Wooden windows and exterior doors - Stability of doors and patio doors

Stability is defined as the ability of the leaf to retain its original general flatness, despite exposure to two different climates. Experience shows that malfunctions due to deformation are all the more pronounced the larger the dimensions of the leaf in its plane; this applies to exterior doors and patio doors.

Door stability determines several basic door performances:

• acoustics (a good soundproofing index is incompatible with high air permeability);

• Thermal: high air permeability leads to excessive parasitic air renewal, thus increasing the thermal balance;

• manoeuvrability: deformations associated with poor stability control can make it impossible to lock the door;

• watertightness: in the case of exterior doors, poor air permeability control makes it impossible to achieve watertightness level E*1; displacement of water shut-off devices can put water recovery devices out of action, creating water infiltration even in the absence of wind.