Many Different Types Of Doors An Entrance Through History and Culture

How important are doors? Well, that seems like a stupid question, but really think about it for sometime. Doors are more important than we believe and we use them more often than we can reckon. To describe a door, it is not just an entry or exit to a place. In fact it is defined as a hinged barrier that is used to cover the opening that is used as a way in or a way out. The history of doors is untraceable as it probably dates back to man’s first robbery attempt. We have seen the designs and modes of doors evolve a lot in front of our own eyes. The main purpose of this evolution has always been safety. Prehistoric man enclosed their cave doors with rocks to keep the beasts away. He then got to know the art of lumber works, and wood was used to make hard yet light weight doors. After that, you most likely saw how industrialization promoted the custom of metals in steel buildings or roll up door. Metal turned out to be even more safe with a less dense mass than wood.

In spite of the advantages of one material over another, we still see all of them being utilized. Many varieties of doors now come from a variety of designs. These designs can either be for the sake of good looks or for practicality and purpose. Some designs are also, explicit to a certain culture or architectural style. Let’s have a peek through changing doors through out the time and cultures.

The slab doors: These are the most common types of door used around the houses and apartments. They usually have a handle or a knob at one side. These doors are hinged from the other side so that they can swing open when a handle or knob is turned. They are made of a slab of wood that can be either flat or engraved.

French Doors: As it is French, there has to be some kind of ‘beauty’ constituent about it. This loveliness is shaped by many little glass windows in the door. These windows are also called ‘lights’. A French door can have a multiple numbers of lights.

Dutch doors: Ever seen a door which is flatly divided in two panels? These are Dutch doors. These kinds of doors are mostly used in stables to easily feed the farm animals without letting them loose.

Saloon Doors: This is the place the cowboy makes his dramatic entry. These are light panels that can go mechanically back to their original place and can be pushed from either side to swing open and vary in length. The one which is just about shoulder to knee length is also called the Batwing door.

Folding doors: These types of doors have multiple panels that can be folded to open and requires a small amount of room than a swinging door will require in front of it.

Sliding door: These doors bring together the ease of both folding and swinging doors. Yet they don’t actually have panels similar to the folding door. This type of a door is usually a single panel of glass or any other sheet. Plus it does not need much free space in front of it. Still, there has to be ample side area to slide the panel and totally open the doorway.