According to Peter Wasswa, a construction engineer, fixing windows, doors, shutters, plumbing, wiring for electricity and flooring are the final lap of building a house.

“Today people are looking for what is in vogue when selecting a door for a house. Doors acts as shields, ensuring security from any intrusion. They also add a touch of class to a house or home,” he says.

The door materials

David Kireli, a civil engineer, says doors are made of wood, metal and glass. “Wood can be from muvule, eucalyptus, mahogany or any other tree species.”  Fred Mpalanyi a carpenter in Bukoto says there are several door variations based on whether it is to be used on a residential house or commercial building.

According to him, when buying a door, it is important to consider the appearance, durability, cost and the material it is made of.

Location and size

Shamim Karungi, who works at Bob Furniture in Wakiso says, “The choice of a door and its size are dictated by the frequency of usage, affordability and nature of house.” Kireli also says most professionally and universally accepted dimensions of a standard door is 3x7 feet for a single door and 8x8 feet, for a double door.

He also says fixing a door depends on the room’s function and space available. A distance of one foot (1ft) off the wall, whether from the left or right, is recommended. Kireli says the door should be placed where it swings and rests. If it is placed in the middle of a wall, it may swing endlessly, thus weakening the walls. Also, cracks can develop and weaken the house.

Solid doors

“A door for a toilet or latrine should not be the same size as the living and dining or bedroom doors. The dining, living and bedrooms should give enough space for entry of beds, chairs, fridges, large tables and other essentials in the house or office,” he explains. 

• Double doors: These are often preferred for public places like offices, hospitals and commercial buildings. Kireli says they allow many people to enter and exit at the same time.
• Steel casement doors are made of metal or aluminum or steel frames fitted with glass. They, however, need burglar proofing for security.
• Panel doors have panels inlaid from the surface of the door.
• Glass doors are made of glass with a minimum of 8mm toughened glass. The glass can be clear or opaque, for use say in a bathroom. They are great for increasing the light within a home.
• Flush doors are flat-surfaced, with no panels or embossing on either side.
• Sliding doors have a two-door design hanging on sliding tracks inlaid into the wall. They are usually glass-clad and are often used for patio and balcony entrances.