The Totally True History of Doors: An infographic timeline.

The Totally True History of Doors (Infographic)

Posted on by Editorial Team

Let’s talk history.   You probably know your personal history fairly well.  (If not, there are probably better things for you to do with your time than read this post!).  You may know your country’s history to some extent. Some people really get into the history of war.  Perhaps you majored in art history. (Once more, that probably means you have better things to be doing, such as polishing your résumé. But do you know the history of doors? Okay, I heard that!  So, it’s not the most fascinating journey into history that you can take.  But, trust me, it beats the pants off of the history of swine flu. For instance:

Okay, so maybe that one falls under the category of fake news.  Or, as those of us in the history arena like to say, “It stretches the bounds of historical literacy.” The true history of doors offers its own surprises.  For example, how large was the door on Noah’s Ark? Okay, I really don’t know and even if I did, you probably don’t know your cubits from a yardstick.   But I have used my extensive research skills in uncovering the true history of doors—at least from a historical records perspective. Take a look and let me know what you think.  If you prefer, we could even discuss the swine flu.  But I gotta tell ya, it’s a short journey from H1N1 to H2N3.

Momentous Events in Door History

  • 3000 BC: Wooden doors used in Europe.
  • 2000 BC: Stone doors used throughout Asia.
  • 587 BC: Solomon uses Olive wood overlaid with gold for his temple in Jerusalem.
  • 1st Century AD: Roman folding and sliding doors preserved in Pompeii.
  • 1st Century AD: A Greek scholar invents the first automatic door.
  • 5th Century AD: The First foot-sensor-activated automatic door was made in China.
  • 6th – 9th Century AD: Copper and Bronze used on doors in Medieval Europe.
  • 12th – 15th Century AD: Ornate panel and carved wood doors grace the best structures.
  • 1881 AD: The revolving door invented in Germany.
  • 1909 AD: An American chemist invents the world’s first synthetic plastic (polymer).
  • 1932 AD: A researcher at Owens-Illinois creates mass production of glass strands (fiberglass).
  • 1970s AD: Polymer production surpasses the production of steel worldwide.
  • 1981 AD: Special-Lite introduces the world’s first FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) door.  
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