Reference
Door & trim, defined.
The terms on a door schedule, in plain English.
- Astragal
- The molding on a pair of doors that covers the gap where they meet.
- Backset
- The distance from the door edge to the center of the bore — typically 2-3/8" or 2-3/4".
- Baluster (spindle)
- The vertical members between a stair rail and the treads or base rail.
- Barn door
- A surface-mounted sliding door on exposed track hardware — a design feature as much as a door.
- Baseboard (base)
- Trim running along the bottom of a wall where it meets the floor.
- Bore
- The drilled holes in a door for the latch and handle.
- Casing
- The trim that frames a door or window opening, covering the gap between the jamb and the wall.
- Crown molding
- Decorative trim at the top of a wall where it meets the ceiling.
- Door schedule
- A plan-set table specifying each opening's size, type, hardware, and finish.
- French door
- A pair of glazed doors that swing — used for patios and room dividers.
- Handing
- Which way a door swings (left-hand vs right-hand), determined facing the door from the outside/secure side.
- Hollow core
- An interior door with a light internal grid — economical, common in production builds.
- Jamb
- The frame that surrounds and supports a door — the two side jambs and the head jamb.
- Lite
- A pane of glass in a door or window. '1-lite,' '15-lite,' etc. count the panes.
- MDF
- Medium-density fiberboard — a smooth, stable engineered material used for doors and trim that paints cleanly.
- Multi-slide
- Large sliding glass door units that stack or pocket away to open a wall to the outdoors.
- Newel post
- The main post that anchors a stair railing at the bottom, top, or turns.
- Pocket door
- A door that slides into a wall cavity instead of swinging — saves floor space.
- Prehung door
- A door already mounted in its frame (jambs) with hinges set — ready to set into a rough opening, versus a bare slab.
- SDL
- Simulated Divided Lite — muntin bars applied to a single pane to mimic true divided lites without the cost.
- Shaker
- A clean, recessed flat-panel door style — the most-specified look in transitional and modern-farmhouse homes.
- Shoe molding
- A thin, flexible molding at the base of baseboard that covers the floor gap.
- Sidelite
- A narrow vertical window beside an entry door, often glazed to match.
- Slab
- The door panel by itself, with no frame or hardware. Sold for retrofits or shop prehanging.
- Solid core
- An interior door with a dense core — heavier, quieter, more substantial feel; common in semi-custom and custom.
- Stile & rail
- The vertical (stile) and horizontal (rail) members that frame a panel door.
- Takeoff
- A counted list of the doors, trim, and hardware a plan set requires — the basis for a bid.
- Threshold / sill
- The bottom member of an exterior door frame that seals against water and air.
- Transom
- A window above a door, fixed or operable — adds light and height to an entry.
- Tread & riser
- The horizontal surface you step on (tread) and the vertical face between steps (riser).