Interior Plastic Doors: Varieties, Device, Components, Installation And Operation Features

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Plastic interior doors: varieties, their design features, installation and operation rules

Along with wooden interior doors, plastic ones are also on sale today. Like any other product, they have both advantages and disadvantages. This and much more about plastic doors will be discussed below.

Content

• 1 Arrangement of plastic interior doors
• 2 Where are interior plastic doors used?

• 3 Varieties of plastic doors

  • 3.1 Number of cameras in a profile
  • 3.2 Type of filling
  • 3.3 Form

  • 3.4 Method of opening

    • 3.4.1 Swing
    • 3.4.2 Swivel
    • 3.4.3 Sliding (sliding)
  • 3.5 Number of leaves

• 4 Manufacturing of plastic doors

  4.1 Video: production of glass composite windows and doors

• 5 Installation and operation of plastic interior doors

  • 5.1 Video: installing a plastic interior door
  • 5.2 Operating rules

• 6 Components for interior plastic doors

  • 6.1 Hinges
  • 6.2 Locks and latches
  • 6.3 Latches
  • 6.4 Handles
  • 6.5 Closers
  • 6.6 Limiters
  • 6.7 Eyes

Arrangement of plastic interior doors

In the construction of a plastic, more precisely, a metal-plastic door, like a wooden one, there is a frame and a door leaf. The latter consists of a frame and filling. The frame and door frame are made of galvanized steel profile, enclosed in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheath.

PVC door device diagram: 1 - door frame; 2 - canvas; 3 - hinge; 4 - glazing; 5 - opaque filling

Glass or a plastic "sandwich" consisting of two PVC sheets and a polyurethane foam layer between them is used as filling in the canvas

The door is decorated in two ways:

• staining;

• lamination: a film is soldered, the pattern on which imitates the surface of a tree.

  

  A laminated plastic door is visually no different from a wooden one

Plastic interior doors have the following advantages:

1. Resistance to changes in temperature and humidity conditions. At any value of relative humidity, the plastic door will not crack or swell like a wooden one.
2. Moisture resistance. All the elements that make up the plastic door do not rot or corrode, so they are not afraid of contact with water.
3. Simplicity of care. Moisture resistance, coupled with the inherent smoothness of plastic, allows you to clean plastic doors from dirt.
4. Impact resistance. PVC is plastic, therefore, when struck, pieces do not break off from it, like from wood.
5. Light weight. A blind plastic door of standard dimensions with fittings weighs 4–5 kg, while a wooden one with the same parameters weighs from 25 to 40 kg.

There are also disadvantages:

1. Plastic is soft and easy to scratch.
2. PVC door loses its attractive appearance over time - due to scratches and natural aging of plastic.
3. PVC, like all polymers, burns with abundant formation of toxic smoke. Various fire-fighting additives only slightly delay the ignition, while not even ignited plastic from the effect of high temperature still smokes.
4. PVC is gas, that is, it emits harmful gaseous substances - vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate. At room temperature, the concentration of vapors is much lower than the maximum permissible, but under heating conditions, it increases sharply.
5. Due to the design features, the threshold is a mandatory element.

Where are interior plastic doors used?

PVC doors with their cold unnatural shine do not fit into the living space: wooden doors are more appropriate here. The exception is bathrooms with their inherent high humidity.

But for public buildings such as hospitals, offices, various institutions, plastic doors are an excellent solution. Even in places with high traffic, the product is easy to keep clean, due to its plasticity, it can withstand frequent openings and accidental impacts without problems. Plastic doors are indispensable in rooms with high humidity - swimming pools, baths, saunas.

Plastic doors can be installed between the dressing room and the washing room, the rest room - the exception is the entrance to the steam room

Only they cannot be installed directly in the steam room - as mentioned above, thermal decomposition occurs in PVC when heated, accompanied by the release of harmful gases

Varieties of plastic doors

Metal-plastic doors are divided into several types according to the following design features:

• the number of cameras;
• type of filling;
• form;
• opening method;
• the number of flaps.

Number of cameras in a profile

The aluminum profile in the box and the sash frame is divided by longitudinal partitions into several chambers. The more there are, the higher the noise absorption coefficient at the door. But the cost of the product also increases. Experience shows that a profile with 3 to 4 cameras is optimal.

In inexpensive plastic doors, single or double-glazed windows are installed

With a larger number of them, there is a significant rise in the price of the product, and sound insulation increases very little.

Filling type

Plastic doors can be:

1. Deaf. The frame contains only the opaque plastic sandwich mentioned above.

   

   It is advisable to install blind plastic doors at the entrance to the bathroom

2. Glazed. Fully or partially filled with glass or double-glazed windows.

   

   Translucent filling can be simple and decorative

Along with ordinary glasses, safe varieties are used:

• triplex: double-layer glass with a polymer film inside, which keeps the fragments in place when cracking;
• hardened: does not break into large, but into small fragments with blunt edges.

The safest doors are equipped with transparent polycarbonate instead of glass. But such an insert becomes cloudy over time and is easily scratched.

The form

Metal-plastic doors are made in two versions:

• rectangular;

  

  Rectangular plastic interior doors can have different glazing areas

• arched.

  

  The arched door can only be installed in rooms with high ceilings

Opening method

On this basis, PVC doors are divided into:

swing;

swivel;

sliding;

folding (accordions)

Swing

The most common option: the canvas is suspended on hinges and rotates around a vertical axis.

The leaf of the swing door with a rebate in the closed state rests against the ledge of the box

There are two subspecies:

1. Rebated doors. When closing, the canvas rests on the protrusion of the box (porch), that is, it opens only in one direction.

2. Pendulum. The porch is absent, and the canvas is suspended on special hinges that allow it to be opened in both directions.

   

   The swing door leaf opens in both directions

Pendulum doors are good for the following:

• do not hold back the flow of people, therefore, they are suitable for places with high traffic;
• they can easily be opened by a person with busy hands, which is important for warehouses and shops.

But swing doors, unlike swing doors, do not provide noise and heat insulation.

A common disadvantage of swing doors is that in the open position they block the space near the opening. In small spaces, this can be inconvenient.

Swivel

The canvas also rotates, but the axis of rotation does not pass along the edge of it, but in the center.

The axis of rotation of the pivot door is located in the center of its short side

Advantage: the space next to the opening is not obstructed when the door is opened.

Disadvantages:

• a wide opening is required;
• to bring furniture into the room, the door has to be removed.

Sliding (sliding)

The sliding door leaf moves to the side. To this end, instead of hinges, it is equipped with rollers rolling along guides attached to the floor and ceiling. This method of opening is suitable for small rooms, since it allows you to install, for example, a cabinet or a hanger next to the opening. And if the door goes into a narrow corridor, then when you open it, it will not block it.

Sliding doors are characterized by a low degree of sound and heat insulation, so they are not suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and bathrooms

But the retractable canvases do not close as tightly as the swing ones with the bunk, and therefore do not provide full protection against noise and draft.

Sliding doors are divided into the following types:

1. Embedded. In the opening half the width, a hollow structure (pencil case) is mounted, imitating the continuation of the wall. The guides are installed in the center of the opening, so that when opened, the canvas is hidden in the pencil case. It looks like the door is sliding into the wall. The advantage of this solution: the furniture next to the opening can be installed close to the wall. But the width of the opening needs to be doubled.
2. Outdoor. The guides are mounted outside the opening, so that the canvas moves along the wall. Because of this, nothing can be installed next to the wall from the side of the canvas, but the opening does not have to be expanded.
3. Compartment doors. They consist of two or more canvases, each of which can be opened, while hiding behind an adjacent canvas. Such doors look impressive, but they require a wide opening. The bottom rail is susceptible to dirt and breaks down quickly as users step on it frequently. Because of this, with small sizes of the canvas, they try to limit themselves to installing only the upper guide. The disadvantage of this solution is the shaking of the canvas in the presence of a draft.

4. Folding (accordion doors). The canvas consists of narrow vertical stripes (lamellas), connected to each other by means of loops. The outer lamella is equipped with a roller, so that it can be easily moved to the side by folding the door and opening the opening. An accordion door, like a sliding built-in door, when opened, absolutely does not affect the space near the opening, while for its installation, the opening has to be slightly expanded. But there is a high probability of jamming or breakage (due to the large number of moving joints). A folding door will not protect against drafts and noise.

   

   The accordion door is installed in an extended opening, but during operation it absolutely does not affect the near-opening space

Number of leaves

According to the number of leaves, plastic doors are divided into:

• single-leaf;
• bivalve.

Compartment doors, as mentioned, can also be multi-leaf.

Manufacturing of plastic doors

The list of the main stages of the production process looks like this:

1. Galvanized steel profile and plastic rods are cut into blanks. The profiles for inside and outside doors are different: the first is called the Z-profile, the second - the T-profile. The accepted designations correspond to how the profile looks in the section.

   

   The profiles of plastic doors have a complex configuration, which completely excludes the possibility of their handicraft production with an improvised tool

2. In the blanks, drainage channels are formed by milling.
3. Collect metal-plastic blanks, fixing the PVC profile on the steel one.
4. Holes are milled on the blanks of the canvas and the box for installing the handle, lock and striker.
5. On a mullion machine, the ends of the mullion are milled and then assembled with the help of connecting elements.
6. The workpieces are connected by welding into a canvas frame and a box. The operation is performed on a welding machine.
7. After welding, the profiles are cleaned on a stripping machine.
8. The door sill is assembled by fixing a connector with a gasket on the workpiece. In the design of interior doors, thresholds without a thermal bridge are used.
9. Installed in the door leaf impost.
10. Install the sealing elements of the threshold.
11. Door hinges are installed on the canvas according to the template. Plastic doors are equipped with hinges of a special design - with the ability to adjust the position in 3 directions.
12. A lock and a handle are installed on the canvas.
13. The lock striker is screwed to the box.
14. At the stand, the door structure is assembled and the glass is installed, if any.

It is impossible to make a plastic door at home, even with ready-made steel and PVC profiles, because this requires, as has been shown, complex and expensive equipment.

For the production of plastic doors, special equipment is used

Video: production of glass composite windows and doors

Installation and operation of plastic interior doors

We will consider the installation procedure using an example of a swing structure. Plastic doors are brought from the production site assembled, that is, with the canvas already installed in the box. Only the lock cylinder and the handle are removed, otherwise the door may be damaged during transportation.

Installation is performed in the following order:

1. Special wedges are laid on the floor in the opening and then a door with a threshold is installed on them. Wedges are made from wood on their own or they are bought ready-made - plastic.
2. Having installed the door in a vertical position (roughly), hammer the same wedges into the mounting gap on the top and sides of the box, fixing it. You need to act carefully and with moderate effort, otherwise you can deform the structure or scratch the plastic.
3. Controlling the position of the door with a level or plumb line, it is now precisely set in a strictly vertical position. For this, the wedges are tapped with a rubber mallet.

4. The level may give an error, therefore, the correctness of the installation is also checked in this way: the canvas is opened to 30 ⁰ and released, then the check is repeated for angles of 45 and 60 ⁰. A correctly installed door in each case remains motionless. If, under its own weight, it tends to close or open, then the structure is installed with a deviation from the vertical.

   

   The position of the door is controlled in three positions of the door leaf - 0, 45 and 60 degrees

5. On the inside of the racks of the box, markings are applied and then with a drill for metal, holes are drilled through it for fasteners. The distance between the holes is 150-200 mm.

6. Re-equip a drill or perforator with a drill for concrete and make notches at the ends of the wall through the holes drilled in the box.

   

   Use a concrete drill to drill holes

7. The door is taken out of the opening and a larger concrete drill is drilled in the wall in the places of the serifs, holes for the dowel sleeves.
8. Install the sleeves into the holes.

9. They return the door to its place and screw it to the wall with dowels. The fasteners are screwed down without effort so as not to deform the door frame.

   

   The door frame is screwed to the wall with a screwdriver

10. The protruding parts of the wedges are cut off with a hacksaw.

11. The mounting gap between the box and the wall is filled with mounting foam (polyurethane foam sealant). It is necessary to serve the composition little by little, since when it dries, it greatly increases in volume and develops significant pressure on the door.

    

    The voids formed along the contour of the door frame are filled with polyurethane foam

12. Cut off the dried foam protruding from the gap with a knife.
13. Remove the protective film from the profile.
14. The platbands are screwed on.
15. Install the personal lock and the handle.

Video: installing a plastic interior door

Operating rules

The proper operation of plastic doors means the following:

1. With a frequency of once every six months - a year, the doors are washed with a special compound for plastic surfaces or with soapy water. Aggressive detergents spoil the plastic.
2. Every year, in order to maintain elasticity, the seal is lubricated with silicone oil, after wiping it off. In the absence of such, a composition based on glycerin is suitable, but this option is much worse.
3. Once or twice a year, wipe the fittings with a damp cloth and lubricate the moving elements. In order to evenly distribute the lubricant, the door is opened and closed several times. A special compound is used for lubricating the fittings of plastic windows and doors.
4. When carrying out repair work in the room, the door structure is protected with plastic wrap. If glue or plaster does get on it, they must be quickly removed with detergents and polishes specially designed for PVC processing.

5. If the door closes tightly or, conversely, loosely, as well as in the event of a skew (rubbing over the threshold or post), its position is adjusted by rotating the corresponding screws on the hinges.

   

   Example of adjusting the position of the door leaf

Components for interior plastic doors

Several types of fittings are used in the construction of metal-plastic doors.

Hinges

The door leaf is attached to three hinges: two are attached to the top, one to the bottom.

The hinges consist of two main parts that are attached to the leaf and door frame

The loop consists of the following elements:

• the part attached to the box (contains the fastening pins);
• part attached to the canvas (contains a metal tab);
• distance sleeve (material - Teflon);
• fasteners.

The loop parameters are:

1. Width. Varies from 90 to 110 mm. It is selected in accordance with the width of the profile from which the door is made.
2. Maximum permissible load. The narrowest hinges are rated for 80 kg, the widest for 160 kg.

Hinges for plastic doors are available in a variety of designs and, in addition to the main parameters, may differ:

• material;
• design;
• fastening method;
• the ability to adjust.

Locks and latches

Metal-plastic doors are equipped with mortise locks of the following types:

1. Simple one point lock. Holds the door by pushing one narrow bolt into the strike plate. The locking mechanism is cylindrical, with the possibility of opening with a key on both sides. For interior doors, this is the most common option.

   

   Mechanical locks are most often used for interior doors.

2. Rail multi-point lock. It is used to equip the doors of the storage rooms. Crossbars from 3 to 7 pieces are installed along the entire door height. The most reliable is a burglar-proof hook locking mechanism.
3. Invisible lock. It does not have a keyhole or other external elements. The crossbar is driven by an electrical device using a radio signal from a remote control.

4. Electromagnetic and electromechanical locks. Installed in rooms with increased safety requirements. They are opened by a security guard remotely from a special console, to which they are connected with wires.

   

   Electromagnetic locks can be opened remotely from the control panel

The most reliable are locks with a body made of special high-strength steel, subjected to high-temperature treatment (hardened).

Latches

If the lock is not needed, a latch is installed instead. Products of two types are used:

• mechanical: equipped with a spring-loaded ball or cylinder that enters the strike plate when closed;
• magnetic.

Mechanical latches are available with the ability to lock: to do this, you need to turn a small knob on one side. If there are children in the house, you should buy a model with a slot on the back, inserting a coin or other thin object into which the latch can be unlocked. This is important because small children sometimes turn the handle of the lock out of curiosity, but then cannot figure out how to open it again.

Pens

The following types of handles are installed on plastic doors:

1. Staple handles. The easiest option. A door with such a handle is equipped with a latch.

2. Swivel handle. The latch is already in the structure and to open it, the handle must be turned. There may be a bollard that can be operated by turning a small handle or key (a cylinder locking mechanism is installed).

   

   Staple handles are rarely installed on interior doors.

There are two types of rotary knobs:

1. Press. They look like a horizontal lever, which must be pressed to open the door. This can be easily done even with busy hands, therefore, plastic interior doors are equipped with push fittings most often. The disadvantage is that you can catch on clothes.

   

   Handles in the form of a lever located horizontally, convenient to operate

2. Knobe handles. Products in the form of a ball or cone. It is impossible to catch on such a handle, but it is more difficult to open it, since this requires grasping the handle with your hand. Because of this, they are predominantly installed on doors that open relatively rarely.

   

   Knobe handle can be equipped with a lock

Of the rotary handles, the most reliable are those in which both parts, in addition to being attached to the canvas, are also pulled together by a steel link. If this part is missing or forgotten to install, the handle may soon become loose.

Handles are made of aluminum, various alloys with its participation, including zinc-aluminum-copper (TsAM alloy), and brass. The last option is the most reliable.

Closers

Closer - a mechanism for automatically closing the door. The spring in it, when the door is opened, is compressed and then, unclenching, returns the canvas to the closed position. Closing is smooth as the spring has to overcome the resistance of the high viscosity oil.

Closers are not installed on interior doors in residential buildings, but they are necessary for office premises

Also in the design of the closer there is a stopper for fixing the door in the open position.

By the method of installation, closers are divided into the following types:

1. Upper. Installed next to the door and connected to it with a knee or slide mechanism. In the first case, the door in the open state is fixed with locking levers, in the second - with a spring-loaded stopper.
2. Lower. Installed in the floor under the door and simultaneously play the role of additional support. There are two protrusions for fixing the door on the axle: for pivoting at 90 and 105 degrees.
3. Hidden. The mechanism for locking the door in the open position is the same as for the lower door closers.

According to their purpose, door closers are divided into 7 classes - from EN1 to EN7 (according to the European Union standard). The class is selected taking into account the mass of the door leaf, while EN1 corresponds to the lightest.

Limiters

This part is screwed to the floor and serves to prevent the door from hitting the wall when opening. Different models differ only in design.

Eyes

The peephole is selected according to the following parameters:

1. Length. Must match the thickness of the door.
2. Viewing angle. It is desirable that it be at least 120 ⁰.

3. Light-transmitting element material. Glass and a special type of plastic are used - dacryl (transparent polymethyl methacrylate). Glass is preferable because it does not cloud over time and, due to its high hardness, is not easily scratched.

   

   The peephole is usually installed in the interior doors of offices.

Plastic interior doors have many strengths, so you should get to know them better. We hope this article helped the reader with this. It remains to find a bona fide manufacturer and place an order based on our recommendations.