It is evident that houses in the ancient times had no doors! There used to be a passage that was meant for the exit or entry in the home. Later, doors did come into existence, but people were still carefree and slept at night keeping the doors of their houses open. Even today, if you visit any tribal or remote area, the houses hardly have any door. They have an entrance which is either covered with a piece of cloth or grass hay. The concept of ‘door’ still does not exist there.
But with passage of time, where everything was under the process of evolution, houses were no exception. Slowly and gradually they made progress in the process and thus, in the modern age, we find the concept of ‘home’ completely changed. ‘Security’ has become a major concern nowadays. Especially in the urban areas, it is a major concern. Hence, the technology has stepped in and for security reasons; today we have doors available that can be opened only with their passwords.
In big cities, there is always a fear of theft and burglary; hence it is equally essential for the doors to be strong enough so that they cannot be easily broken or opened. But apart from security, safety and privacy; there is an aspect of art and décor associated with it since the homes started adopting the concept of doors. Today the choice is majorly governed by it, as the other factors are bound to be present and common with all types of doors.
In this article, we are discussing about the various types of doors depending upon their location, the material used for their manufacturing, operation of door shutter, method of construction, the arrangement of door components etc.
Here’s a video to sum up all the points mentioned below :
Types of Doors Based on their Various Classification
There are different types of doors available in the market i.e. Flush Door, Panel Door, Glass Door, PVC Door, etc. Generally, the doors are classified in following ways,
(A) Based on Location
01. Exterior Doors
02. Interior Doors
(B) Based on Materials
03. Wooden or Timber Doors
04. Glass Doors
05. Steel Doors
06. PVC Doors
07. Fiberglass Doors
08. Aluminum Glazed Doors
09. Fiber Reinforced Plastic Doors /FRP Doors
(C) Based on Operation of Door Shutter
10. Folding Doors
11. Sliding Doors
12. Swinging Doors
13. Revolving Doors
14. Rolling Shutter Doors
15. Collapsible Doors
16. Pivot Doors
(D) Based on Method of Construction
17. Panel Doors
18. Flush Doors
19. Louvered Doors
20. Wire Gauzed Doors
(E) Based on Arrangement of Door Components
21. Battened and Ledged Doors
22. Battened, Ledged and Braced Doors
23. Battened, Ledged and Framed Doors
24. Battened, Ledged, Framed and Braced Doors
(A) Types of Doors Based on Location
While designing your house, it is important to know where the door needs be placed. Based on their location, doors are classified in following ways:
01. Exterior Doors
Exterior doors or front doors of a dwelling is given the utmost importance. The exterior doors allow entrance to or exit from a house and provide a measure of security. These doors must be weather resistant as they are exposed to various climatic conditions according to ‘R. Chudley’ (Author of Construction Technology Volume-1), The exterior doors are provided with adequate thickness, stability and durability of construction. The exterior doors are given a protective coating of paint and polish. They are generally made of steel or wood. They are well designed to accommodate different types of locks.
02. Interior Doors
Interior doors do more than just separating rooms and providing privacy. Generally, interior doors are thinner than the exterior doors, and modern interior doors come in a variety of styles. They are available in different materials. They do not undergo the severities to the weather.
(B) Types of Doors Based on Materials
If you know the materials available for various types of doors, it can help you in making a better decision for the doors of your house. The doors are made of different materials like wood, steel, aluminum, glass, PVC, etc. Based on material used for the construction of doors, they are classified in following ways:
03. Wooden or Timber Door
Wooden doors or timber doors are primarily used for interior door applications. Timber is the oldest material used for the doors and timber never seems out of fashion. There are many good reasons for using wood such as wooden doors provide soundproofing, insulation and security. They are easy to install and clean. They have long life. Being natural material, they have a different appeal. They do look elegant. They are very costly.
04. Glass Doors
Glass doors look elegant and add richness and beauty to your home. They are a direct walkway to light in your home. Cut glass panel fitted into the wooden frames are beautiful option for front doors. The disadvantage of this door is that they are easily broken. Hence, they must be handled with care. However, with the toughen glass this would not happen easily.
05. Steel Doors
Steel doors are used in the interior as well as in exterior application. These doors have a steel face with a foam core for insulation. They are very strong as compared to the other doors. They might not look as attractive as wooden or glass door.
06. PVC Doors
PVC doors are light in weight and easy to use. They come in a variety of designs and colours and look beautiful. These doors do not corrode and do not need much maintenance. But they are not scratch proof.
07. Fiberglass Doors
Fiberglass doors are most commonly used for exterior application. These doors have many design options and can be easily moulded into different shapes and style. These doors are durable and hard. They are generally preferred for affordable houses. They do not excel other types as far as looks are concerned. Of course, cost-wise they are economical.
08. Aluminum Glazed Doors
Aluminum doors with glass panel are most commonly used in commercial applications. They are strong, durable and hence, used as a security door. However, with the full aluminum panel, their look may not be as appearing as others.
09. Fiber Reinforced Plastic Doors or FRP Doors
Fiber Reinforced Plastics doors are also known as FRP Doors. It is available in various colours and finishes in the market. Fiber reinforced plastic doors give numerous advantages such as higher strength, very low maintenance, all-weather resistant, easy fabrication, lightweight, and corrosion-free.
(C) Types of Doors Based on Operation of Door Shutter
Based on operation of door shutter, the doors are classified in following ways:
10. Folding Doors
Folding doors are used singly or as folding partitions so that two rooms can be used together as a single room or separately as per the requirement. They are more often used in room opening to garden, patios and verandah etc.
11. Sliding Doors
The sliding doors consist of steel, wooden and glass shutter to which steel rollers are fixed. These steel rollers move along a track provided at the top and bottom. It has one or more sliding shutter based on opening available. In olden times, the sliding doors of steel and wood were commonly used for the large openings of godowns, workshops; garage etc.
Nowadays, sliding doors are mostly used in offices and where the area is congested because sliding doors save space and increase the efficiency of usage.
12. Swinging Doors
According to ‘Frederick S. Merritt & Jonathan T. Ricketts’ (Author of Building Design and Construction Handbook), swinging doors are hinged near one edge to rotate about a vertical axis. It is hung on butts or hinges on the door frame. These doors have its shutter attached to the frame by means of double action springs. Hence shutter can move both inward and outward.
Two types of swinging doors are available – one is single-acting doors which can swing 90° or more in only one direction; and double-acting doors which can swing 90° or more in each of two directions. Swinging door is mostly used in offices.
13. Revolving Doors
In the Revolving door, the arrangements are made to rotate the door about central pivot. These doors revolve about one side of the shutter and get closed automatically.
According to ‘J.K. McKay’ (Author of Building Construction Metric, Volume -4), Revolving door is desirable to exclude draughts, minimize the entering of street noises and to avoid heat losses.
Revolving doors are mostly used in heavy traffic areas i.e. high-rise buildings, public buildings, hospitals, etc. to regulate entry.
14. Rolling Shutter Doors
In the rolling shutter doors, the door shutter acts like a steel curtain. The rolling shutter doors are advantageous as it does not require much space. These doors are very strong, durable and offer proper safety. They are mostly used in stores, workshops, factories, garages and shops fronts etc.
Also Read:
What is a Rolling Shutter Door?
8 Different types of rolling shutter
15. Collapsible Doors
Collapsible doors are fabricated from mild steel flats or channels and can be opened or closed by slight pull or push. The arrangement of collapsible doors is made in such a way that, when you open the door, all the strips are folded together and while you close, the strips are stretched. They occupy the least space and so it is preferable. Collapsible doors are used for the main entrance of the residential buildings, shops, godowns, cinema hall etc.
16. Pivot Doors
Pivot doors function on a special pivot hinge, with pins that attach at the top and bottom of the door. The significant benefit of pivot hinges is, it can support much wider and heavier doors than traditional pin and barrel hinges. With the technical benefit, it gives aesthetic uniqueness in opening and closing and gives eye-catching swinging function. Pivot doors are generally used for the entry doors.
(D) Types of Doors Based on Method of Construction
Before you make selection of doors for your house, it is essential for you should know the method of construction. Based on the methods of construction, doors are classified in following ways:
17. Panel Door
Panel doors are the most commonly used inside house since long time. According to ‘R. Chudley’ (Author of Construction Technology Volume-1), the British Standard gives a wide variety of panel doors based on one, two, three or four-panel format. The panel can be made of plywood, blockboard, veneer, glass, wood, etc. they are one of the strongest doors. They offer various design but are labour intensive and skilled workforce.
18. Flush Doors
Nowadays, the flush doors are the most common type used in the house as well as public buildings due to its pleasant appearance and simple construction. These doors have a jointless surface on both sides. Because of the plain face, they are easy to clean and decorate.
The flush doors also have high strength, durability and are cheaper than the panel door. With varieties of laminates and veneers, which resembles natural wood, they look beautiful and are attractive appealing and available to a wide range of choices.
Also Read:
What is Flush door?
Different types of Flush door
19. Louvered Doors
As per the ‘G.S. Birdie & T.D. Ahuja’ (Author of Building Construction and Construction Materials), the louvered door is one of very old type of door. Main advantages of this door are that even when it is closed, it will admit light, air and keep up the privacy of the room.
The louvered doors are used when privacy, along with natural ventilation and tranquility for rest, is desired. The Louvers are made of glass, timber or plywood. They are different to make.
20. Wire Gauzed Doors
Wire Gauzed doors are widely used in the house for preventing the entry of insects and mosquitoes into the house. These doors are provided in kitchens, canteens, cupboards used for food storage, refreshment rooms, hotels, sweet shops etc., with a view to get light and restrict the entry of mosquitos and other insects.
(E) Types of Doors Based on Arrangement of Door Components
Based on the arrangements of door components, the doors are classified in following ways:
21. Battened and Ledged Doors (B)
22. Battened, Ledged and Braced Doors (B)
23. Battened, Ledged and Framed Doors (B)
24. Battened, Ledged, Framed and Braced Doors (B)
In the recent times, these types of doors are not much in use as the wood is not easily available. Moreover, they are highly expensive too.
Conclusion
Nowadays, Flush door, panel door and glass doors are the common types used in the house. The doors play a pivotal role in anchoring the safety of the house and also protecting your health. The doors are regarded as the face of any house; hence, they must be given utmost importance like all other elements that beautifies a house.
And of course, its pleasing appearance will always keep you in good moods. Information regarding the types of doors will help you to make the right choice of the door- be it your house, your office, your workshop, shop or any other commercial building.
To conclude the whole thing, we can say that the choice of doors ultimately depends on the following factors:
01. It must satisfy the intended function
02. Ensure privacy, safety and security
03. Easy to make and use
04. Aesthetic look and appearance
05. Future repairs and maintenance
06. Budget
07. Future life
08. Fire resistance, insulation properties etc.