Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/464

 374 Sloan's Architectural Review and Builders' Journal. [Dec. Door (derived from the Saxon word dor, the Gate of a House, or the passage into an Edifice) ; and will briefly describe the construction of doors, as well as the preparation of the aperture or opening, that in outer walls is formed by the mason or bricklayer, wherein is the door by which the entrance is to be secured ; together with the matters ap- pertaining to the carpenter's depart- ment. The proportion of the aperture must always be in accordance with the size and intention of the building, and should receive every consideration, since it is, in every instance, the principal feature of the edifice. As a general rule, the ratio is one to two for large doors, and three to seven for those of less size. In Public Buildings where great con- courses of company collect, the entrance doors should be of much greater width, than are those for ordinary dwellings. In the latter case, when they are in sin- gle leaf, thejr should not be less than double the width. Yitruvius, in his fourth book, prescribes rules for Attic, Ionic, and Doric doors, all of which have the apertures of the doors wider at the bottom/than at the top. Examples of this shape may yet be seen in the ruins of Pallas Minerva, at Athens, as well as at the Temple of Testa, at Tivoli, and in other Greek and Roman remains. These doors possess the advantage of shutting themselves, to which they prob- ably owe their invention. They might be conveniently adopted in modern houses; as the}'' rise in opening and will clear the carpet ; and, when shut, they go clear down to the floor. In the principal rooms, throughout the interior of a building, the doors should be placed at least two feet from the return of the wall, so as to admit of furniture being placed close up in the corner. The heads of the doors should always range with those of the windows. Vestibule doors are in all cases intro- duced into good houses. They are set back from the entrance doors, as far as circumstances will permit, without en- croaching on the entrance to the rooms. They are, as a general rule, finished off in equal style to the front doors ; and are usually made with glass panels above the lock-rail. Nothing can be more elegant than this inner or vesti- bule door finish, when carried out in a style commensurate with the general finish of the house on the inside. It is more subject to critical examination, probably, than any other part of the building ; for the reason, that a person whilst awaiting admittance is apt to give attention to this little entrance-chamber, called the vestibule, and make up his mind, as to the taste of the whole composition, from this one small speci- men. The material of which vestibule-doors are composed should be some superior class of wood, such, for instance, as black walnut, rosewood and black-oak, for designs of a sombre composition such as Gothic ; and beech, and curled or bird-eye maple, for light styles, such as Italian, French, &c. Too much attention cannot be given to the subject of the selection of the pieces to be used in framing. The heart of the wood of the side-piece should inva- riably be on the outside. The reason is simply this : The shrinkage is always towards the heart; and therefore, if the opposite side be framed into it, the injury from shrinkage is avoided. This will be found true in all cases ; and-the ob- servance of so very simple a remedy may save many an otherwise good piece of work from the fearful effects of shrink- age. The joinery of the interior finish of some of the best buildings in New York, is a sad example of the effects of shrinkage.