Since the ancient Egyptians first placed doors in the tombs of Pharaohs, the door has always had the dual purpose of protecting the inside of a structure, and adding to its mystique. The door itself has not changed much over the years. Today, we mount our doors a little differently and have better hardware than the ancients, but the anatomy remains roughly the same.

The framework that surrounds the door is called the frame. Not all doors need a frame, but the frame helps protect the door from warping, and seals any unwanted drafts from coming into the home. It’s important that corners create an airtight seal, so they will be mounted through multiple screws and nails.

The deadbolt reinforcement plate helps prevent break-ins. It is like a shield that gives your door a bit of extra reinforcement to stand up against brute force entry. Some homes even have a multi-locking system that uses some combination of deadbolt locks with chains locks and possibly a bottom lock on the knob too.

The door also has a sill at the base, which is usually there to protect the interior from weather. Often times, contractors will add weather stripping when the door is located in the garage too. This provides an extra bit of closure that seals the gap and keeps the temperature in the home fairly normal. A door sweep is also used sometimes, and both help to keep your home running efficiently.

Today, it’s not uncommon to find doors with decorative glass pieces. The piece is called a transom, and they are available in styles for both above and to the sides of the door. You can also buy doors made of different materials, like wood or metal.

By: ETO Doors has a staff of trained professionals ready to serve. Visit the 300,000 square foot ETO Doors showroom in Los Angeles, or visit ETO Doors reviews online to read testimonials.