Glossary of Terms

• UPVC - unplasticicised poly vinyl chloride (or vinyl)
• Composite - PVC, Wood & GRP combined
• GRP - glass reinforced plastic (Fiberglass) similar to car bumpers
• Profile - the design of the frames (thickness etc)
• Air Gap - the distance between the panes of glass in a double glazed window (from 6mm to over 20mm). The wider the more energy efficient.
• Threshold - the bottom of the door (raised or flush)
• Furniture - handles, letter boxes etc.
• Low-emissivity (low-e) - metal oxide coated energy efficient glass
• Gas filled units - some double glazed unit air gaps can be filled with an inert gas (such as Argon) to help improve energy efficiency
• Solar Gain - usually mentioned when the glazing can keep you warm in winter, cool in summer.
• Safety Glass - usually heat treated & tempered to break safely into very small pieces. Should always be used for glazing that reaches ground level.
• Head - the top of the door

Glossary of Terms

• Standard door size - 6 feet 6 inches high x 2 foot 6 inches wide (1981 x 762mm)
• Non-standard is usually just wider not higher (2 ft 9 ins wide or 838mm)
• NFR - non fire rated door
• FD - fire rated door (FD30 last 30 mins / FD60 last 60 mins)
• Beading (beads) - these are the flitting that hold in the door panels or glazing (used to be putty in old wooden windows)
• Core - the internal materials for the door itself
• Handing - for a pair of doors it refers to which door opens first
• Lights - the glass. Example = top light is a glazed panel at the top of the doors
• Veneer - a very thin layer of material that is the surface finish
• Wood grain - a surface finish that mimics the appearance and feel of real wood
• Side Panel - an additional panel used for oversize openings
• Door Jamb - the vertical sides of the door frames