Important Front Door Terms
- Lintel – the horizontal beam in a doorframe that helps support the weight of the wall.
- Jambs – vertical parts of a doorframe that have the hinges attached on one side and locks and doorknobs on the other.
- Sill – the bottom of the doorframe, also called the threshold.
- Hollow-Core – a simple type of door that is only made of planks of plywood and has thin cardboard insulation inside; commonly used for interior doors.
- Batten – a reinforcing piece of wood or metal inside a door that runs horizontally and adds sturdiness to a door.
- Lock-Block – an interior batten that is at the level of the doorknob and lock; makes breaking down a door more difficult.
- Glazing – the process of applying Low-E coating on the windows on doors to increase insulation and prevent heat loss in cold temperatures.
- Weather Stripping – rubber strip attached to the bottom of a front door that blocks cold air from entering underneath an otherwise well-insulated home.
- Storm Door – a thinner, less insulated door that goes outside a front door and adds insulation in the winter and ventilation and sunlight in the summer.
Learn more important door and construction terms from the U.S. HUD’s glossary.