Dictionary of Interior Designing

Door - A door may be defined as a barrier secured in an opening left in a wall to provide usual means of access to a building , room or passage.

Depth of the arch - It is the perpendicular distance between the intrados and the extrados.

Door frame - The door frame is permanently held in position and fixed to the masonry of the opening with the help of hold-fasts or rawl plugs.

Door shutter - Door shutter is the moving part of the door and their numer varies.

Damp proof course - A course consisting of some appropriate water proofing material provided to prevent penetration of dampness or moisture.

Drain - A line of pipes including all fittings and equipment such as manholes , traps , floor traps used for the drainage of a building .

Drainage - The removal of any liquid (storm water , waste water , sewage etc.) by a system constructed for this purpose.

Dead load - It is the sum of loads comprising of the self-weight of the structure (weight of walls , floors , roofs etc.) weight of its footings foundation and loads of all other permanent construction in the building.

Dead shores - This is the system of shoring which is used to render vertical support to walls and roofs , floors etc.

Disc piles - It consists of hollow mettalic pipe attached with a cast iron disc to its foot so as to enlarge the bearing area of the pile.

Dispersion trenches - This is an alternative method of disposal of effulent from septic tank by soil absorption system.

Distemper - Distempers may be defined as water paints consisting of whiting (powered chalk ) , some colouring pigment and glue size mixed in water.

Dog-legged stair - It consists of two straight flights of steps with abrupt turn between them. This type of stair is useful where the width of the stair-case hall is just sufficient to accomodate two widths of stair.

Dormer window - It is a vertical window built in the sloping side of a pitched roof. This window is provided to achieve proper ventilation and lighting of the enclosed space below the roof.

Double flemish bond - In this type of bonding brick work , each course presents the same appearance both in the front and back elevations.

Dovetail joint - In this method of fastening wood work , wedge-shaped or flaring shaped pieces are cut out of each member and the joint is formed by hooking the projection of one member into the other one.

Dowel joint - This type of joint ensures stability of the components against displacement or sliding.

Dressing of stone - Building stone has to be quarried out from the rock formation before it can be put into use and the process is called dressing of stone. The quary of stone may be done either by hands or machines.

Drier - These are the materials containing mettalic compounds and are used in small quantities for accelerating the drying of paint film. They act as catalysts for the oxidation and polymerisation of the vehicle used in the paint.

Durability - It is the property of concrete by virtue of which it is capable of resisting its disintegration and decay which is caused due to any condition.