Acoustical doors are rather expensive, and thus tend to be reserved for sound-critical applications like recording studios, government sites, or administrative offices in factories with lots of heavy machinery. However, if you are so sensitive to sound that the neighbor’s dog keeps you up all night, or if you’re a hi-fi or home theater aficionado, you may be a candidate for an acoustical door. For the ultimate in acoustical isolation, consider an acoustical double-door.

How do you know how effective an acoustical door is compared to other acoustical doors? You look at the STC. STC stands for Sound Transmission Class, and describes the acoustic properties of an acoustical door succinctly with a single number. It is a measure of sound transmission loss from one side of the door to the other. Thus, a higher STC means the door keeps sound out (and in) more effectively. Only a laboratory accredited by the United States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards (NIST) under the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) can officially test the door and issue an STC. This keeps manufacturers honest by ensuring they cannot pad their numbers to make their door moor appealing. The certification applies to a particular construction and design, regardless of size, as the properties are expected to be very similar, and every possible variant of a door cannot be tested individually.

Acoustical doors often have windows. Generally window size is limited by desired STC value. Impact of window on acoustical isolation is estimated based on window size. Generally, however, an acoustical door will not have louvers or vents, as these will compromise the sound reduction to the point of rendering the door useless as soundproofing.

When considering acoustical products, consider whether it comes from a manufacturer who specializes in acoustical products. Also, consider hardware and installation, as an acoustical door will not be effective if not installed in an acoustically correct manner. Also inquire as to whether the manufacturer guarantees that the door will meet its specified performance in real-world conditions.
Acoustical doors are available with different fire ratings. Home applications rarely involve fire doors, but if you live in a condo or are building a recording studio, you may want to consider a door with an adequate fire rating. Acoustical doors are typically available with fire ratings of 20 minute, 60 minute, 90 minute, 3 hour, or “S”, which is reserved for true fire doors.

Acoustical doors and windows are available with STC ratings of up to STC 56. You may not necessarily need the highest possible STC rating, however. Consider the acoustical properties of the rest of the room where the door will be installed-if the walls are less soundproof than the door, then perhaps you are spending needlessly on a door that is more soundproof than you need.

Acoustical doors tend to have a sound seal as part of the assembly. This is sort of like a gasket. Doors rated STC 45 or higher tend to have special cam lift hinges and an aluminum threshold so the door will seal as tightly as possible.

Specialtydoors.com offers interior glass doors and other door types including acoustical doors.

Stained glass is perhaps one of the most beautiful types of glass available, and is most known for its presence in lovely medieval church windows, depicting glorious scenes. Usually, stained glass is used to depict some sort of picture or symbol or idea, though now it is increasingly being used as simple decoration and an added touch of beauty to offices and homes. The stained colors are much more subtle, and stained glass is even used in doors and for coffee tables.

Stained glass is created by adding metallic oxides to glass that is molten (created from melting silica with other products) and continually kept melted inside a clay pot over a furnace. The type and amount of oxide added determines the shade and brilliance of color; copper oxides result in green glass, while cobalt makes blue glass and gold makes red glass. These days, the red color is made with less expensive chemicals and produces a more brilliant red.

With stained glass doors becoming more common, more and more companies are willing to produce and sell stained doors for your home or office. Most glass doors have mostly clear (or very slightly tinted glass) with a fairly simple design that involves a bit of stained glass for effect. This way, the door will match the calmer surroundings instead of being garishly bright. While some stained glass doors are completely made of glass (and these are great for inside doors leading to offices, or doors leading into gardens), other stained glass doors are only partially made of glass. Instead, the door is mostly wood, with an inset stained glass window that adds beautifully to the design of the door. However, if you are looking for this type of stained glass door, I would highly recommend having a rather fancy wooden door either stained or painted a darker color; carvings on the door would add to the look, and a heavier wooden door would be best. This makes the glass area fit in aesthetically onto the heavy wooden door. Because glass is so fancy, it is good to have a well-designed door to match it. Wooden doors like these are mostly used as front doors; make sure that your colors and designs also match the exterior of your house before deciding.

In order for a manufacturer to correctly create a glass door for your home, the first step is to make measurements of the door, or of the window set into the door. Make sure these are accurate, as stained glass is difficult to modify. Give the manufacturer a sketched design of what you’d like to be depicted on your stained door, or choose from their selection of designs. It is generally a good idea to keep the design simple and not too colorful-otherwise, the resulting glass may seem too flashy and even garish. Keep in mind that glass doors can be used for indoor and outdoor uses, and some even have glass doors to add a touch of elegance.

Folding doors are generally associated with exterior applications, used for things like removable walls on a swimming pool area or making the patio on a beach house easily convertible into a sealed room. Consider, however that there are many possible beautiful and practical interior applications for folding doors.

Folding doors combine the elegance of French doors with the space-saving convenience of accordion doors. They are ideal for when you need to separate rooms for purposes of heating, cooling or sound, but would like the space to still feel open and large. Unlike sliding glass doors, these doors can easily be tucked away on one side of the room or the other, thus enabling you to open up just about any room.

This type of door may accordion-fold to some degree, but they differ from accordion doors in several ways. The individual panels tend to be bigger. They may be bi-fold doors (doors consisting of two panels). Also, as already suggested, they normally are made mostly of glass, as aesthetic properties are paramount. Folding doors can be arranged to bunch to either one or both sides of an opening.

Since interior folding doors don’t have to withstand weather and the elements, they can be constructed from a wider variety of materials and in a wider variety of styles than exterior folding doors. They can be made of wood, metal, glass, or some combination of two of these, or even all three, depending on the look and function you wish to achieve. When building using wood, it is best to work with the natural color of the wood rather than stain light wood dark or try to paint over wood that is naturally beautiful.

These doors can even be automated. A geared electric motor with a torque limiter (a torque limiter prevents the motor from turning too fast or applying too much force) can, when connected to an endless chain running parallel to an overhead track and coupled to the lead post, can open and close the door with a minimum of effort. This can then be combined with other automating features, such as remote controls, radio controls that can operate over distance, or be coordinated from a preprogrammed PC to open and close automatically at certain times of day.

For interior applications, folding doors can come in a variety of styles. Folding doors can be made to look like French doors (except, of course, with more capacity for opening and being tucked away). You can emulate French doors, adapt to the colonial styling or ranch styling of your home, or go for an ultra-modern look. You will find that there are doors readily available that suit the look of your house.

Any modification to your home is obviously a substantial investment. As a way of dividing up space, limiting the area you heat or cool, controlling sound, or directing how rooms are used, folding doors may provide a substantial aesthetic and practical return on your investment. They also may turn out to be more affordable than you think, and you may find uses for folding doors that you can’t even imagine yet.

Specialtydoors.com offers glass doors and specials doors like folding door.