SDI
TECHNICAL DATA SERIES
106 - 99
Recommended
Standard Door Type
Nomenclature
STEEL DOOR INSTITUTE
30200 DETROIT ROAD - CLEVELAND, OHIO 44145
SDI 106
Recommended
Standard Door Design Nomenclature
Introduction
It is the intent of this document to furnish the general outlines to greatly simplify the architectural drawing takeoff
process and avoid confusion and errors that result from misinterpretations. Compliance with the local and na-
tional codes is the responsibility of the specifier.
Explanatory notes
Flush door (Design F) Doors with lites are designed to accept glazing mate-
The term “flush,” when used to describe a door type, rial of various thicknesses.
refers to a door without lites or louvers. In accordance with ANSI/ICC A117.1, doors contain-
ing one or more glazing panels shall have the bottom
Full flush door of at least one glass panel a maximum of 43" from the
Features no visible seams on the surface of the faces. finished floor.
Full height vertical seams are visible on door edges.
Full glass doors (Designs FG and FG3)
Seamless door A maximum 7" rail and stile occur at the top and at the
Features no visible seams either on the face or along vertical edges of this door. An 8" minimum rail occurs
the vertical edges of the door. at the bottom.
Stile and rail or stile and panel door To comply with ANSI/ICC A117.1 specification, the bot-
tom rail shall be specified as minimum 10” measured
Stile and rail are either mitered or butted. Mitered joints
vertically from the floor and shall be a smooth surface
are welded and ground smooth, such that no miter
on the push side extending the full width of the door.
joints appear on the door faces. Butted joint seams
Muntins are normally used to create the multiple lite
shall remain visible. The panels are interlocked with
FG3 unit, although a 5"-51/2" welded-in rail is stan-
stiles and rails and they may be flush or recessed with
dard with some door manufacturers. Consult individual
perimeter surfaces.
manufacturer’s literature for their design variations.
Embossed door (Design E)
Narrow lite door (Design N)
Full flush or seamless door featuring door faces fabri-
The glass cutout in these doors occurs near the lock
cated of embossed steel.
stile. The width of the lite shall be a minimum of 3"
and the height varies between 10" and 60". Consult
Textured door (Design T) the individual manufacturer’s literature for the narrow
Full flush or seamless door featuring door faces fabri- lite standard specification in their program.
cated of various patterns of textured steel, i.e., leather
or wood grain. Vision lite door (Design V)
The industry standard is a 10" x 10" lite on the vertical
Textured Embossed Door (Design TE) centerline of the door. The horizontal centerline of the
Full flush or seamless door featuring door faces fabri- lite will vary from 60" to 66" from the finished floor.
cated of various patters of textured embossed steel. Consult the individual manufacturer’s literature for
details. The “V” door does not comply with ANSI/ICC
Half glass doors (Designs G, G2, G3, G4 and G6) A117.1. To satisfy this requirement a narrow lite (N)
The size and location from the finished floor to the shall be used.
glazed opening will vary with the manufacturer. Their
literature should be consulted to determine this infor- Louvered door (Designs L and LL)
mation as well as recommended glass sizes. Multiple As indicated by the asterisk note, there are a number
lite patterns are created by the installation of muntins. of louvers and grilles available. The choice of which
1
one to use must be determined by the architect on to avoid specifying too long a narrow lite when a lou-
aesthetic, functional and economic grounds as well ver or grille occurs in the bottom of the same unit.
as fire protection. There may be a possible area of interference.
A louver is an opening in the door with a series of Dutch door (Design D)
slats or blades to allow passage of air. Generally, lou-
Unless specified otherwise, the dutch door is furnished
vers are prefabricated by welding or tenoning the
without a shelf. This accessory is available, however,
blades to the moulding frame. This louver frame is
from all manufacturers. The shelf height may vary from
inserted into the opening in the door prepare to re-
36" to 42" from the finished floor. Consult the indi-
ceive the louver. Fusible link louvers are used to con-
vidual manufacturer’s literature if this is critical.
trol passage of flames and heat. These are inserted
into fire rated doors. Consult individual manufacturer’s To comply with ANSI/ICC A117.1, the shelf height shall
literature for details. be 36" maximum from the finished floor.
Full louvered door (Design FL) Reference documents
The rail sizes noted on full glass doors also apply to SDI 100/ANSI A250.8: “Recommended Specifications
this door. The percentages of free area of inserted for Standard Steel Doors and Frames”
louvers are as noted above. Pierced louvers are not SDI 111C: “Recommended Louver Detailed for Stan-
available on full louvered doors. dard Steel Doors”
Glass-louvered door (Design VL, GL, G2L, G3L ANSI/ICC A117.1-1998: “Nomenclature for Standard
and NL) Steel Doors and Frames”
As indicated, a combination of glass lites and louvers ANSI A250.7: “Nomenclature for Standard Steel
are common in metal door work. Care should be taken Doors and Steel Frames”
Steel Door Institute
Standard Door Design Nomenclature
F T E TE L* LL* V VL* N NL* GL*
G G2 G2L* G3 G3L* G4 G6 FG FG3 FL D
* Add suffix I to indicate inserted louver
Add suffix P to indicate pierced louver
Add suffix A to indicate air condition grille
