ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF BHUTAN

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PHUNTSHOLING: BHUTAN

Chapter: DOORS, WINDOWS and VERTICAL

CIRCULATION
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 DOORS
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 Doors may be defined as an openable barrier secured

in a wall opening. It is provided to give an access to
inside of a room.
 It consists of two parts:-
1. Door frame
2. Door shutter

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 WINDOWS
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 A WINDOW is also a vented barrier secured in a

wall opening. The function of the window is to
admit light and air to the building and to give a view
to the outside.

 WINDOW consists of two parts:-

1. Window frame
2. Window shutter

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 Following points should be kept in mind while

locating doors and windows:
 The number of door should be kept minimum.
 A door should preferably be located near the corner
of the room.
 If there are two doors, it should be preferably located
in opposite wall facing each other.
 The size of window depends on factors.
 The window should be placed opposite to each other
or a door to achieve cross-ventilation.
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 Technical terms:
1. Frame:
2. Shutters:
3. Head:
4. Sill:
5. Style:
6. Top rail:
7. Lock rail:
8. Bottom rail:
9. Panel
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 Technical terms:
10. Intermediate rail: Additional horizontal rails, fixed
between the top and bottom rails. A rail fixed between
top rail and lock rail is known as frieze rail.
11. Panel: The area of a shutter enclosed between the
adjacent rails.
12. Mullion: Vertical member of a frame usually used in
windows to sub-divide it vertically.
13. Transom: Horizontal members of a window to sub-
divide windows horizontally.
14. Holdfast: Mild steel flats used to fix the frame to the
opening.
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15. Rebate: Depression made to receive the door shutter.

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 Size of doors:
• The size of door should be such that it would allow the
movement of the largest object.
• The height of the door should not be less than 1.8m to
2m.
• The width of the door should be such that, two person
can walk through shoulder to shoulder.
• Doors of residential building:
• External door: (1mx2m) to (1.1mx2m)
• Internal door: (0.9mx2m) to (1mx2m)
• Bathroom door: (0.7mx2m) to (0.8mx2m)
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 Size of doors:
• Public buildings:
• 1.2mx2m….
 Door Frame: Are assembly or horizontal and vertical
member forming an enclosure, to which door shutters are
fixed.
• Can be of following materials:
• Timber
• Steel
• Aluminum
• Concrete
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• Stone
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Timber 05/13/2023
Steel Concrete
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Types of doors
1. Battened and ledged door
• These doors consist of vertical
boards called battens which are
nailed or screwed to the horizontal
members, called ledges . Suitable
for narrow openings.

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 Types of doors
2. Battened, ledged and braced
door
• This is a ledged and battened
door to which braces have been
added to prevent sagging and
provide rigidity.
• Braces are kept inclined thus
can be used for wider opening.

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3. Battened, ledged and framed door

• Is similar to batten ledged door, except a frame work is
given to the shutter.
4. Battened, ledged, braced and framed door
• A frame work is given to the shutter of battened, ledged
and braced door.

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5. Framed and paneled door

• These doors consist of a frame
made up of a top rail, a bottom
rail and sometimes an
intermediate rail into this
framework a
plywood/timber/block wood
panel is fitted. This panel may fit
into a groove or a rebate.

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 Home work
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Q. write down salient features of framed and paneled doors.

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5. Glazed or sash door

• These are provided where the
visibility of the interior of the
room is required.

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6. Flush door
• Are used in both residential as
well as public and commercial
buildings.
• Consists of a core covered by ply
or veneers on both the sides.
• Are of two types:
i. Solid core flush door or
laminated core flush door
ii. Hollow or cellular core flush
door.
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7. Louvered door
• These permit free ventilation through
them and at the same time maintain
the privacy of the room.
• Used in bathrooms, latrines, etc.
• Permits dust.
• Louvers are inclined in such an angle
that vision is obstructed while it
permits free passage of air.
• Louvers can either fixed or movable.
In the case of movable, a vertical 05/13/2023

piece is provided.
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8. Wire-gauged door
• This type of door is provided to
check the entry of flies,
mosquitoes and insects.
• Wire mesh is provided instead of
wooden panels hence permits
free ventilation.
• Consists of wooden frame work
and galvanized wire mesh.

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9. Revolving door
• Such doors are provided in public
buildings.
• Provides entrance from one side and
exit from the other.
• Used in commercial and public
buildings and also in air-conditioned
building.
• Vertical members are supported on
ball bearings and brush bearing at the
top, so that the door rotates without 05/13/2023

jerk, friction or noise.

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10. Sliding door
• The shutter slides on the sides with
the help of runners and guide rails.
• Space benefit

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11. Swing door

• The leaf are attached to the
door frame by means of special
double action spring hinge, so
that the shutter can move both
inward and outward.
• Generally, the doors are not
rebated at the meeting of styles.

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12. Collapsible steel door

• Such doors are used in
workshops, sheds, public
buildings, etc.
• Acts like a steel curtain which
can be opened and closed
horizontally.
• Is provided in residential
buildings when the opening is
large.
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13. Rolling steel shutter door
• Used for garages, shops, etc.
• Consists of a frame, a drum and a
shutter of thin steel plates.
• The door is raised to open it and
lowered to close it.
• It provides protection against wind
and rain.
• Are of two types:
• Pull-push type shutter
• Mechanical gear type shutter
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14. Mild steel sheet door

• Mainly provided in godowns,
workshop, public windows and
etc. It is quite strong.
• Consists of door frame and
shutter frame.
• Mild steel of required size is
then welded to the shutter
frame.

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15. Corrugated steel sheet door

• Exactly same as the above type,
except that corrugated steel
sheets are welded to shutter
frame instead.
• Corrugated sheets are made of
galvanized iron.

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28 Just for fun: what kind of door is this?

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 DOORS and WINDOWS
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Consists of two parts:
i. Frame
ii. Shutter/ Sash
The selection of size, shape, location and number of window in a room
depends upon following factors:
i. size of the room
ii. Location of room
iii. Utility of room
iv. Direction of wall
v. Direction of wind
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vi. Architectural requirements and climatic condition

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Based on the above factors, the following thumb rules are used:
1. Breadth of window= 1/8x(width of room+ height of room)
2. Total area of window-openings should normally vary from 10-
20% of the floor area of the room, depending upon the climatic
condition.
3. The area of window should at least be one square meter for
every 30-40 cubic meter of inside content of the room.
4. In public building, the minimum area of windows should be
20% of the floor area.
5. For sufficient natural light, the area of glazed panels should
atleast be 8-10% of the floor area. 05/13/2023
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Types of window:
1. Fixed window:
• A window that cannot be opened,
whose function is limited to
allowing light to enter.
• This type of window is used in
situations where light or vision
alone is needed.

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2. Pivoted window:
• A window having a section which
is pivoted near the center so that the
window shutter can swing freely.
• The shutter can swing either
vertically or horizontally.

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3. Double hung window:

• Consists of a frame and a pair of
shutters which are arranged one
above the other.
• The bottom sash moves in upward
direction thus opening the bottom
shutter and the upper sash moves in
downward direction, thus opening
the lower shutter.

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4. Sliding window:
• These are similar to sliding door.
• The shutter moves either
horizontally or vertically on small
roller bearings.
• Suitable openings or grooves are
left in the frame or wall to
accommodate the shutters when
they are opened.

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5. Casement window:
• These are commonly provided, the
shutters open like the door shutters.
• The frames are rebated to receive
the shutters.
• Consists of styles, top rail, bottom
rail and intermediate rail.
• Panels can be either glazed,
unglazed and partly glazed.
• If with double shutters, the outer
shutter can be wire gauged. 05/13/2023
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6. Sash or Glazed window

• It is a type of casement window in
which the panels are fully glazed.
• Consists of styles, top rail and
bottom rail. The space is divided by
sash bars or glazing bars.
• These are rebated to receive glass
pane and are fixed by means of
putty or timber beads also known
as glazing beads.
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7. Louvered window
• Theses are similar to louvered door.
• These are provided for ventilation
and do not permit vision.
• Consists of styles, top and bottom
rail and are grooved to receive the
louvers.
• Economical inclination is 45°

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8. Metal window
• Are made of mild steel and other
metals, such as aluminum, bronze,
etc.
• The commonly used sections are
angle sections, T section and
channel section.
• Steel windows can be directly fixed
to the masonry opening or fitted
into wooden frame which is already
fixed in the opening. 05/13/2023

• It is economical
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9. Bay window
• Windows which are projecting
from the outside wall.
• With at least three panel set at
different angles.
• Give better appearance to the
building.

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10. Dormer window

• Window provided on the sloping
roof.
• Provided for ventilation and
lighting to the enclosed space
below the roof.
• Improves the appearance of the
building.

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11. Corner window

• Special type of window provided at
the corner of a room.
• It has two faces which is
perpendicular to each other.
• It is aesthetically pleasing.
• Special type of lintel is provided
over the window opening.

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12. Gable window

• Is a vertical window provided in the gable end of a pitched roof.

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13. Lantern window

• Provided over a flat roof to
provide more light and
ventilation to the inner
apartment.
• Window projects from the
roof level.

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14. Sky light window

• Provided on a sloping roof to
admit light.
• The window runs parallel to
the sloping surface.
• Surrounding of the opening
is made water-proof.

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• A stair is a set of steps leading from one floor to the other.

• The room or enclosure of the building, in which stair is located is
known as stair-case.
• In domestic building, the stairs should be centrally located to
provide easy access to all the rooms.
• In public building, stairs should be located near the entrance.
• Staircase must be enclosed by fire resisting walls, floors, ceilings
and doors.
• The stair must be designed to carry certain loads.

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Some technical terms used:
1. Step: The portion of stair which permits ascent and descent. It is
composted of tread and riser.
2. Tread: The upper horizontal portion of a step upon which the foot
is placed.
3. Riser: It is the vertical portion of a step providing a support to the
tread.
4. Flight: The unbroken series of steps between landings.
5. Landing : The vertical platform at the top and bottom of a flight
between the floors. It facilitates change of direction and
opportunity for taking rest during the use of stair. 05/13/2023
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6. Rise: The vertical distance between two successive tread faces.
7. Going: It is the horizontal distance between two successive riser
faces.
8. Nosing: It is the projection part of the tread beyond the face of the
riser.
9. Scotia: Is a moulding provided under the nosing to provide
strength to nosing.
10. Soffit: Is the underside of stair.
11. Line of nosings: It is an imaginary line parallel to the string and
tangential to nosings.
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12. Pitch or slope: It is the angle which the line of nosing of the stair
makes with the horizontal.
13. Strings or stringers: These are the sloping members of a stair.
14. Newel post: Are vertical member placed at the ends of flights to
connect the ends of strings and hand rail.
15. Baluster: Vertical member of wood or metal, supporting the hand
rail.
16. Balustrade: Consists of a row of balusters surmounted by a hand
rail, to provide protection for the users.
17. Hand rail: Are wood or metal members fixed on the top of
balusters. 05/13/2023
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18. Head room: The minimum clear distance between the tread and
overhead structure (ceiling).
19. Run: Is the total length of stair in horizontal plane, including
landing.

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Requirements of a Good stair
Stair is an important building component which provides
communication between two floors. Therefore, following are the
requirements which must be fulfilled by a good stair:
1. Location: It should be so as to provide easy access to the
occupants of the building. Should also be located that it is well
lighted and ventilated directly from the exterior.
2. Width of stair: It should be wide enough to carry the user without
much inconvenience Width of stairs depends upon the location of
building and type of building.
3. Length of flight: Form comfort view, the number of steps should 05/13/2023

not be more than 12 or less than 3.

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4. Head Room: The clear distance between the tread and soffit of the
flight immediately above it should not be less than 2.1 or 2.3m, so
that even a tall person can use the stair.
5. Balustrade: Open well stair should always be provided with
balusters to provide safety to the users.
6. Step dimensions: The rise and going should be of such dimensions
as to provide comfort to the users. The going should not be less
than 250mm and rise between 100 to 150mm.

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Dimensions of a Step
• For comfortable ascent and descent, the rise and tread of a step
should be well proportioned. Following thumb rules are used:
1. (2x Rise in cm) + (Going in cm)= 60
2. (Rise in cm) + (Going in cm)= 40 to 45
3. (Rise in cm) + (Going in cm)= 400 to 450
4. Adopt rise= 14cm and Going= 30cm or 25cm
• For every 20mm subtraction from going, add 10 mm to the rise.
• Thus other combinations for rise and going would be 15cmx28cm;
16cmx26cm; 17cmx24cm
 Commonly used is residential in Bhutan is 150mmx250mm 05/13/2023
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Classification of Stairs
• Stairs can be classified in two broad heads:
1. Straight stairs
2. Turning stairs
i. Quarter turn stair
ii. Half turn stairs
iii. Three-quarter turn stairs
iv. Bifurcated stairs.

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1. Straight stairs
• This stair runs straight
between the two floors.
• The stair may consist of one
flight or more than one flight
with a landing.

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2. Quarter turn stairs
• The one which changes its
direction either to the left or to the
right.
• Are of two types:
a. Newel quarter turn stairs
• Consists of newel post at the
beginning and at the end of
each flight.
• At the quarter turn, there may
either be quarter space landing
or winders. 05/13/2023
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b. Geometrical quarter turn
stairs
• Hand rail and stringer are
continuous without newel
post at the landing.
3. Half turn stairs
• The direction of the stair
is reversed or changed for
180°.
• Are of three types:

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a. Dog-legged or newel half turn
stair
• Name is given because of its
appearance in sectional
elevation.
• It comes under the category of
newel stairs.
• This may be of two forms:
• Half space landing
• Quarter space landing and
winders.
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b. Open newel half turn stair
• The stair has a space or well
between the outer strings.
• Additional width is required.
between the two flights.
• The space between the two
flight may vary from 150mm
to 1000mm
• When the space is more,
small flight containing two to
four steps can be provided.
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c. Geometrical half turn
stair
• The special feature of
such stairs are that the
stringers and the hand
rails are continuous.

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4. Three quarter turn stairs
• Can be either newel or open
newel type.
• Such stair is used when the
length of the stair is limited
and when the vertical
distance between the two
floors is quite large.

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5. Bifurcated stairs
• This type is used in public
building at their entrance
hall.
• Has a wider flight at bottom
which bifurcates into two
narrower flights, one turning
to the left and the other to the
right. Can be either new type
with newel post or
geometrical type as shown.
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6. Continuous stairs
• The stairs do not have
landing as well as
intermediate newel post.
• Continuous stairs may be
of the following types:
• Circular stair
• Spiral stair
• Helical stairs

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