From renovation projects to new builds, you’ll come across a few terms that describe how doors are built, sized, and assembled. Here’s what they mean in plain language.
A
Active Door
The door that opens and closes most often in a double-door setup. The other is the inactive door, usually held in place by small bolts until you release them.
Arch-Top Door
A door with a curved top edge and matching frame that brings soft, traditional character. Unlike a true round-top door, which forms a perfect half circle, an arch top has a gentler, elongated curve
Astragal
A vertical strip attached to the edge of an inactive door in a double-door pair. It helps the two doors close neatly together and creates a weather seal.
B
Backset
The distance from the edge of the door to the center of the hole where your knob, lever, or deadbolt will go.
Bore
A hole drilled into a door for the handle or lock — often called a lock bore.
Brick Mold
A trim piece that covers the gap between the door frame (jamb) and the exterior wall. It gives the doorway a finished look and keeps out drafts.
C
Caming
The narrow metal strips that join pieces of stained glass together. Available in brass, zinc, patina, nickel, or bronze finishes.
Casing
The wooden trim that surrounds a door frame, covering the seam where the frame meets the wall. Casing adds visual proportion and architectural detail.
Custom Door
A door built to your exact specifications — not pulled from stock. Every Vintage Door is made to order, one at a time.
D
Deadbolt
A lock that secures the door with a solid bolt, offering more strength than a spring latch.
Door Size
The exact height and width of the door panel itself.
Door Stop
The small raised strip inside the frame that the door closes against. It helps create a seal and keeps the door from swinging past the jamb.
Dutch Door
A door divided horizontally so the top and bottom halves can open independently. Originally used for light and ventilation in farmhouses and stables, they’re now loved for their charm and versatility.
F
Finished Opening
The completed, ready-to-measure space into which your door will be installed — frame to frame, after trim work is done.
Flush Bolt
A small sliding bolt recessed into the edge of a door (usually the inactive one) that locks it at the top and bottom.
French Door
A door made primarily of glass panes separated by wooden dividers, called muntins. Often used in pairs to let in light and open up interior or exterior spaces.
I
In-Swing / Out-Swing Door
Describes which way a door opens: in-swing doors open toward the inside of a room; out-swing doors open toward the outside.
J
Jamb
The upright frame pieces on either side of a door opening. Together with the head and sill, they form the full door frame.
Jamb Width
The measurement from the inside wall surface to the outer sheathing of your house — important for a clean, flush fit.
K
Kiln-Drying
A controlled process that removes moisture from wood so it stays stable over time. All the lumber we use is professionally kiln-dried to fine-furniture standards, then allowed to rest before it reaches our shop. This gives each board time to acclimate and helps prevent future warping or splitting.
M
Molding
Decorative wooden trim used to frame glass or panels within a door, adding dimension and style..Decorative wooden trim used to frame glass or panels within a door, adding dimension and style.
Mortise
A recess or pocket cut into wood to receive a hinge, lock, or the end of another piece of wood.
Mortise-and-Tenon Joinery
A traditional wood-joining method where one piece (the tenon) fits snugly into a slot (the mortise) in another. It’s one of the oldest and strongest woodworking techniques.
Muntin
The slender wooden bars that divide glass panes in a window or door.
P
Panel
The solid wood section framed by the stiles and rails of a door. Doors can have flat, raised, or decorative panels depending on the design.
Pre-Hung Door
A complete door system: door, jamb, hinges, threshold, and hardware prep — assembled and aligned at the shop for easier installation.
R
Rail
The horizontal pieces that connect the vertical stiles of a door frame. Together, they form the door’s structural framework.
Raised Panel
A panel with contoured edges that create a three-dimensional look — often used in traditional or formal designs.
Rough Opening
The unfinished space in a wall where a door unit will be installed, framed by structural wood members.
S
Sidelite
A narrow window built into the door frame, usually on one or both sides of an entry door, to bring in extra light.
Sill
The bottom part of an exterior door frame that sits on the floor or threshold.
Slab Door
Just the door panel — no jambs, hinges, or hardware. Used when replacing an existing door within a sound frame.
Stile
The vertical outer pieces of a door’s frame. Rails run horizontally between them.
Sweep
A narrow strip (often wood with a flexible seal) attached to the bottom of a door to block drafts, rain, and insects.
T
Tempered Glass
Safety glass that’s heat-treated to be about five times stronger than standard glass. If broken, it crumbles into small, dull pieces rather than sharp shards.
Threshold
The horizontal piece under an exterior door that you step over. It seals the bottom of the door frame and protects against air and water infiltration.
Transom
A decorative window above a door that brings in additional light and architectural detail.
True Divided Lite (TDL)
A traditional construction method where each pane of glass is separate and individually set within its muntins — rather than simulated with a single sheet of glass.
W
Weatherstripping
Flexible material applied where the door meets the frame to seal out air and moisture. It helps your door close tightly and improves energy efficiency.
