Basement Doors
Consumer Basement Door Information
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Cellar door types: Sloped Walls, Steel, Polyethylene
Types of Basement Doors
Bilco is the premier manufacturer of basement doors, and the standards they set for cellar door construction and design have been applied to basement doors almost universally. They offer a number of different models, which represent nearly the only designs of basement doors you will find available.
Sloped Wall
Many basement doors currently are set onto brick or concrete foundations, built into the home’s foundation, which rise past stairs and form either side of the stairwell above the ground. In this case, a basement door would simply represent a flat piece of metal or polyethylene laid over the slanted frame, with doors in them.
Steel Sided
Far more common than the sloped wall design of basement door is the steel-sided one. In this case, the stairs are set into a foundation that does not rise above the ground. With no basement door, the stairs would simply resemble a hole in the ground surrounded by concrete. Basement doors installed on such a foundation consist of a frame which is placed over the steps and slants upward towards the walls of a house. The metal component with doors is then installed over this, at an angle to the ground. This last part is similar to the process of a sloped wall basement door.
Despite their names, you can generally find either of these designs in steel form or made from polyethylene. Ask your contractor about the availability of each in the different materials. Also make sure you ask for his or her opinion about which material will be the best for you.
Learn more about the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and its regulations for basements and crawlspaces.