Archive for the 'Doors' Category

Jan 19 2010

Interior House Doors – Doors For Modern Design and Home Decor

Published by Orlando Designer under Doors

When you’re buying a new house or refurnishing and remodeling an older one, there are plenty of things to consider-what color you’d like to paint your walls, whether you need to replace your insulation, how to seal corners and edges so that they don’t get dirty, whether to replace the floor or add new sections.

One aspect that many people don’t consider, however, is the doors inside the home.

Why are house doors so important? Well, they are used very, very often without us even realizing it. If we have an annoying door whose lock is broken, it bothers us when we’re going to the restroom or trying to find some solace in our own room.

Doors can be bothersome if they are too heavy, difficult to open, or easily jammed, so plenty of consideration must be given for the type of house doors you want and the way in which you install them.

One of the major doors in the house is the exterior door. This may be your front door, side door, garage door, or patio door, and are visible from the outside.

Exterior house doors give visitors a first impression of the state of your home, so it’s nice if your exterior house doors match your outside walls and look fairly solid. Solid-looking doors also fend off thieves.

If you are looking for a wood door, be sure to pay attention to the type of wood and the finish done on it; higher quality woods and finishes will preserve the life of your door. Thicker and wider stiles and rails generally indicate a better, sturdier door, and make sure that your door includes seals to fend off bad weather.

Glass doors are also usable for exterior house doors if they are highly resistant to shattering or breakage (such as the Pease-Shield glass by Pease Industries). Good quality steel and fiberglass doors include a thermal break (a layer of insulation) that keeps the cold from outside from getting indoors through the frame.

If you live in a cold area and are considering a fiberglass or steel door, it is necessary to get one with insulation, else frost may form on the inside of the door in the wintertime, making it freezing to the touch.

Regarding interior house doors, many types and sizes exist.

Conventionally, there are four major types of interior doors-the folding door, the bypass, the pocket door, and the conventional hinged door.

Folding doors are commonly used where conventional swinging doors are unable to be used-for instance, in small spaces or for larger closets with shelves that would block a swinging door. Folding doors work like a fan to expand and fold.

Bypass doors are usually used for closets and storage places and usually hang from rollers and slide to the side in order to open. These are usually in sets of two or three and pass each other in order to open. Pocket doors also slide, but there is usually only one door, and it slides into a “pocket” in the wall.

When deciding what type of door you want, be sure to consider the function, as well as aesthetics.

Specialty doors offers interior home doors and interior sliding glass doors for homes, lofts, condos, or apartments. We specialize in interior doors for modern design and functionality.

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Jan 18 2010

Antique Doorknobs – Perfect For Giving Your Home a Vintage Look

Published by Orlando Designer under Doors

You love things that have a vintage look to them. There is something about them that just really tickles your fancy. If vintage is what you’re into, then antique doorknobs are fixtures that will be right up your alley.

Antique doorknobs are really a great way to add to the overall look of your home and believe it or not there are actually a slew of selections to choose from. How so? Well, it is because they are available in a wide variety of shapes and designs and can be crafted from all sorts of materials while being finished in different ways.

For example, you can get one that is crafted from brass that has a round shape and is finished in a burnished red color. Or, you can get one that is made out of glass that has a rosette shape and is a rose color to match. There are a slew of others to choose from as well with some of those options being ones that are also made from glass, but this time around they have a smooth oval shape and are lavender in color, others that are made from metal, like bronze, that have a mushroom shape featuring a tarnished finish, and there are even ones made out of porcelain that are round or oval, are painted white, and even have different designs on them like flowers or birds.

You might think that getting a hold of antique doorknobs would be pretty difficult and you’re right. But don’t worry though, nowadays there are a slew of antique reproductions available that have the appearance of being vintage, but not with the same price tag.

What can also add to the overall look of antique doorknobs are the materials that they are mounted on. For instance, the glass ones mentioned above would probably be mounted on some sort of metal, including brass or bronze that has a lovely finish applied to it. Now, if you’re not interested in those of the antique variety, that is okay because there are other style choices available as well including those that have a modern feel, others that are more on the contemporary side, and even colonial and cottage choices are available.

When purchasing antique doorknobs, or anyone kind for that matter, make sure to get the right one for the job. Yes, there are different ones for different things. Like, entryway versions are to be used on doors that go in and outside of the home since they have a keyed lock. Or, how privacy ones are for bathrooms and bedrooms since they also lock, yet don’t use a key. There are also dummy and passageway versions. Dummy ones look like the fixture, but don’t move and passageway ones don’t lock. To check out all the choices, just go online for some comparison shopping.

So, if you love things that have a vintage look, or just want to add some classic style to your living space, antique doorknobs are where it’s at. They have one stunning look that will definitely leave a positive impression on anyone who sees them.

Author Jennifer Akre, owner of many sites dedicated to indoor and outdoor home decor product and information, provides online consumers with advice on purchasing elegant antique doorknobs and sparkling glass door knobs to add vintage splendor to your doors.

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Jan 17 2010

Garage Doors in Modern Times – Not Just Utilitarian

Published by Orlando Designer under Doors

Converting the garage to other uses certainly makes sense in the case of families with a single car who have two or three-car garages. But when a garage is transformed into an extra living area, the garage door on the part of the garage where the car will be stored will have to be chosen so that it complements the appearance of the remodeled portion of the garage.

Even when a garage continues to function strictly as a garage, however, it is a prominent of a home’s overall appearance. When a garage can be clearly seen from the front of a house, equipping it with one of the garage doors of modern times which has been styled to be an attractive addition to the house’s exterior is essential.

The Importance Of Appealing Garage Doors

Then there are the homes with attached garages, and because of them garage doors in modern times have become the homes’ most used entries and exits. Any garage doors receiving so much continuous use must not only be attractive, but must operate reliably and smoothly.

No neighbor wants to look across the way and see a warped, paint-peeling garage door stuck halfway open because it has come off its tracks. And with the high quality of garage doors in modern times, no neighbor should have to, and no homeowner should watch his or her property value drop because of an ugly and malfunctioning garage door.

Constructed of solid and extremely durable materials and available in a wide selection of very appealing designs, selecting garage doors in modern times will add pleasing architectural detailing to the homes where they are used. You will find garage doors in modern times, for example, made from the finest woods in square, arched, or rectangular designs. Some garage doors in modern times also have glass inserts to brighten your garage’s interior with natural light.

Things To Consider When Choosing Garage Doors If you’re a homeowner looking for new garage doors, you should consider not only the looks of the doors you choose, but the degree of additional home security they will provide. Your garage will protect not only your automobiles but whatever possessions and tools stored in it, and it may also allow access into the rest of your home.

The finest garage doors in modern times not only look good; they are designed to discourage even the most determined intruders. They are also built to last, and with regular maintenance will serve you well for at least thirty years. You should familiarize yourself with proper maintenance of your garage doors when they are installed, and you can have the best chance of getting garage doors which will stand up to heavy use for the long term by getting those advertised as low-maintenance.

You can also find more info on garage cleaning project Garageplansbasic.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about garage.

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Oct 19 2009

How To Install Locksets And Dead Bolts Like A Pro

Published by Orlando Designer under Doors

There are age long secrets to successfully doing it yourself. One of the secrets is knowing the right tool for the job. Another secret is knowing how to do it. All of a sudden, you find yourself tackling projects you use to pay someone else to do. For instance, for installing lockset and dead bolt, you will need the following: masking tape; a hammer; tape measure; flat- head screwdriver; a 1- inch spade bit; pilot drill bits for all screws; a power drill; and a 2 1/8- inch hole screw.

After you have gotten the right tools, it is time to start work. Plan to spend about one hour to complete the installation. Follow this step- by- step guide and you will know how to install locksets and dead bolts like a pro.

Step 1. Position The Template: Most doorknobs are 34 to 38 inches high, with dead bolts 6 to 12 inches above that. Decide for yourself what height is preferable. When drilling new holes, tape the producer’s template in place with the lockset centerline at the desired height. Determine the backset – the distance from the door edge to the centerline – and use the corresponding template marks. The backset can be 2 3/8 or 2 3/4 inches; many locksets accommodate both. Then drill 1/8- inch pilot hole through the door edge, use the template to drill a 2- inch- deep pilot holes through the door to center of the 2 1/8- inch hole saw. At the door edge, use the template to drill a 2- inch deep hole for the strike or bolt.

Step 2. Drill The Door Face And Mark The Jamb: Using drill with a bubble level or a torpedo level taped on top, drill halfway through the door from each side with the hole saw to prevent blowout sintering. Then mark the doorjamb for the strike plate by closing the door, inserting a nail from inside of the 2 1/8 inch hole through the strike pilot hole and pushing it into the jamb.

Step 3. Drill The Jamb And Door Edge: With the nail mark as an indicator, drill a 5/8- inch- deep hole for the strike or a 1- inch spade bit. In the door edge, use the pilot hole to guide a 1- inch spade and drill through to the large hole where the cylinder will sit.

Step 4. Chisel The Jamb And Door Edge: Hold the latchet assembly up to the door edge and score its outline deeply with utility knife. Do the same for the strike plate on the doorjamb. then score the wood to be removed at 1/4- inch intervals with a chisel, removing enough wood so the strike box sits flush with the door edge and the strike plate sits flush with the doorjamb.

Callistus Amadi is a home improvement consultant. He provides do-it-yourself home improvement tips at http://diyhomeimprovementtips.com/

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Oct 18 2009

Glass Doorknobs – The Perfect Finishing Touch To Your Space

Published by Orlando Designer under Doors

You want to really cap off the look of your home because for some reason, you just feel like something is missing. Well, there is actually a pretty easy way to put a nice decorative finishing touch on your space and that is with glass doorknobs. They have a lovely appearance and will be sure to make an eye-catching statement.

With glass doorknobs, you might not think it, but there are actually a lot of eye-catching options to choose from. For example, you can get one that has a smooth round shape, another one that has a rosette shape to it, and there is even one that has a unique swirling type design. Along with the different shapes, they can come in different colors as well to simple clear ones, vibrant red colored ones, and many others including ones that are lavender, green, and even pink.

Now, if you’re not into glass doorknobs, but still think these fixtures would be a good way to finish off the look of your space, you’re in luck. You see, there are many other material options that they can be crafted from as well. For instance, you can get ones made from different types of metal that have many eye-catching finishes. Like, you can get one that is crafted out of bronze that has an oil rubbed finish or you can get one made from steel that has a brushed, even polished finish. Along with the metal, you can also get ones made from wood, others made from hard plastic, and there are even ones that are crafted out of porcelain that are adorned with beautiful hand painted designs.

To easily check out all the ones that you can get, along with the other choices as well, forget about making a trip to the local hardware store. Instead, just jump on the Internet and do some comparison shopping. You can breeze through all the online stores and their selections in no time at all. Plus, when you do come across something you like, it generally is at the best prices possible and it will get shipped right to your home. Shopping has never been so easy because you don’t even have to leave your home to do it.

One of the main things to keep in mind with glass doorknobs is the fact they are best for using inside your home, like on a closet door or bedroom door. You see, they are sturdy, but not sturdy enough to withstand the outdoor elements. So, if they are left outside, they will most likely break causing a big mess and you could even hurt yourself by cutting yourself on the glass. Therefore, as a rule of thumb, just use for inside your home.

So, if you want a decorative way to finish off the look of your space, a great way to do it is with glass doorknobs. They have a gorgeous appearance and are a sure fire way to give your space a lovely, completed appearance.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of different niche online stores that offer wonderful specialty items. Here, she offers advice on how to make your home more appealing to the eye with beautiful antique doorknobs, grand glass door knobs, and rich glass doorknobs.

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Oct 17 2009

Sliding Door System – Back To Basics

Published by Orlando Designer under Doors

Due to the traditional options of doors to which most people are exposed to, too few people elect for a sliding door system. However, when talking about this system of doors, the first question that may come to your mind is “what is a sliding door” due to unfamiliarity of the subject?

The sliding doors system is not really a new concept, however it is innovative. The Roman houses, specifically in the buried city of Pompeii in Italy, have evidently made use of the system as their main choice of doors. These are usually suspended or mounted on columns or panels of stone construction. So instead of its earlier counterparts, which are by the way made of large boulders of rocks that move sideways, the Romans have innovated a type of door that works in similar fashion although a mounting was used to guide the door into a specific direction – more like digging a straight canal into the underlying construction as a guide for direction.

Contemporary systems, however, are more sophisticated. Using wood, metal or vinyl tracks, the doors are now fitted to a frame allowing the rolling or sliding motion at the top and the bottom of the track. Usually, rollers are used for ease of movement. These could be adjusted for ease of use. In most cases, the rollers are connected on both the top and bottom areas of the track but there are systems that make use only of the bottom part of the track due to structural concerns.

For example, heavier doors as a rule glide on rollers attached to the bottom track while lighter doors are hung from the top.

To secure the doors, a number of catches are used. The type to be used in a specific system depends largely on the manufacturer and the material utilized for the construction.

The most common type of material used for modern system is wood. In the past decades however, aluminum sliders were common. But due to their stark appearance and other infamous qualities, the popularity of these doors has declined. Nonetheless, they remain as a staple in the market.

The sliding door system has evolved from primitive to modern. With the continuous development in the home building industries, the system is expected to meet newer versions that would break the ordinary image of doors. The newest developments, in fact, include those types that are no longer dominated by single-panel doors.

For tips on choosing sliding doors, visit http://www.slidingdoors101.com

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