it may be
partly louvered and partly panelled.
 The louvers are arranged at such an inclination that the vision is
obstructed while they permit the passage of air.
 Louvers may be either fixed or movable.
 Louvers may be made of either timber or glass or ply wood.

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 2.3.5 Wire gau ged door s
 These types of doors are provided to check the entry of flies,
mosquitoes, insects, etc.
 Wire mesh is provided in the panels, and therefore, they permit
free passage of air.
 Such doors are commonly used for refreshment rooms, hotels,
cup boards containing food and eatables, and sweet shops.

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 arrangement of components
2.4.1 Battened and led ged
doors
 This is the simplest type of door,
specially suitable for narrow
openings
 It is formed of vertical bonds,
Known as battens which are fixed
together by horizontal supports
known as ledges.

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2.4.2 Batten ed, ledged and
braced doors
 These doors are an improved
form of the previous one in which
additional inclined (or diagonal)
members called br aces are
provided.

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 arrangement of components
2.4.3 Battened, ledged and frame
doors
 This door is also an improved form
of simple battened and ledged door,
in which frame work for the shutter
is provided in the form of two
verticals, known as styles.

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 and frame doors
 This is a modification of the
above, with the provision of
additional braces, provided
diagonally b/n the ledges to
increase its str ength, durability
and appearance.

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