Industry Terminology

Decorative Entry System
An entryway made up of a door in a frame, one or two sidelights, and a transom.

Dentil
A series of small square blocks uniformly spaced and projecting like teeth. Often used in a cornice or mantel treatment.

Direct-Set
The window’s glass is secured directly into the window frame without the stiles and rails of a sash (e.g.  picture window).

Distressed Finish
‍Doors with a distressed finish have an aged, Old World appearance. Chisels and other tools are used to apply random worm holes and additional character marks to the door's stiles, rails, panels, and mouldings.

Divided Lite
A window opening divided into smaller sections by a grid system on the interior or exterior of the glass, between the glass panes, or any combination of these three.

Door Bevel
An angled cut on the lock side of a door, usually 3 degrees, that enables it to swing free of the door frame when opening and closing.

Door Casing
A door casing is a piece of trim that surrounds the jamb of the door or entry system.

Door Core
A core placed inside the door to provide either strength or fire rating. Core types are corrugated honeycomb paper, particleboard, wood stave, mineral fiber, polyurethane, or polystyrene.

Door Face
The wide flat surface of a door.

Door Frame
A complete door frame consists of one header and two jamb legs. A strip of wood called a “stop” keeps the door from swinging through the frame.

Door Height
The vertical measurement of the door ranging from 6 feet, 6 inches to 7 or 8 feet.

Door Jamb
The part of a door frame which surrounds and contacts the edges of the stiles and top rail of a door. Jambs may be classified as “head’ or “side” jambs and “plain” or “rabbeted”.

Door Lite
A door lite is a glass insert installed in a door panel.

Door Panel
A sheet of thin lumber, plywood or composition material inserted into the frame formed by the stiles, rails, and mullions of a door.

Door Rails
Doors can be manufactured with double rails on the top and/or bottom so the door can be field-trimmed for off-square replacement installations.

Door Skin
The front or face panel (usually two or more plies) of a flush door.

Door Striker
This component is a slightly beveled metal plate, which is set into a door jamb to receive and guide a door latch to its socket when closing.

Door Trim
Moulding applied around door openings on the exterior and interior.

Double Action Door
A door, usually interior, with special hinges or pivots which allow the door to function in both directions.

Edge Veneers
Doors manufactured with vertical edge veneers such as oak or birch to match the veneer on the face of the door.

Entrance
The exterior area of a door (usually used for the main or front entrance of a structure) with decorative exterior trim. Trim may include pilasters, entrance head or cap, or a decorative exterior casing.

Entrance Door
A door that serves as the main entrance of a structure; may be single or paired.

Entrance Head
‍An entrance head is the portion of the entrance above the door opening. Also called entrance cap or entablature.  It is commonly used when the head is other than a pediment.

Entry Door
A door typically found in the front of a home or building.

Entry Lockset
This hardware allows an exterior door to be open, closed, and locked.

Environmental Condition
The state of the environment necessary for the support and comfort of the inhabitants. The control of air quality, light, temperature, food, security, etc.

Extension Jamb
Wood or other material fastened to the inside edges of a window or door to extend it in width and adapt to a thicker wall.

Exterior Casing
Casing that trims the exterior of a window or door frame and serves as the boundary molding for the siding material.

Facade
The main or front elevation of a building.

Face
Outer or exposed ply in cross banded construction. Also the surface from which lumber grade is determined.

Fiberboard
A broad term used to describe wood sheet material of widely varying densities manufactured of refined or partly refined wood fibers.

Finger-Jointed
‍This assembly technical involves joining components that have finger-like projections on their ends that fit together.

Finish
The final, protective treatment of a surface (paint, stain, etc).

Fir
This wood species is dimensionally stable with a uniform color, grain pattern, and texture. It features a straight, vertical grain and a light rosy shade that will appear redder over time when exposed to light. Fir offers exceptional stain and finish consistency.

Fire-Rated Door
Fire doors are designed to meet independent testing facilities’ standards for fire ratings of 20, 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes. The specific rating is achieved through the application of special door cores and framing material.

Flat Door Panel
A door panel consisting of a flat piece of plywood, solid wood or other material in contrast to a raised door panel.

Flat Jamb
This jamb is a plain piece of lumber, not rabbeted or ploughed. Instead of a door rabbet, this jamb requires a door stop applied to prevent the door from swinging through.

Flush Door
A flat-faced door that may have a variety of door facings and may be hollow-core or solid-core.

Flute
A long, rounded groove machined along the grain of a wood member.

Folding Door
One of two or more sliding doors hinged to move laterally in an opening. Also known as an accordion door. A complete unit may consist of doors with butts applied, track and guide hardware, door pulls and door frame.

Frame
The assembly of structural members (head, sill, jambs) attached to the wood members lining the rough opening used to fasten a window sash or a door panel to a structure.

French Door
A style of door in which two panels open to provide a clear opening which is approximately twice as wide as one panel. Many styles have full panel clear or decorative glass.

Front Door
A door typically found in the front of a home or building.

Garage Door
A multi-paneled door built in horizontal sections. It slides upward on a metal track, stopping when parallel to the garage ceiling, to allow a car to enter or exit.

Glue Chip Glass
This type of glass features a feathered or frost-like texture and provides an obscured view.

Grain
An arrangement and direction of wood elements or fibers; can be straight or spiral grain; also used loosely to indicate texture.

Granite Glass
‍This glass has a texture that resembles a rough rock surface. With granite glass, the view is completely obscured.

Green Building
A movement in architectural building circles, green building is aimed at creating structures that are occupant and environmentally friendly. Criteria such as sustainability, energy efficiency, and healthfulness are considered.

Grille
A decorative grid on the interior or exterior of the glass, between the glass panes, or in any combination of these locations that divides a window opening into smaller openings to create simulated divided lite or true divided lite. Grilles may or may not be removable.

Half-Panel
This is a type of door that has panels on one half (usually the bottom half) and a glass insert on the other half.

Handing
A term describing the swinging direction of a window or door.  Window or door hardware may also be left or right-handed.

Handle Set
A generic term given to the components that attach to the face of a sliding door panel, handle sets allow the door to be opened and closed.

Hardboard
‍A board material manufactured of wood fiber, refined to form a panel. Hardboard has a density range of approximately 50 to 80 pounds per cubic foot. Created under carefully controlled combinations of pressure, heat and moisture hardboard has a characteristic, natural ligneous bond.

Hardwood
One of the botanical groups of trees that have broad leaves in contrast to the needle-like leaves of conifers or softwoods. Hardwoods are usually deciduous, shedding their leaves in the fall or at the end of each growing season.

Head Jamb
The horizontal frame member at the top of a window or door assembly.

Header
A header is a heavy beam extended across the top of the rough opening for a window or door, resting on the jack studs to support the weight of the wall above the unit.

Hemlock
Hemlock is a coarse, rough wood with a straight, open grain.  Almost white with a tinge of purple, hemlock is light in color and weight.

Hinge
A jointed or flexible device on which a door or window turns.

Hinge Jamb
Side jamb in which the door hinges (butts) are applied.

Hollow Core Door
A type of door that has corrugated cardboard between the stiles and rails and is made up of an interior frame of stiles and rails, covered by a skin of veneer or hardboard, plastic, or metal.

Hollow Core Flush Door
A flush door with a core assembly of strips or other units of wood, wood derivative or insulation board, that supports the outer faces and has intervening hollow cells or spaces.

Horizontal Lite
A lite or cutout that extends from stile to stile of a sash or panel.

Inner Casing
An entrance member that fits over the outside edges of the side and head jambs, thereby providing a base for the pilasters; an entrance casing nearest to the opening that provides a base for the pilasters.

Inner Frame
On a panel door, the intermediate panel member between the stile and door panel that accentuates the sticking of the door.

In-Swinging
This refers to doors that swing in toward the inside of a room or home.

Integral Deadbolt
‍This type of lock has the locking cylinder within the knob.

Interior Casing
A casing that trims the interior of window and door frames.

Interior Door Frames
A door frame installed in the interior wall of a structure.

Jamb
The vertical frame members of a window or door assembly.

Jamb Adjuster
These are adjustable screws that are designed for mounting window and door frames into rough openings. They are used to help ensure the product is squarely installed.

Jamb Depth
This is the measurement from the outside of the exterior sheathing to the inside of the drywall.

Jamb Extension
‍This is a jamb-like component that extends the depth of a window or door frame. In general, a jamb extension has a larger depth than a jamb liner.

Joint
The joining of two pieces of wood by nails, glue, adhesives or other means; joints may be joined end to end, edge to edge, end to edge, or end to face.

Kick Rail
A rail located approximately 10 to 12 inches from the bottom of a hollow-core flush door frame, used primarily on institutional doors.

Kickplate
This is a protective plate applied to the lower rail of a door or patio door to prevent damage from daily wear.

Knocked-Down
Unassembled, as contrasted to assembled or built-up.

Knot
‍A portion of a branch or limb that has become incorporated in a piece of lumber. In lumber, knots are classified as to form, size, quality, and occurrences. A red knot is one that results from a live branch growth in the tree and is inter-grown with the surrounding wood. A black knot is one that results from a dead branch which the wood growth of the tree had surrounded.

Knotty Alder
Grown in the Pacific Northwest, Knotty Alder provides a unique, rustic character for natural beauty. Wood is usually light brown with hues of red and peach. Knotty Alder features straight graining with deep, dark knots and a fine texture. As a soft wood, Knotty Alder is receptive to machining and finishing.

Level
A condition that exists when a surface is exactly horizontal.

Lineal Foot
Having length only; used in designating quantities of mouldings; "linear," "foot," or "running foot;" "lineal" usually designates non-specific or random lengths, 3-20 feet or 6-20 feet.

Lite (Light)
A framed opening in the glass within a sash or door panel; frequently used in reference to glass divided by a grid into multiple smaller openings.

Louver
‍A door, bifold, or shutter constructed with a series of downward-sloping, horizontal slats that allow ventilation, inhibit sunlight, and provide some privacy.

Low-E Glass
This type of glass significantly blocks harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and the sun’s infrared heat, so homes stay cooler in the summer and interior furnishings fade less  In the winter, it helps keep homes warmer and reduces condensation. It also delivers greater visible light transmittance than tinted glass.

Mahongany
Mahogany ranges in color from reddish brown to a deep, rich red, and it stains well for a superior finish. The wood displays a prominent growth ring figure, with grain that is straight or interlocked. Mahogany also offers less expansion, contraction and moisture absorption than other hardwoods.

Maple
Grown in the Eastern United States, Maple features a very fine grain in whitish hues with tinges of reddish brown. Maple wood is dense, tough, and offers excellent shock resistance.

Medallion
A raised decorative wood design sometimes used on flush doors.

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
‍This product is made up of wood fiber glued together instead of wood chips. It is more dense and heavier than Particle Board. Unlike Particle Board, it can be sanded to a smooth surface and is used in finish goods such as trim.

Millwork
Products primarily manufactures from lumber in a planning mill or woodworking plant. Includes mouldings, door frames and entrances, blinds and shutters, sash and window units, doors, stair-work, kitchen cabinets, mantels, china or corner cabinets and porch work.

Molded
Refers to something worked into a form or shape.

Moulding
Decorative trim placed within a home, around doors, windows, walls, ceilings, and more.

Mullion
The upright or vertical member dividing the panels in a door. A mullion is also the vertical member of a sash, window or door frame between openings in a multiple opening frame. The mullion is known as the ‘mullion center’. In door they are sometimes referred to as ‘muntings’.

Multipoint Locking System
A multipoint locking system has more than one locking point.

Muntin
The individual pieces of a decorative grid that help divide a glass opening into smaller sections.

Newel
A newel is the main post at the start of a staircase and the stiffening post at the landing.

Oak
Grown in the North Central United States, Oak is one of the most popular woods used in homes. A big, slow growing tree, Oak has a prominent, straight grain and coarse texture  Oak is a heavy, dense wood with high durability and shock resistance.

Obscure Glass
This is any type of decorative textured glass that fully or partially obscures the view  It allows for privacy while still letting light enter a home.

Out-Swinging
This refers to patio doors that swing toward the outside of a room or home.

Over/Under Shim
When the side jamb bows in or out because of excessive or insufficient shim material used between the window or door frame and the rough opening during installation.

Ovolo
A convex profile, usually a quarter section of a circle and similar to the profile of ‘quarter round’.

Pane
A piece of glass.

Panel
A wood surface within a surrounding frame. All panels have structural frames, the interstices of which are filled with sheets or fields called panels. The panel may be raised above or recessed below the surrounding frame and set off from it by moulding or other decorative treatment.

Panel Door
A door constructed of several smaller components (stiles, rails, loose-fitting panels which allows the door to maintain its shape while expanding and contracting with weather and temperature changes. This door style was first developed in the eighteenth century as an alternative to batten doors, which didn't function well under moisture and climate changes.

Panel Profile
This is the dimensional detail design surrounding each panel in a door.

Particleboard
A formed panel consisting of particles of wood flakes and shavings, bonded together with a synthetic resin or other added binder. The particles are classified by sizes, dried to a uniform moisture content, mixed with binder, mat-formed, compressed to density, and then cured under controlled heat and pressure. Particleboard can be used to create a solid-core door.

Passage Door
An interior door connecting two inside rooms or used as a closet door; this door type does not have the strength, insulation, or security requirements of an exterior door. Panel construction on passage doors is designed to allow the wood to expand and contract with changes in moisture and temperature; the center panels are allowed to float within the door's frame.

Patio Door
A mainly glass door that opens onto a patio, deck or backyard of a house. The door panel is comprised of stiles, rails, and glass to allow for viewing.

Patio Mull
Patio MullThis is the vertical structure frame member found between doors in a patio door unit.

Pine
Pine is abundant across America. It has a distinctive straight, uniform grain in heartwood and wide growth bands in sapwood. Pine hues vary from honey- and straw-toned sapwood to reddish-brown heartwood. Pine is soft, yet durable and is suitable for a range of applications. Knotty Pine provides character and natural beauty with reddish-brown knots.

Plank Door
A door constructed from planks. The lumber used is typically one inch or less thick and 4 to 6 inches wide.

Planted Moulding
A moulding applied to a surface and projects or remains above it. Also known as a raised moulding, as opposed to a solid sticking or applied moulding.

Poplar
Grown in the Eastern United States, Poplar provides rich color and graining. Poplar can range from dark brown to pale yellow or olive green; color generally darkens over time and exposure to light leaving wood a rich brown. Popular has a fine, even texture with straight graining.

Prefit
Trimming additional width or height off the nominal size of a door to make it fit in the frame better.

Prehung Door Unit
A precut and assembled unit consisting of a door with the locking or passage hardware hung on hinges in a wood frame.  The wood frame includes a one or two piece jamb adjustable or as-ordered widths as well as the door stop mouldings and casings.

Prime Coat Finish
A hardware finish of baked enamel intended for a later application of paint.

Primed
A wood part which has been coated with paint primers either in the factory or on site.

No terms currently available.

Rabbet
A cut or groove along or near the edge of a piece of wood that allows another piece to fit into it to form a joint.

Radius Casings
This type of decorative trim is used around the rounded interior perimeter of a window frame.

Radius Lite
For divided lites, a radius lite is an available grille pattern.

Rail
The cross or horizontal pieces of a door’s framework of: "top rail," "mullion rail," "lock rail," and "bottom rail" are different types of rails based on their location in the structure of the door.

Rain Glass
This type of glass is completely obscure and features textured, vertical streaks.

Raised Door Panel
A door panel on which the edges have been contoured or shaped to provide an aesthetically appealing, three-dimensional effect.

Resin
This commonly used industry term refers to the raw materials used by PVC extruders to produce vinyl window profiles. The work is also used to describe a liquid material that is used in the production of laminated glass.

Rough Opening
Finished, cut-out opening into which a door and frame will be fitted.

Round Top
This is a feature on a window or door with a 180-degree curve at its top. It is also called a true radius top.

Sapwood
Outer layers of growth between the bark and the heartwood which contain the sap.

Screening
A mesh of fine aluminum, galvanized steel or bronze wire often referred to as ‘insect wire screening’, ‘wire cloth’ or ‘insect wire’.

Seedy Glass
Minute air bubbles create sparkle and texture in this fairly obscure glass.

Shim
This is a spacer used between the jamb and rough opening to maintain the correct frame placement during installation.

Shutters
A louver door used to cover a window or door opening or the exterior of a window to provide protection.

Side Jamb
The vertical frame member on either side of the window or patio door.

Sidelite
An assembly of stiles and rails, with or without a wood panel containing a single row of glass panels or lights. Installed on one or both sides of an exterior door frame, especially a front entrance door frame. Sidelights provides light, especially for an entry hall, as well as decorative appeal.

Sill
A main horizontal member forming the bottom of the frame of a window or door.

Sill Horn
An extension of the double-hung or single-hung sill, a sill horn allows brickmould or other casing to fit over the sill.

Sill Pan
A three-sided box made of sheet metal flashing, this is what a window sits in on the rough opening. It is designed to catch water that infiltrates into the rough opening and divert it to the outside.

Sill Track
The track on the sill of a sliding or gliding window or door that guides the sash or panel as it opens and closes.

Simulated Divided Lites
This divided lite option offers the most authentic true divided lite appearance. It includes interior wood bars, optional shadow bars between the glass, and exterior metal bars that are permanently attached to the exterior glass.

Slab
A slab refers to a complete door panel that has not been prepared for installation into a frame.

Sliding Door
.A door which slides in a horizontal direction parallel to a wall of the structure. They may be of the ‘pocket’ or ‘in-the-wall’, ‘folding’ ‘accordion’ or the ‘by-pass’ type.

Sliding Patio Door
A door that has one or more panels that slide horizontally; often found in rooms with limited space and where a door opening inward into the room cannot be.

Softwood
One of the botanical groups of trees that has persistent needle-like or scale-like leaves; softwoods are evergreen and have longer-length fibers than hardwoods.

Solid Core Flush Door
A flush door consisting of a core of solid wood blocks or strips with cross banding and face veneers, or with face veneers only.

Solid Door Panel
A door panel consisting of solid wood, raised or beveled on one or two sides.

Solid Sticking
A mould or profile worked on the article itself.

Solid-Core Door
A door with a solid interior made from composite wood, agri-fiber, wood staves, particleboard, or fire-rated mineral fiber.

Split Jamb
This interior or exterior jamb is composed of two halves that fit together. One side has a built-in stop and the other side can slide in or out to adjust the frame for various wall thicknesses, usually from 1" to 2".

Square
A condition that exists when two surfaces are perpendicular (90 degree angle).

Stain
A discoloration of the wood. The stain does not affect the strength of the wood, and the growth of the fungi stops once the wood is dry..

Steel
A strong alloy of iron and carbon that contains a lower carbon content than cast iron (lower than 1 7%); used in commercial building because of its malleability under certain conditions.

Sticking
This is the detailing around the perimeter of the panels or lites on a door.

Stile
This is the vertical frame members of a sash, door, blind or screen.

Stop
A moulding primarily used in window and door trim that is positioned to stop the door or window sash from opening beyond a set point.

Strike Jamb
Jamb opposite the hinge jamb. A jamb on which the lock or passage-set strike plate is installed.

Strike Plate
A metal piece mortised into or fastened to the face of a door frame side jamb to receive the latch or dead bolt when the door is closed.

Sunburst
A semi-elliptical area, the lower center of which contains a sun-like figure with radiating rays; may consist of a wood panel or a glazed sash.

Sweep
A rubber or vinyl strip applied to the bottom of a door to create an effective seal against the sill.

T-Astragal
This is the vertical strip between doors in a French door unit.  It is always attached to the inactive door.

Tempered Glass
This glass is heat-treated during manufacturing for extra strength, enabling it to withstand abnormal force or pressure on its surface. And it will not break into sharp pieces. Local building codes often require tempered glass to be used in all windows that are close to the floor or near doors, bathtubs or showers.

Textured Glass
This is any glass that includes a decorative texture. It often provides a partial or full obscured view.

Top Rail
The top rail of a sash, door, blind or other similar panel assembly.

Transom
A window, usually rectangular, placed over a door or window. Transoms increase the amound of light let into a front hall.

Trim
Millwork, primarily mouldings, that finish off window and door openings, fireplaces, walls and other members.

Trimming Out
Installing “trim,” sometimes referred to as interior finish.

No terms currently available.

Veneer
A thin sheet or layer of wood, usually rotary cut, sliced or sawn from a log, bolt, or flitch; thickness may vary from 1/100 to 1/4 of an inch.

Vertical Lite
A lite or cutout formed by a vertical bar extending from rail to rail of a sash or door.

V-Groove
A decorative pattern that is “grooved” into the glass using a special process, V-Groove is available in standard grid patterns and can be created using different types of grids, shadows, and polishes.

Wainscot
A lower interior wall surface (usually 3 to 4 feet above the floor) that contrasts with the wall surface above it; an interior wall composed of two different interior wall surfaces one above the other.

Warp
A lite or cutout formed by a vertical bar extending from rail to rail of a sash or door. Any deviation from a true or plane surface, including bow, crook, cup and twist and any combination there of, warp may be classified as very light, light, medium, and heavy.

Warranty
A statement or representation that the goods and/or services will perform as promised.

Waterglass
This type of glass features a texture that resembles ripples.

Water-Repellent Preservative
A formulation of chemical which retards the absorption of liquid water and which inhibits decay and stain in wood. It is commonly used on exterior wood components.

Weathering
The mechanical or chemical disintegration and discoloration of the surface of wood caused by exposure to light. The action of dust and sand carried by winds and alternate shrinking and swelling of the surface fibers with continual variation in moisture content due to changes in the weather. Also an inclined surface on a member such as a cornice or sill which directs away rain water.

Weatherstrip
Variously shaped metal, vinyl, plastic or molded fiber strips that fit tightly against the window or door frame parts to prevent air infiltration through cracks. Cold air entering the house in winter can account for up to 35% of the heating load, weatherstripping can reduce the load.

No terms currently available.

No terms currently available.

No terms currently available.