Wood Doors
Your doors are the first things people notice when they enter your home. They’re not just utilitarian, they should be beautiful as well.
Interior wood doors are a great choice for homes. They add a touch of natural beauty, keep your home cozy and comfortable, and offer good insulation.
Hollow Core Moulded Doors
Whether you’re remodeling your home or building a new construction, choosing interior doors can be an intimidating project. It’s easy to focus on aesthetics, but a door’s core is equally important and determines much about its durability, insulation, and soundproofing.
Hollow-core molded doors are lightweight alternatives to stile and rail doors, making them ideal for closets and pantries. They’re often pre-primed or painted, ensuring a quick installation. These doors are constructed with two skins, a solid surface that’s available in a variety of styles and finishes, separated by a honeycomb cardboard core to reduce weight and cost.
They’re not as durable or insulating as wood stile and rail doors, but they’re a great choice for areas that don’t need a high level of performance. The thin veneer of these doors makes them inappropriate for exterior use, since intruders could easily punch through the surface with a screwdriver or hammer.
The void in the core of these doors can be filled with OSB for more durability and a heftier feel, or with polyurethane foam to add insulation. Some versions of these doors are also available with an SCL (structural composite lumber) core, which offers more strength and a 20-minute fire rating.
Masonite Architectural’s Cendura line of molded doors includes hollow-core and solid-core options, as well as a selection of custom cores. For a high-performance, budget-friendly option that’s suitable for any application, choose MDF (medium-density fiberboard) for its glued wood fibers that make it a strong, durable material. These doors are designed to meet a variety of requirements, including STC-rated to cut down on noise transfer and lead lined for radiation protection. They’re also available in attack-resistant versions that use an SCL or EHD core.
Wood Veneer Doors
Wood veneer doors offer the classic, natural look of solid wood with a more affordable price point. This is because they utilize a thin layer of real wood on top of a core material like particleboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF). This gives them an aesthetic that rivals solid-core door options without the added cost.
When you purchase veneer doors, they’ll come with an array of finish options to match your interior design. They also have the added benefit of being easy to maintain and clean. Just wipe them down with a damp cloth, and they’ll stay beautiful for years to come.
Veneer doors can be made from a variety of different wood species, such as oak, walnut and cherry. They’re often used in high-end apartments and condos, where they add a touch of luxury to the décor. They can also be a great choice for residential use because they’re more durable than solid-wood doors and will hold up to daily wear and tear.
The durability of wood veneer doors depends on the type of wood that they’re made from, and how well they’re constructed. They’re typically manufactured using one of four cutting methods:
Book match: In a book match cut, the symmetrical pieces of veneer are arranged like the pages of a book. This allows for a wider, bolder grain pattern.
Slip match: In a slip-match cut, the veneer is placed over a piece of plywood. This provides a thinner veneer, with a more uniform appearance than the other matching styles.
Solid and veneered doors are susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity, so they must be properly cared for. They must be stored in a climate-controlled environment to prevent them from warping, swelling and bending over time. Additionally, they should be regularly cleaned with a damp cloth to keep them looking pristine.
Poplar Doors
If you’re on a budget and want the look of solid wood, poplar is a good option. It’s cheaper than oak or mahogany doors, and it holds up well to everyday use. However, it’s not as durable or resistant to warping and twisting as other types of wood.
If your clients want something a little more durable than poplar, knotty alder might be a better choice. It’s similar to poplar in terms of cost and durability, but it has a more dramatic color variation and a different wood grain.
Birch sits somewhere between alder and poplar in terms of the number and density of knots and its overall wood grain. It’s a light-colored wood that’s popular in modern spaces. However, if it’s in a humid environment, it can be susceptible to water damage.
Another option is hickory. It’s one of the hardest commercially available hard woods and is very durable. However, it doesn’t have the same aesthetic appeal as poplar or birch.
Oak Doors
Oak doors are a great option for anyone looking to add a touch of luxury and beauty to their home. These doors come in both solid and hollow core designs, and they can be made with or without a pre-finished oak veneer. Solid oak doors are pricier than other types of wood doors, but they offer better durability and a timeless look.
These doors can also be stained or painted to match any interior design scheme. They are also very durable and can resist damage from scuff marks, scratches, and dents. However, like other types of wood doors, oak doors should be sealed on a regular basis to keep them protected from grease, dust, and moisture.
While pine is a very strong and durable wood, it does not stain as well as oak. Pine can also have knotting, which are small dark marks that appear in the wood grain. Knots can cause the surface of the door to distort, so it is important to seal these doors before they are finished or painted.
Contemporary internal wood doors are most likely to be constructed from an authentic oak veneer over an engineered timber frame. These doors may be hollow or have a solid oak core, and the veneer is usually hand matched to provide a more natural appearance. Some oak veneers are ‘bookmatched’, which means that consecutive panels of the veneer have been flipped open to create symmetry and balance.
Oak doors are extremely popular for their insulating and acoustic properties. They can reduce noise from outside, which is especially helpful in homes located near busy roads. They can also help to keep warm air in the home during colder weather and prevent cold air from entering.
Mahogany Doors
Mahogany doors add a touch of elegance to any room, and they’re also incredibly durable. Unlike soft woods such as pine and birch, mahogany doesn’t easily burn or rot. These properties make it difficult for pests or moisture to damage your door, so you can expect it to last far longer than doors made from cheaper materials.
Despite their high initial cost, mahogany doors offer a lot of value in the long run. They can increase your home’s resale value, and they are also easier to customize than many other options. This type of solid wood is easy to sand and work with, and it lends itself well to hand carving, embossing, and engraving—offering endless customization possibilities.
While they are a great choice for those looking to add a touch of class and sophistication to their homes, mahogany doors do require more maintenance than other wood options. Regular staining is needed to protect this material from damage and maintain its appearance. Missing even one annual seal allows unnoticeable deterioration to begin, and it can be hard to reverse once the damage is done.
As with other solid woods, mahogany does not have the same insulating benefits as metal doors. Solid wood mahogany doors generally have an R-value between R-2 and R-3 for a 2-3/4″ thick door, which is a significant drop from the insulation offered by steel or fiberglass alternatives.
The best way to protect a mahogany door is by using a natural-looking stain and staying away from options that add color to the wood or mask its natural beauty. You should also avoid harsh chemicals that could potentially damage the material. With a little care, you can enjoy your mahogany door for generations, or pass it down to future homeowners.