Must-know facts about doors

The world of doors is full of mysteries for a beginner DIY carpenter. Here's everything you need to know about the doors in your house, and how you can repair/replace them.

Doors come in three basic types: solidwood, solid-core and hollow-core.

• Substantially older houses typically have solid doors hung in frames constructed on site.
• Doors in newer houses and replacement-door units are more likely to be of the solid-core prehung variety, meaning that they probably were constructed of veneer over an insulating core of some sort and were factory made as a matched set.
• Hollow-core doors are the least sturdy, for obvious reasons, and can be easily punctured or damaged by moisture.

You may have several different types of doors in your house, each of which may require different types of maintenance and repair. Other than in decorative details — paneled or plain, for example — doors differ in whether they are made for exterior or interior use, and whether they have provisions for retarding the spread of fire.

Exterior Doors:

• All exterior doors must be constructed of materials and adhesives that can withstand weather.
• They also must be strong and thick enough (4.5 centimetres or 1 3⁄4 inches) that they provide a good measure of security when they are equipped with an exterior-grade lock.
• Many have specific features built into them that also give them a high R-rating. These days, they are just as likely to be made of steel or fibreglass as of wood.

Interior doors:

• Interior doors are more likely to be 3.5 centimetres (1 3⁄8 inches) thick and be made of wood.
• When replacing any door, be sure you take the location of the door into consideration along with the other factors.
• A flush door has a smooth veneer on each side over a solid core (wood or particleboard) or a hollow core (cardboard reinforcing), making it the less expensive option typically.
• A panel door is made of interlocking panels, often solid pine or oak.
• Even well-made doors can become deformed, damaged or misaligned in their frames over time, just through heavy use or possibly a defect in their initial installation.
• A hardware problem can also lead to a badly operating door.

If a door sticks, doesn't close all the way or doesn't latch properly, the problem could come from a variety of sources: the door itself, a hinge, the jamb, the stop, the strike plate or the latch.

• Even if you do not plan on repairing it yourself, with a few simple tests you can determine the cause of the problem, which will help you get a fair price for repairs.
• Some repairs can be handled easily without taking off the door, making it even simpler for a first-time "do-it-yourselfer."

To deal with door problems, it also helps to know the standard terms used with doors and door openings:

• Door jamb: Three pieces that frame the door's rough opening.
• Stop: Three narrow pieces of wood that are nailed to the face of the jamb; they stop the door from closing too far.
• Casing: Decorative molding applied to the face of the wall, bridging the space between the wall and the jamb.
• Lockset: A set of hardware combining a doorknob or a handle, a lock or a latch, a strike plate and its associated decorative elements.
• Strike plate: The metal piece on the door frame into which the door latch fits to secure the door when closed.
• Threshold: A raised strip of wood, often oak, that fills the space between the bottom of the door and the floor — essential in exterior door installations, optional with interior doors.

There's everything you need to know about the doors in your house. Now, with a little effort and research, you can make all of the doors in your house look great and open smoothly.