transoms for interior doors

Non-standard doorways are not uncommon in our time. Sometimes they are so high or wide that after installing the interior doors, an unattractive free space remains, which spoils the entire interior. A special design called a transom will help hide the defect - it will effectively disguise all the resulting gaps. Next, we will take a closer look at such a multifunctional part as a transom: what it is, what types of construction exist, how to choose doors with a transom and how to install the structure with your own hands. In addition, we advise you to look at photos of interior doors decorated with this element in order to visualize the information received.

Transoms for doors

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Often, ordinary doors do not always cover a large doorway, and to create a designer interior you have to come up with something.
The need for transom interior structures arises in non-standard rooms with high ceilings or custom layouts. By adding transoms to doors, any customer’s needs can be met.

Types of interior transoms

What are they used for?

Any sizes

The height and width of transoms is not limited by anything. All parts are interconnected without compromising reliability. Hinges are installed on the hog posts, on which swing doors are hung. For high-quality operation, you just need to calculate the loads with a margin.

Materials

Transoms are assembled from the same blanks that are used in the production of door panels and moldings. The color palette can be of any RAL shade and will exactly match the coating of the interior fabric.

Execution options

How are transoms installed?

Cost calculation

Then you need to decide on the size and number of doors themselves, and calculate the remaining space to place the transoms.

This should be done by a manager who takes into account not only the client’s wishes, but also necessarily knows the technical characteristics of the material and production capabilities.

It is important not to forget to calculate the thickness of the box and connecting elements.

The estimate includes the required number of hinges, handles and locks, and their location is indicated.

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Opening mechanism

The opening mechanism uses standard rotary fittings. The only difference is that the sash moves in a horizontal plane. In this case, the device has a conventional rectangular shape.

Its dimensions cannot be less than 60 cm in width and 40 cm in height. These sizes are used by many manufacturers.

In addition to the standard mechanism, special transom fittings are also installed. With its help, you can regulate the opening and closing process while standing on the floor, next to the opening. At the same time, you can adjust the opening width.

Special fittings come in two types. In the first case, mechanical action will be required to open. The second type of fittings provides an automatic system.

Interior doors with transom: features and types of designs

What is a transom?

A transom refers to a flap located on the side or above the top of a door. The fact is that most manufacturers produce doors of standard dimensions: width – up to 1050 mm, height – up to 2200 mm. But in many apartments, especially older buildings, and private houses, doorways are much larger, for example, in some cases their dimensions reach 1300 x 3000 mm. Although this is not the limit. How to solve such a problem?

Of course, you can order a larger product that will correspond to the parameters of the connector, but in this case the weight of the door and the load on the hinges will increase, which, in turn, can lead to rapid deformation of the entire structure. That is why in such difficult situations transoms are the best solution.

They perform several functions at once:

Types of transoms

In order to correctly select an interior door with a transom, you need to understand the range of these structural doors and decide which option is best suited for your interior.

According to the shape of the transom, they are divided into:

According to the type of construction, transoms can be:

Advice. If you want to visually elongate an interior door, buy models with an arched glass transom - it will provide the necessary visual effect.

As for the type of arrangement of transoms, today you can find absolutely any options: installed only on top, only on one side or on both sides at once, as well as combined ones - mounted on both the top and the sides.

The nuances of installing a transom

You don’t have to buy an interior door with a ready-made transom - you can make it yourself. The construction of the structure should begin after the installation of the door leaf is completed. To work with the transom you will need the following materials:

The installation process includes the following steps:

As you can see, a transom is not a very troublesome, but quite effective solution to the problem of a non-standard doorway. It will not only successfully close an unaesthetic space, but will also make the room look more original and fresh, so don’t give up such a useful interior detail.

Main types of transoms

Something like a window appears at the top of the window or door. This part can be opened to provide ventilation. In another case, a false transom is installed. The window or door remains a monolith, but attracts the attention of others with its unusualness, attracts the eye thanks to the decorative materials and the pattern applied to the false transom.

The cost of such a product can be either normal or vary upward. A window with a transom will most likely cost more, but an interior door is not a fact. But even if you have to spend money, invest a little more money than planned, it makes sense. A transom is beneficial.

Looking at the photo, you will immediately be able to spot a good option. You will want to choose just such a design and it will not be easy to abandon this idea.

Transparent transom on the sides and top

An interior door can be equipped not with one such element, but with two or three (top and side). Installation in this case takes a little longer than usual. But again, the result is worth it.

Why is a door with a transom better than any other?

Each interior door performs the following functions:

Installation of interior doors with a transom is relevant in all these cases. If transparent materials are used, a fan is created from several triangles, for example, and the canvas is solid, the contrast will reveal the beauty of the tree. Bleached oak or wenge, walnut or ash will look luxurious.

Doors in bleached oak color

Photos of such interior doors, however, cast doubt on the practicality of the solution - light will penetrate into the room, it will be possible to even look inside. Is it convenient?

Safety and durability

An interior door with a transom is one of the less reliable restrictive elements, this must be taken into account. But it can’t compare with muslin, of course.

Side elements are needed to increase the level of security of an interior door in extreme situations: double-leaf ones are an exception, but single-leaf ones can certainly be opened faster if necessary. The canvas is made of bleached oak and walnut will not need to be damaged. Replacing one sector of a side decorative insert is easier than replacing the entire door leaf or veneer. It may be necessary to open the interior door in the event of a fire, when a person becomes ill, when a draft slams the door, or when a child accidentally locks himself in, and in other situations. Double doors will have to be broken, removed from their hinges, or wait for a locksmith to arrive.

If interior doors with false transoms on the sides are installed, you can look inside without distracting anyone. You can prevent others from looking in and complicate the process of forcibly unlocking the door if you give preference to an interior door with side decorative inserts made of durable, translucent materials.

Doors with frosted glazing

Increased requirements for aesthetics

Interior double doors with a transom in ethno or classic style will captivate you at first sight. They are exclusive in some ways - they are not installed in every home. In one case, the price is confusing. In another way it is acceptable, but it seems that it is too much, too non-standard, too luxurious and in the end preference is given to an ordinary door.

Experts recommend installing an interior door with this additional decorative element, despite doubts and fears, if:

Experts do not recommend installing double doors with a transom, as well as single doors, if the doorway occupies most of the wall. At the very least, you need to be careful when choosing a suitable configuration and design. A single side transom and an upper one are the golden mean, the most suitable option.

If you don’t like the single side transom transom and the wall is small, what should you do? The idea of an arched top transom should be abandoned. Rectangles should dominate, the slats should be wide. Otherwise, the light streams will be distributed unevenly and will begin to blind.

What to do when you want to install interior doors with a transom above the door, contrary to the recommendations? You can, of course, achieve a positive effect in this case too. It is advisable to install doors in which the leaf (double or single leaf) has decorative transparent inserts.

An interior door with an overhead transom comes in a variety of styles. And in a difficult situation, when at first glance such a configuration is not suitable at all, you can find a way out.

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How to close it?

There are many ways to seal the opening above the door. But a lot directly depends on the material from which the walls are made:

construction of a plasterboard structure;
use of wood;
brickwork;
use of improvised materials.

To build a plasterboard structure you need to take:

small blocks of wood or metal profiles;
sheet of drywall;
fasteners;
primer and putty.

And also tools:

hammer drill (if the walls of the room are not wooden);
screwdriver;
roulette;
pencil;
level;
putty knife;
roller;
sandpaper;
material for finishing the finished structure (wallpaper, paint, etc.).

Advice

First, the structure is made. When assembling it, it is necessary to take into account the relationship with the dimensions of the wall, because the plasterboard will be attached to the finished box.

also need to consider the placement of structural elements and ensure rigidity:

Drywall is secured using fasteners and only after installing the box.
In this case, the screws need to be pressed in a little so that they are located flush with the surface of the drywall.
The locations of the fasteners, as well as the joints, must be puttied, thereby creating a flat surface.
When the putty dries, it is treated with sandpaper and coated with a primer.
After the primer has dried, you can begin finishing.

If the transom is a continuation of the wall, then the finishing material should be identical. In the case when the wall is already lined, then for finishing it is necessary to select the same material or supplement it with another option that will not stand out from the overall interior. If the walls of the building are made of wood, then the best option for equipping a transom is to use wooden blocks and boards. This option is also relevant for those apartments where boards in combination with plaster are used for floors. In this case, it is very important to correctly perform all the calculations so that the finished structure is no different in size from the main wall of the room. To create the structure you will need a minimum of materials and tools:

roulette;
pencil;
ruler-level;
screwdriver;
saw;
wooden beams and boards;
fasteners;
putty;
finishing material.

First you need to take all the measurements, then make the structure, install it and finish it.

Important

The box is assembled in the same way as in the previous version.

Another way to seal a transom above an interior door is to cover it with bricks. When choosing this method, you must remember that it is the most difficult, so if possible, you should avoid it. But if such a decision was nevertheless made, then before laying the brick you need to equip the base. To do this, a crossbar is made above the door, on which bricks are subsequently laid on the mortar. You can use steel angles and channels as a base.

When making brickwork, it is very important to “weave” bricks into the existing one , thereby ensuring the necessary strength of the structure. Without the proper experience and appropriate qualifications, it is very difficult to carry out these actions. Therefore, it is recommended to seek help from specialists or choose an alternative option. In the case when financial possibilities are limited, you can use the simplest and most affordable option - to seal the transom using available materials in the arsenal, for example, an old door or a piece of plywood. The material must be cut to the size of the opening, and then secured. But this method has one drawback. If in all other cases you can cope on your own, then here you cannot do without outside help. Each of the methods proposed above for sealing a transom above an interior door has certain advantages and disadvantages, so the choice must be made based on the structural features , as well as individual physical and material capabilities. The main thing is to act consistently, taking into account the advice of experts, and then the space between the ceiling and the top of the door will not differ from the rest of the wall.

Pros and cons of installing a transom door

The main advantage of installing a door transom is the increase in decorativeness of the doorway. The transom is a continuation of the door, visually increasing the area of this door. Arched transoms visually increase the height of the ceiling and are appropriate for interiors in a classic or modern style.

Glass door transoms increase the area of natural light entering the room. This is very important for rooms without windows: for example, a corridor or hallway.

The door transom is a non-standard door element. The disadvantage of installing a door transom is the obvious things associated with the installation of everything complex and non-standard.

The cost of both the transom and its installation may be higher than the cost of the doors themselves. Many manufacturers do not produce transom doors. They are made by door installers on site during door installation. For this, the same components are used as for doors: door frame, trim, extensions. A box for the transom is also assembled, and a short door leaf is ordered for the transom itself.

This way you can install a rectangular transom, but an arched or polygonal one needs to be made to order.

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Strength

The strength of the product depends on the quality of the materials used and the manufacturer. In any case, with such a mechanism the profile becomes more reliable. When installing the product, horizontal elements are installed. Thanks to which, the Euro-window becomes much stronger and more reliable.

Installation of the system reduces the heavy load due to the installation of additional fasteners. This improves stability and increases the service life of the entire profile.

What is a transom?

The transom is part of the design of interior or entrance panels. Openings that are too high are decorated with an insert on top, while wide openings are decorated on one or both sides. The part fills the free space when installing standard size panels and securely fixes the block in the partition opening.

Such elements look appropriate in rooms with high ceilings. Often, with the help of a transom, passages are constructed in which the installation of a door block was not initially planned. Such structures occupy all the space between the walls, ceiling and floor.

Tips for choosing

The design of the part is selected depending on the purpose of the block. In industrial buildings, it is recommended to install solid doors with a transom that are resistant to mechanical stress. For zoning office space, glass blocks with a plastic casing are better suited. When decorating a house, refined wooden boxes with glazing, decorated with forged parts, would be appropriate.

Attention! It is recommended to order the production of an individual project. Thus, there is no doubt that the set will be combined in color, design and texture.

When calculating the dimensions of a part, you must proceed from the standard parameters of the input canvases (height - 200 cm, width - 90 cm).

The use of structures with a transom is an original way to reduce the parameters of the opening. Such elements will not only hide excess space, but will also decorate the entrance opening to your home or office.

Types of transoms

Decorative inserts are designed in the same style as the design of the door block. The choice of a specific type of detail depends on the taste and financial capabilities of the owner of the premises.

By shape

Varieties of elements depending on the shape of the sash:

Parts of any shape are made to order. The rounded top frame is used most often.

Healthy! Using an arched glass insert, you can visually enlarge the canvas.

By type of design and location

Depending on the type of construction, parts are either solid or separate. Whole ones are considered more in demand. Mounted in cases where there is little space between the frame and the wall. It is enough to install one additional strip to hide the remaining space in the opening.

Separate elements are installed above the frame if the distance from the top edge of the canvas to the lintel is more than 12 cm. Separate structures are easier to deliver along narrow passages and flights of stairs in multi-storey buildings.

Inserts can be either blind or hinged. Non-opening sashes are represented by solid elements built above the leaves. Swing doors are installed on the side of the main door in the form of a double-leaf structure. Blocks of two doors are no less reliable than single-door ones. The frame is made of a strong profile, the fixed sash is locked with a complex locking mechanism. The presence of an opening second door is convenient in situations where it is necessary to bring in large furniture.

Attention! There are several options for placement - top, side (on one or both sides), combined. Designs with an arrangement on the sides and on top are considered complex. To correctly calculate the dimensions of the sashes, it is necessary to take into account the height of the leaf and the width of the box.

Interior doors with a transom often mask a built-in wardrobe above the door leaf. The top flap acts as a door.

By content

Additional inserts are made of the same materials as the main fabric. They perform not only a practical function, but also a decorative one.

By type of design they are divided into:

Wooden elements are made from natural species of beech, oak, ash, and alder. Wood ensures the strength of the entrance block and strengthens the structure. The material has high levels of heat and noise insulation. The design looks expensive and is suitable for a classic interior style. Service life is about 10 years.

Glass decor is designed in the form of stained glass, mosaics, transparent, matte or tinted inserts. The surface of the glass is decorated with drawings and patterns. Entrance doors are equipped with shaped forged bars to protect glazed areas.

Important! It is recommended to use triplex glass for decoration. The durable structure eliminates the possibility of glass damage. In the event of a strong impact, the fragments are held on the surface of the material and do not scatter to the sides.

The transoms of the entrance group are made from strong steel sheets and filled with heat-insulating materials. The surface is covered with a powder protective layer that is resistant to moisture, temperature changes, and sunlight. In accordance with GOST requirements, the transom is considered part of the entrance structure. The material of the part must have quality certificates and comply with fire safety standards.

Transoms are also installed for double entrance doors. The insert consists of an outer and inner cover and is equipped with stiffeners to increase strength.

Step-by-step instructions: sealing the doorway with your own hands

Along the marked lines, cut the cardboard layer one by one, then simply bend the sheet at the place of the cut. Thus, go along the entire contour. Usually, during the dismantling process, the surfaces of the openings in the places where the boxes are attached deteriorate and do not meet the requirements in terms of technical condition. Therefore, it is recommended to putty the surface.

Since leveling a doorway is not at all easy, it is necessary first of all to pay special attention to the quality of assembly of the metal frame. How it all happens: Let's figure out how to cover a doorway with plasterboard quickly and easily. In principle, there is nothing complicated at this stage. Here it is important to accurately mark the dimensions of the opening on the sheet and cut out the required area along the contour.

To do this, you only need a sharp construction knife. There should be two such blanks. First install one of them. Fastening is carried out along the entire perimeter and along the installed crossbars.

Then go to another room and lay soundproofing material between the frames. For example, it could be ordinary mineral wool or foam panels. The gap between the sound insulator and the frame can be filled with polyurethane foam.

Drywall on metal profiles. Extremely simple, modern, technologically advanced We attach the profiles to the walls and ceiling, put additional intermediate ones in the middle of the window, cover them with plasterboard, glue the seams with sickle tape, putty, and wallpaper. IMHO it would be interesting to work out the issue in some kind of design manner. Is it worth closing everything tightly? Maybe it’s worth putting a couple of glass blocks there and some kind of lighting. I sealed one gypsum board transom. True, I didn’t use profiles (they weren’t at hand at that moment), but used the old wooden frame, making it thinner.

On one side it turned out acceptable, but on the opposite side in one corner the gypsum plasterboard did not meet the wall (it turned out to be too flat) and now a ledge is formed. So I don’t know what to do - either “heave” the wall under the gypsum plasterboard, or smear something like this on the gypsum plasterboard putty/plaster (if possible) to match it with the existing wall. The distance between the holes should not exceed 0.4 m, and it is important not to forget to leave space for drywall, moving the profile from the edge of the wall to the thickness of the sheet. The recommended sheet thickness for installing the partition is 12 mm.

several sheets of drywall;
rack and guide profiles;
insulating wool;
putty;
primer;
dowels;
self-tapping screws for fastening drywall;
self-tapping screws for connecting the profile;
polyurethane foam;

The drywall is attached to the profile using self-tapping screws. They are twisted in increments of 10–15 cm, retreating from the edge of the sheet by 15–20 mm. The head of the fastener should be recessed into the material to facilitate further surface finishing. The mounting plane is determined by guide profiles.

They are attached with anchors or dowels directly to building structures, so they are located along the perimeter of the frame being created. The quality of the entire installation depends on the accuracy of their installation.