Argon Filled: Low E Insulated glazing filled with argon gas to yield superior insulating, energy gain/loss factors.

Astragal: When two doors are installed in a double-hung installation, the vertical profile that divides the two doors, providing a weather seal a place for the strike for the operable door. The astragal is attached to the fixed door.

Backset: The distance from the edge of the door to the center of the lockset bore. Backset distances can be 5", 2-3/4" or 2-3/8" (the most common).

Bar: A narrow, rabbeted, horizontal, vertical or diagonal wood member extending the total length or width of a glazed opening, used to separate individual pieces of glazing material.

Bead: See glazing bead.

Bevel: A shallow angle applied to the circumference of one side of a piece of glass, usually used on small pieces of decorative glass divided by zinc or brass came.

Blind Mortise (or Tenon): A method of constructing wood doors where openings are machined into, but not through the stiles and where the ends of the rails (tenons) are so machined as to fit into these openings.

Bore, Dead Bolt: A hole drilled in the face of a door to accommodate a dead bolt lock. The distance from the center of the dead bolt bore to the center of the lockset bore is the dead bolt spacing.

Bore, Latch: A hole drilled in the edge of a door for the latch bolt. It is drilled on the center line of the lock bore and is centered in the edge of the door. Latch bore sizes run from 7/8" to 1" (the most common) in diameter.

Bore, Lockset: A hole drilled in the face of the door at a specified backset to accommodate lock hardware. Lockset bore sizes run from 5/8" to 2-1/8" (the most common) in diameter.

C-Groove: A shallow, wide groove cut in one side of a glass panel, usually in a decorative design, usually polished.

Came(Caming): The zinc or brass divider bar used between small pieces of glass to make a larger glazing panel, sometimes referred to as "leading".

Casing: Interior or exterior trim meant to conceal the joint between two jamb sets.

Caulk: An extruded bead of synthetic material used to impart water or weather resistant qualities to the glazing of a door.

Coped Construction: The ends of rails, mullions, muntins or bars so machined that they will fit and cover the contour of the sticking.

Core: The innermost layer in veneered construction, normally consisting of several individual wood pieces edge glued and end-glued or fingerjointed together.

Dentil Mould: A horizontal profile that incorporates small, square "teeth" in the design usually applied to the upper intermediate rail of a door.

Dessicant: A moisture absorbing additive to the air space in an insulated panel to prevent moisture from fogging on the interior surface of the glazing.

Door, Bifold: Doors so hinged that as to fold flat against the vertical door jamb. Bifold doors are normally classified as either two or four leaf units.

Door, Commodity: A door layout that is so common throughout the industry that it has become a standard.

Door, Exterior: A door used on the entry of a building, usually 1 3/4" thick.

Door, French: A door assembly of stiles and rails, and possibly bars, surrounding a single or multiple large glazed opening.

Door, Interior: A door used on the interior rooms of a building, usually of 1 3/8" thickness.

Door, Panel: A door assembly of stiles, rails and one or more panels. Intermediate rails or mullions are used to separate panels.

Door, Patio: A door consisting of stiles and rails with one glazing insert and no panels. See door, French.

Door, Sash: A door assembly of stiles, rails and one or more panels and a glazed opening or insert in the upper half of the door.

Double-Hung: Two doors installed side by side, usually with one door fixed.

Doweled Construction: A method of constructing wood doors where holes are machined into, but not through, the stiles and matching holes in the rails. Dowels are inserted into these holes to attach the rails to the stiles.

Engineered Stile/Rail: A method of door component construction utilizing smaller fingerjointed, end-glued pieces of core material and a surface veneer yielding a superior component as opposed to the same component made of solid wood. See core.

Face Width: The total width of the door, minus the width of the moulding patterns.

Fan Light: A door glazed with several lights arranged in a radiating, wagon-wheel pattern.

Film-Protected Glass: A protective film coating applied at the factory to protect the glazing from damage due to shipping and finishing.

Fingerjoint: A series of "fingers" precision machined on the ends of two pieces of wood, which are meshed tightly together under pressure and held in place by adhesive. See core.

Finish: A protective, plastic film applied to the surface of a door, either in the form of a clear finish such as varnish or as an opaque finish such as paint.

Fir: Any of a number of species of wood, normally Douglas Fir, known for their light weight, high strength and straight, even grain. See vertical grain.

Flashing: A metal or plastic strip used to prevent water and air leakage between the door frame and the surrounding wall. It is attached to the outside face of the head jamb and side jambs.

Full Light: See patio door

Glazing: The glass insert(s) used in a door.

Glazing Bead: A small wood moulding applied to the perimeter of glazed openings to secure the glazing materials within the door.

Glazing Tape: An adhesive, foam tape used to secure a glazed insert in a door, between the applied or stop moulding and the insert.

Glue Chip: A decorative glass made by applying hide-glue to a glass panel, which shrinks and flakes the surface of the glass, creating feathery patterns.

Header: The upper portion of a door opening.

Hemlock: A straight-grained species of softwood, like fir or spruce, used in door construction, usually of a lighter color than fir.

Insulated Glazing (I.G.): A glazing construction consisting of two or more pieces of glass separated by a sealed, insulating air space(s).

Jamb: The vertical and horizontal frame members, which along with the sill, makes up a door frame. The jamb is normally trimmed out with casing on the inside and brick mould on the exterior.

Jamb Width: The width of the door jamb not including the thickness of any trim, casings or brick mouldings. Most jambs will have a widths of either 4-9/16" or 6-9/16".

Joint: The juncture between two or more pieces of wood, in doors, usually secured with dowels.

Kerf: A cut made into, but not through a piece of wood or other material.

Laminated Construction: A method of assembling multiple pieces of wood to form a thicker composite. See core.

Latch Bolt: The spring-operated bolt in the edge of a door that keeps the door closed.

Leaded Glass: A decorative insert panel made by assembling multiple small pieces of textured or beveled glass to form a pattern, divided by zinc or brass came. See came.

Light (Lite): A framed opening in a door, sidelight or transom containing a pane of glass.

Lockset: Door hardware for keeping a door closed and with a spring-operated latch bolt activated by a knob or handle.

Low E: A glazing unit made with either a special coating or in combination with a gas fill (see argon filled) meant to reduce energy transmission through the glazing.

LSL Core: Lumber or core material made by laminating individual strands of wood together with an adhesive under pressure.

Mahogany: Multiple species of tropical hardwood from Africa, Central or South America, known for a reddish-brown color, tight, figured grain and dense weight. Simpson uses Honduran Mahogany grown in sustained-yield forests.

Mortise: A square hole or trough cut into a rail or stile meant to receive a tenon for a mortise-and-tenon joint.

Mould, Brick: The exterior profile that is used to trim out a door installation around the top and sides of the door(s) and or sidelight(s).

Mould, Drip: A horizontal moulding section used as a decorative detail on a door, usually applied to the upper intermediate rail of a door.

Moulding: A relatively narrow strip of wood, usually shaped to a curved profile throughout its length that is used to accent and emphasize the ornamentation.

Moulding, Raised: A decorative profile that extends above the surface of the door that can be either decorative, or can function as a stop for the insert.

Mull Cover: A piece of trim used to conceal the joint between two pieces of jamb.

Mullion: A vertical member used to separate panels.

Muntin (Muntin Bar): A short bar, either horizontal or vertical, used to separate individual pieces of glazing material but which does not extend the full width or length of the opening.

Panel: The floating wood inserts between the stiles and rails of a stile and rail construction door. Panel, Flat: A single or multi-layered (laminated) panel made from plywood, hardboard or particleboard.

Panel, Innerbond®: A raised panel made by slicing a panel blank and then gluing the two pieces at 180º to each other, yielding a superior, split-resistant panel.

Panel, MDF: A panel made from medium density fiberboard, wood fibers compressed under pressure with adhesive. See wood composite.

Panel, Raised: A door panel whose faces are raised above the edges, which are shaped to fit into grooves in the stiles and rails. Raised panels may be solid, edge glued, laminated or medium density fiberboard.

Patch: A matching wood piece carefully inserted and glued into the various members of the door after defective portions have been removed.

Pine (Knotty): Any number of different species of softwood known for their beautiful color and characteristic look.

Polyurethane: An adhesive, generally of two parts which, when mixed and applied cures to a strong, water-resistant bond.

Prefit: The trimming of a door for width or height to fit an exact frame opening.

Primed: A sealing finish applied to a wood door to assist in adherence of the finish paint coat.

Rail: A horizontal structural member of a door.

Rail, Bottom: The bottom rail of a door.

Rail, Intermediate: A rail, other than the top or bottom rail, used to separate panels, or to separate panels from the glazing.

Rail, Lock: An intermediate rail located approximately adjacent to the lock set.

Rail, Top: The uppermost rail of a door.

Rabbet: A "L" shaped groove cut into the side of a wood component.

Rough Opening: An unfinished wall opening where a door will be installed and is lined by wood members; the top one is the "header", the sides are the "jack studs", and the bottom is the "rough sill."

Safety Glazing Material: Glazing materials so constructed, treated or combined with other materials as to minimize the likelihood of cutting or piercing injuries resulting from human contact with the material. Laminated glass, tempered glass, wired glass and safety glass are examples of safety glazing materials used in doors.

Select Grade: Wood or wood veneer that contains no knots or pitch pockets and has tightly spaced grain, intended to receive a stain or natural finish, free of surface defects that would affect the finish.

Sheathing: A surface, usually of wood, applied to the exterior faces of the studs or wall frame.

Shim: A thin strip of wood, sometimes wedge-shaped, for leveling wood members, especially door frames.

Sidelight(s): An assembly of stiles, rails, panels and glazing material.Sidelights are normally designed to occupy a position adjacent to exterior doors, either in a common frame with the door or in a separate frame.

Sill: The bottom portion of the jamb frame attached to the threshold, usually adjustable so as to form a tight seal with the bottom of the door and sweep.

Slab: The door or sidelight only without any staining, drilling, hardware or jambs. Usually provided unfinished or factory primed from the manufacturer.

Stain: A translucent finish for wood that can be clear or tinted, allowing the grain and figure of the wood to show through the finish. Stains do not provide the same level of protection afforded by a varnish or paint finish.

Standard Grade: Wood or wood veneer that is structurally sound with minor surface defects and discoloration permitted, providing a surface suitable for an opaque (stain or paint) finish.

Sticking: A profile machined into the edges of stiles, rails, mullions, muntins or bars, adjacent to panels or glazing materials.

Stile: The upright or vertical outside pieces of a stile and rail construction door.

Stile, Striking: The door stile containing the lock.

Stop: A profile used to glaze an insert into a door frame or transom sash.

Stud, Jack: Vertical wood member at each side of the rough opening for a door that supports the header.

Subsill: See sill.

Sweep: That portion of the weather-seal attached to the bottom of the door, providing a seal between the door and the sill.

Swing: A term describing the swinging direction of a door. May also be call "hand."

Tenon: See blind mortise.

Thermal: See insulated glass.

Threshold: That portion of the door entry framing comprised of the sill.

V-Groove: A narrow, polished, v-shaped groove cut in one side of a glass panel, usually in a decorative design. Compare to c-groove.

Varnish: A clear, oil-based plastic finish that allows the natural colors and figure of the wood to show through the finish. See finish. Compare to paint.

Veneered Construction: A stile or rail consisting of a core, two edge-strips and two face veneers bonded together under pressure with adhesives.

Vertical Grain: (Usually), in fir: straight, closely-spaced annual growth rings of light and dark wood made by slicing the wood from cants, as opposed to rotary cutting which produces a wavy figure.

Warp: Any distortion in the plane of the door itself and is not its relationship to the frame or jamb in which it is hung.

Water-Repellant Preservative: A formulation of chemical which retards the absorption of liquid water and which inhibits decay and mildew stain in wood.

Weatherstrip(ping): Any of a number of foam rubber or rubber strips applied to the door or jamb that are meant to preclude air infiltration into the building.

Wood Composite: A wood-based compound utilizing wood fibers, reconstituted wood or other wood derivatives and binder materials.

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