What are vestibule doors and what are they for?

Doors are one of the most demanded interior attributes, which are used almost everywhere. They can perform both a decorative and a protective function, protecting against unwanted intrusion. The modern market presents many modifications of such structures, which differ in both price and appearance.

Tambour doors are a kind of classic doors designed for additional protection of a residential building or several apartments in a section. They are installed in several places:

• On the site of an apartment building, where several apartments form a vestibule-type floor. Technically, this is a small section of living rooms, which is fenced off from the rest by doors.

• Outside. Tambour doors are a great option as entrance doors directly for an apartment building. Today, they are installed at almost every separate entrance in order to complicate penetration into the premises and increase the thermal insulation of the building.

Doors of this type are very popular, so many craftsmen construct such systems with their own hands. The algorithm for the manufacture of such door structures consists of several sequential stages:

• Measurements. To get high-quality entrance doors, you must first know the dimensions of the opening. Based on the data obtained, the parameters of the door leaf and frame are calculated, and then a drawing is created, with all dimensions.

• Frame fabrication. It is formed from steel corners of a certain size. It is important that they are durable and of high quality. In this case, the frame of the door leaf is adjusted to the dimensions of the door frame. The last element is also made from steel corners. At each stage, all dimensions of the workpieces are constantly monitored in order to exclude their inconsistencies.

• Sheathing. When the frame is ready, steel sheets are attached to the door leaf. They are external security elements. If necessary, insulation can be placed inside the door, which is fixed with special adhesives. The outer sheets are welded to the corners to create a strong connection. If the dimensions do not match, then the structure is leveled with a grinder.

• Fastening the hinges. When the canvas and frame are ready, support loops are welded to them. In doing so, careful measurements are also taken to ensure that both systems are consistent. The simplest option is to place the hinges on the outside. Getting internal systems is much more difficult without specific skills and equipment.

• Installation of fittings. This process is final, as it involves inserting the lock. Please note that if several such mechanisms are used, then some of them are mounted at the stage of assembly. This applies to more complex systems that reduce the risk of being hacked.

Tambour doors are a kind of classic door designs.

Therefore, they can be classified according to various criteria.

Depending on the design features of the sash, only two types of products can be distinguished here:

• Lattice. Canvases of this type have small openings that are intended for ventilation of the room. They are often found only in warm regions, where there is no need to protect the room from the cold in winter.
• Deaf. The leaf of such a door is solid and completely closed. In addition to being anti-burglary, they allow you to keep warm inside the house and reduce energy consumption for heating it.

Regardless of the class, doors of this type are very often complemented by a video intercom and an electromechanical lock.

In the manufacture of vestibule structures, they are externally decorated with various overlays. Today, many materials are used for such purposes: from MDF to natural leather. Economy class products are trimmed with fiberboard sheets, which can significantly reduce their cost.

The main characteristic of a vestibule door is its durability and strength. Therefore, in the manufacture of classic and lattice structures in the vestibule, only high-quality materials are used:

• Metal. Often this substance is the main one in the production of vestibule doors. Metal structures perfectly withstand mechanical damage and significant temperature changes. As a basis, manufacturers use cold-rolled steel sheets. The thickness of one layer is at least 2 mm, which gives a large margin of safety.

• Wood. Wooden doors can be used for installation in a vestibule. But such systems are only suitable for indoor use. If they are mounted on the street, then they will quickly collapse under the influence of moisture. At the same time, the strength of wood is much lower than that of metal. To increase this characteristic, manufacturers upholster the frame with iron sheets, as well as aluminum inserts.

Theoretically, plastic structures can also be installed in the vestibule. But they are rare, as they are not suitable for the decoration of premises. Many metal models are not always deaf. Some of them can be complemented by glass, which acts as a decoration. The shape and size of such inserts depends only on the designer and manufacturer of the doors. More expensive models are also decorated using various materials and methods:

• Powder spraying. Special paints are used here, which protect the metal from rapid corrosion, and also give a unique surface design.

• Nitroenamels.

• Laminate and MDF panels. Technically, they are glued to the surface of the door leaf. This allows you to simulate the structure of almost any material. Manufacturers often produce products with a woody texture that goes well with various types of interiors.

• Vinyl leather. This design is present only on doors that are installed inside buildings. This allows not only to decorate them, but also to emphasize the status of the residents of a particular block or section.

Tambour door leafs are constantly being improved, which leads to the appearance of many modifications. Depending on the design features, several types of similar products can be distinguished:

1. Single leaf doors. Manufacturers rarely produce such modifications, since they are only suitable for narrow vestibules with a sash width of no more than 90 cm.
2. Double-leaf model - an excellent solution for a classic vestibule. Doors of this type can be equipped with doors of various sizes. Today, designs are increasingly used in which one canvas has a standard size, and the other half of its width.
3. Doors with transom. This element is located at the top of the opening sash. Very often it is used as a partition. In this case, the transom can be present in both single and double versions.

The dimensions of the door leaf are one of the components that people pay attention to when buying it.

Today, vestibule doors are available in various variations, but often the door leaf has standard sizes:

• The blade height varies within a relatively small range of 2035-2385 mm. These values ​​are standardized and specified in specific building codes.
• Width. Classic single-leaf versions are equipped with 900 mm leaves. As for double-leaf canvases, their width can reach 2000 mm. The increment depends on the specific manufacturer. This allows you to choose a structure for the specific dimensions of the opening.
• Thickness in such doors varies relatively little. This parameter in standard designs reaches only 7 cm.If thicker steel sheets are used, then this value can increase to 8-10 cm.

The purchase of a vestibule door to the staircase is a responsible task, which involves the selection of high-quality products. When performing such operations, you should pay attention to several parameters:

• Correspondence between the dimensions of the opening and the door structure. It is important that the product fits into the door opening. If this correspondence is not observed, then the opening will have to be increased or expanded.
• Specifications. This includes the strength of the door leaf, the thickness of the steel sheet and the parameters of the fittings. Pay attention to the quality of the locks, as they are one of the main safety factors. If the quality of protection is important, then products equipped with grilles should be selected. Such designs are suitable for an apartment building or directly for an apartment.
• Features of the loops. This part of the mechanism also affects burglary resistance. The best solution would be hidden hinges, but they will cost a little more.

• Design. There are no universal recommendations, since the modern market presents many options for door leaves (with a transom, window or top and side inserts).
• Manufacturer. You can only evaluate the quality of products based on customer reviews. Therefore, study them before buying similar products. In some cases, the door sweat of the vestibule type is the second, since it is protective. Experts recommend giving preference only to well-known manufacturers of interroom doors that have been on the market for a very long time.

Tambour doors are often used in apartment buildings where many residents live.

To install such intertambour structures, several sequential operations should be performed:

• First of all, you need to obtain permission from all residents of the house for this operation. This is due to the fact that the vestibule is common to all people of this structure.
• Tambour doors should not impede the rapid evacuation of people during a fire. Therefore, they must comply with all regulatory documents and the project.If you need to change the shape of a doorway or install partitions, then these actions must be included in the construction documentation of your house.
• The installation of the door leaf must also be coordinated with the relevant state authorities and management companies.

The algorithm for installing a vestibule door consists of the following sequential operations:

• Opening preparation. This stage involves the formation of a frame for the door frame. Often, in many projects, the opening already exists, it only needs to be adjusted to the size of the door.
• Fixing the door frame. For this, the structure is installed in the opening and aligned in all planes. This operation is quite simple and can be done by hand. The frame is fastened with wooden struts, which allow you to change its position if necessary.
• Fastening the door. When the box is aligned, it is fixed to the wall. For this, holes are drilled for anchors, which are driven into the base through metal holes. Fastening begins from the side of the location of the hinges, constantly monitoring the location of the canvas. The procedure ends with finishing the slopes and installing fittings.