| Basic Window
Styles
Double-Hung Windows consist of two sashes
that slide vertically along side jambs with the bottom sash
closing down on the sill and the top sash closing up against
the top jamb. These provide moderate ventilation and can be
difficult to clean unless the sash tilts in.
Slide-By Windows or Slider Windows function
like double-hung windows turned sideways.
Casement Windows usually consist of one sash
hinged to a side jamb, and they usually open outward from
the sill by crank handle or slider bar. Casement windows provide
good ventilation and are fairly easy to clean, but they are
a bit pricier because of the operating hardware.
Awning Windows consist of a sash hinged to
the top jamb or the sill, which tilts out when it's opened
using hardware similar to casement windows.
Transom Windows generally consist of short
awning windows or fixed sashes mounted over normal sized casement
or double-hung windows. They can be ordered as separate windows
then set in the proper configuration during installation.
Or they can be custom ordered as a single unit, combining
short and tall windows into a single frame at the factory.
Bay Windows consist of one or more center
sashes framed to bump out or protrude beyond a wall with angled
or perpendicular side sashes running back to the wall.
Bow Windows are similar to bays, but the
windows are framed to form a gradual arc instead of the sharp
angles of a bay.
Multi-Wide Units result when you order two
or more sashes in a single unit or frame. They're joined at
the factory with mullions separating the sashes.
Basic Door Styles
Interior vs. Exterior
At the risk of stating the obvious, your first consideration
will be whether you need Interior Doors or Exterior Doors.
Their function, performance, appearance and construction are
totally different because of the requirements and standards
set for each.
As an example, both are expected to look good, but exterior
doors must also have weather-resistant and insulating qualities,
extra durability and extra strength. So while many manufacturers
make both interior and exterior doors, they're often treated
as totally separate product lines.
Hinged/Swinging vs. Sliding
Hinged doors are the most common types of door, since they're
appropriate for virtually every interior and exterior door
application. They can open inward or outward, and they can
be used in single door units, as french doors (with two doors
sashes hinged on the side jambs and meeting in the middle)
or as terrace doors (with a fixed sash on one side and a swinging
sash hinged to a mullion in the center).
Sliding Doors are most commonly used as entry
doors leading to a patio, deck or closet. Patio Doors consist
of two full glass sections, one fixed and the other sliding
open and closed in upper and/or lower tracks separate from
the tracks holding the fixed door.
Sliding Closet Doors are usually hung from
a different track system, with both allowed to move for full
access to the closet interior.
Flush vs. Panel
Flush doors are smooth-surfaced and generally cost less than
panel doors. Panel doors have inset panel pieces that give
a more elaborate, sectional look.
Personal taste and price often dictate what kind of door surface
to choose. Panel doors generally cost more than comparable
flush doors because there's more wood and labor involved in
making them.
Solid Wood vs. Hollow & Solid-Core (Interior)
Solid wood doors are made of all-wood construction and can
be made with or without panel inserts. They're sturdy, but
require maintenance.
Solid-core doors are made of particleboard
or steel centers covered by wood or fiberglass veneer to give
a durable finish.
Hollow-core doors have cardboard baffle centers
covered by veneer. They're inexpensive, and are used only
inside.
Solid wood or solid-core interior doors offer
sound control properties and good looks. If you want a quality
solid wood door, it could cost a couple hundred dollars compared
to a $50 hollow-core.
Paint vs. Stain Finishes (Interior) Painting
is an easy way to compliment a room's colors. Cheap hollow-core
doors with wood that looks marred/flawed and old doors with
paint that resists strippers are candidates for painting.
Painting can become more work than staining because of drips
-- especially when painting panel doors.
Staining a door allows the wood grain to be seen, giving the
door character that usually provides more detail to the room.
Matching stain to existing trim can be difficult, and some
wood fillers used to cover nailheads don't stain well.
Porous wood may require several applications, and once stained,
changing your mind to switch colors and stripping the door
can be a difficult process.
Wood vs. Steel or Fiberglass (Exterior) All
exterior doors are made to resist wear from the elements.
A high quality wood door may outperform a cheap steel door,
but there are some general differences.
All-wood doors have solid wood or solid-cores. R-values vary
with the quality and amount of window glass, and wood doors
are prone to warping and require periodic painting.
Exterior wood doors are heavy and tend to
sag over time. But, they can be trimmed to fit an existing
opening and are good at controlling sound.
Insulation-filled steel doors can have high
R-values, up to an R-15 because the steel frame is filled
with polyurethane foam.
Steel doors can be difficult to install.
Frames must be plumb/square for the door to fit properly and
fastening hardware may require a few carbide-tipped drill
bits.
Insulated fiber glass doors have up to an
R-11 rating, are paintable, stainable and come in many styles.
Some wood doors are reinforced with fiber glass to resist
expansion/contraction.
|
