Importance of the Door in Your Home

A framework of wood, steel, aluminium, glass or a combination of these materials secured in an opening left in a wall for providing access to users of the structures is what we call doors. It basically is divided in two parts

1 A Frame

2 Shutter ( leaf )

The frame is normally made of timber. This is on account of fact that timber is easily available everywhere and most importantly it can be worked into different shapes without any difficulty. But when your main concern is economy, frames made up of steels and precast R.C.C. members generally used. Steel or R.C.C. Frames are also recommended on construction sites infested with termites.

Shutters are generally made up of timber framework with panels insets of glass, timber, plywood, block board or a combination of such materials. In case of steel doors, shutters are made of frame work of rolled steel sections with panel inserts of glass or steel plates. Next to steel, aluminium is the metal largely used in the manufacture of doors. Aluminium doors are considered to be the best as they are rust proof and present an elegant appearance.

For small openings a door is provided with one leaf or shutter and is called single leaf door and in wider opening the door should have two leaves which is termed as double leaf door. Some times a door is provided with shutter on either side of the frame may have wire mash and on the other hand fully paneled door such a door is called double paneled door.

LOCATION OF DOORS

The following guidelines should be kept in view while deciding the location of doors in a building.

• It should be provided in opposite walls facing each other for consideration of adequate air circulation within the room.
• It should be located near the corner of a room ( say about 20 cm away from the corner ) for proper utilization of space and privacy.
• It should meet the functional requirements of the room.
• The number of doors in a room should be kept minimum to achieve optimum utilization of space. Large number besides causing obstruction, consumes more area in circulation.

SIZE OF DOORS

The size of door is to be adopted for a room depends basically upon the functional requirements of the room. In case of W.C. and bath room where only one person is expected to go at a time a door width of 75 cm is adequate. On the other hand, the size of garage door should be such that it may permit a car to pass through. In general, the size of the door adopted should be such that it will permit the movement of the largest object likely to pass through the door opening.

Commonly adopted size of doors for different types of building are given below.

1. Residential Buildings

a. External 1000 X 2000

b. Internal 900 X 2000

c. For bath & w.c. 800 X 2000

2. For Public Buildings like School, 1200 X 2000

Hospital, Library etc. 1200 X 2100

1200 X 2250

3. For Garage for Cars 2250 X 2250