Open The Door To Sustainable Style By Upcycling Your Wooden Interior Doors

Interior doors have always been more important than most realise, especially with regard to visual aesthetics. They definitely play a huge role in the functionality that your home’s rooms have, but they also offer the opportunity to inject personality, style and your own vision into your home’s interior. With the increased interest in sustainability and DIY projects, there has been a growing trend of homeowners restoring and repurposing their old interior doors. This offers not only a creative outlet, but also gives people the opportunity to be a part of the sustainability movement while giving their home’s interior a fun, personal touch. This blog will ultimately talk about different tips and ideas for reviving old interior doors, providing you actionable inspiration and advice. From door restoration to creative ways to repurpose old doors. Whether you’re a home improvement pro or brand new to the world of DIY, the possibilities are endless.

The Beauty of Restoration

Understanding the Value of Old Interior Doors

The beauty of restoration when it comes to old interior doors lies in their craftsmanship as well as the materials used in their construction, as both of these aspects often surpass what is available today. Historically, these doors were made using solid wood and traditional joinery techniques, which naturally resulted in doors with greater durability and strength compared to the more mass-produced modern doors that are commonplace today and often rely on composite materials and other cost-saving manufacturing strategies. Restoring old interior doors rather than replacing them is much better for the environment. These restorations reduce the demand for new materials, thus reducing the environmental impact that is associated with the production, installation and ultimate replacement of most modern interior doors. Needless to say, restoring doors preserves a piece of history. Deciding on restoration over replacement, especially in historic, traditionally built homes, can preserve the home's architectural integrity and the home's character for future generations. Ultimately, the restoration of old interior doors not only honours the craftsmanship or the artistry of the past, but it also allows one to actively participate in today’s eco-friendly movement. Restoration rather than reconstruction also allows homeowners to preserve the unique features of their homes, while reducing the carbon payback period of said homes.

Assessing Your Door's Potential for Restoration

Assessing whether your old interior door offers any potential for restoration includes a few checks. You will have to assess the door’s material (is it solid wood etc?) and its structure. Check for clear indicators of damage like large cracks, rot or any other signs of damage that might have compromised the integrity of your door. If your door has some light surface damage or imperfections, then restoring it while preserving the door’s original character should not be too difficult. If, however, you discover heavy damage or significant rot that may have compromised the overall structure of your door, then restoration may not be the way to go. If you're new to the world of DIY or wood in general, we highly suggest speaking with a professional so that they can help you figure out how much damage is too much.

Restoration Basics

You will need sandpaper, scrapers, a vacuum, paint brushes and the finish you would like to use. The basics of door restoration involve removing the door hardware, sanding it to remove the old finish, scraping the mouldings and in corners where your sander can’t go (be careful and patient so that you don’t accidentally gouge or chip the wood), hand sand the door’s profiles and then remove the dust before applying multiple coats of new finish and letting the door dry. Please consult a professional before undergoing this task if you are unfamiliar with it. Have a look at our blogs for more comprehensive guides on removing paint from doors, and other maintenance tips and tricks.

Creative Repurposing Ideas

Transforming Doors into Decor

Don’t throw out your old doors if the restoration route doesn’t work out. Creating decor out of old interior doors is a great way of repurposing them and adding a unique, personal touch to our home’s interior aesthetic. You can take old bi-fold doors and use them to create a corner shelving unit. If you have a bigger interior door to work with, you can turn it into a rustic bench seat. Doors with arches make great wall decorations and larger doors can even be fashioned into stylish headboards. The possibilities are endless and there is a vast array of inspirations out there. Consulting a door, woodworking or interior design specialist would be recommended for those who are unsure where to start when it comes to a project like this.

Painting and Accessorising Your Repurposed Door

Personalising your repurposed doors is a great way to add creativity and new functionality to the doors, resulting in unique decor pieces that complement or even enhance your home’s aesthetic. Using these old interior doors as canvases allows you to express your individual style and vision in such a way that it matches your home’s existing decor. Incorporating your existing door hardware allows for interesting elements to your new decor piece. Whether you’re going to paint your project for a modern distressed look or use stencils for a patterned style, the possibilities are virtually endless. Selecting the appropriate finish for your new decor is just as important as ensuring it matches the style you’ve envisioned. Whether it's a varnish to protect the wood in outdoor spaces or a special paint that can withstand high humidity in bathrooms, selecting the right finish can help ensure that your repurposed interior door withstands the test of time and regular use. Adding door hardware to your repurposed wooden interior door has mainly aesthetic benefits. It can add a touch of authenticity to the new piece of furniture/decor which can act as a focal point that injects the piece with character and history. In some cases door hardware can be functional as well - wall mounted decor with door knobs can act as coat hangers for example. The only limit for your new decor/furniture piece is your imagination. In sum, giving old interior doors a new lease on life through either restoration or repurposing is a rewarding endeavour that blends history with personal creativity in an eco-friendly sustainable way. This guide has highlighted a few ways you can gauge the restoration potential of old doors, briefly discussed the restoration process on old doors and displayed the endless possibilities for repurposing doors by turning them into unique, stylish decor/furniture pieces for your home. Taking on a project like restoring or repurposing isn’t just about DIY home improvement; it is about sustainability, creativity and self-expression. Feel free to read any of our other blogs for more information, pro tips and guides relating to doors and windows. And for the final time, please consult with a professional before making any decision or taking any action to ensure the best possible outcome.

Choose the Perfect Door to Match Your Home and Your Vision

Choosing the right door for your building is more important than most people realise: Different types of doors can have massive differences in terms of your space’s aesthetic, functionality and security. Doors can differ on a variety of aspects such as construction material (durability & maintenance requirements), design, insulation properties (and similar features), how they align with the architectural and overall style of your specific building or home, and so much more. In this blog we will discuss different types of wooden doors (with a focus on design) and how you can go about choosing the perfect one for you.

Understanding the Basics of Wooden Doors

Hardwood Doors vs. Softwood Doors

Hardwoods, such as oak or mahogany, are famous for their inherent density and durability, which make them a popular choice for furniture, flooring and general construction across the planet. Hardwood’s rich patterns and inherent weight make it a very aesthetic wood to have incorporated throughout your home, but it is quite difficult to work with because of its hardness. Softwoods on the other hand, like pine or cedar, come from trees that grow a lot faster and are more abundant than hardwood trees. This material is less expensive and is easier to work with than hardwoods. Softwood offers simple grain patterns and are often used in construction projects. With regard to hardwood vs softwood doors, the difference is significant and should be carefully considered as it will affect your door’s durability, aesthetic appeal (as well as its alignment with the rest of your building’s architecture), and maintenance requirements. Hardwood doors, made of oak or teak for example, flaunt a natural robustness, strength and beauty with its rich, intricate grain patterns, resulting in a more expensive, prestigious choice of door material. Hardwood doors are inherently a more resistant option and will last a very long time if taken care of properly. Softwood doors, made with cedar, redwood, etc, are a more budget-friendly option. These doors are lightweight and are very versatile, especially for interior applications, as they offer a naturally simple and elegant aesthetic which aligns beautifully with most decor and architectural styles. Softwood doors are the more practical, environmentally sustainable choice which make up for what it lacks in natural heft and strength. Your choice of wood will ultimately depend on your specific needs and your vision. We recommend you get in touch with a professional before making any final decisions.

Different Construction Methods

Wooden doors are usually either solid or engineered doors, each of which offer their own advantages and are each ideal for different applications. Solid wood doors, famous for their inherent strength and durability, are made from single large pieces/panels of wood. This classic construction method affords solid wood doors not only a gorgeous traditional aesthetic and robustness, but also some inherent insulating properties. Unfortunately these doors can be susceptible to warping, bowing, etc. if exposed to fluctuating humidity and temperature. Engineered wooden doors are doors that are made of multiple layers of wood (and sometimes other materials) that are pressed and glued together in various directions. This construction method enhances the door’s resistance to damage from environmental changes like humidity or temperature fluctuations. These doors offer better insulation compared to solid wood doors and are more cost effective and eco-friendly due to them generally using less wood in their construction. On the other hand these doors can become very difficult to repair or touch up when they get damaged, due to how they are constructed. Similarly to hardwoods compared to softwoods, the choice between these two types of doors depends on the specifics of your project and your personal vision.

A Brief Look at Different Wooden Door Designs

Panel Doors

Panel doors, identified by their use of flat, framed panels, offer a traditional, but versatile aesthetic which is suitable for most applications. From single-panel to multi-panel doors, these wooden doors are a true classic and will allow you to truly customise your door to match your personal vision. Panel doors are popular due to their sheer diversity, ensuring that there is a fitting option for almost any application.

Flush Doors

Flush doors are known for having a simple, modern look with sleek, flat surfaces that are void of any panels or ridges, which makes these doors ideal for minimalist contemporary settings. Flush wooden doors are made by encasing an internal frame between two flat panels made from plywood, MDF or wood veneer. This allows for a wide range of aesthetic finishes. Flush doors come with solid and hollow core options, where solid-core doors offer better thermal and noise insulation, these are also more durable than the hollow-core alternative which are more lightweight and cost effective. Due to flush doors’ balance of function and style, they are an ideal choice for many different applications.

French Doors

The French door is an elegant wooden door option which features large glass panels set within frames. These doors allow for natural light to flow into your rooms, giving them an airy, open feeling. French doors are thus perfect for separating living spaces in homes without making them feel disconnected or small. These wooden doors also make great doors to your outdoor spaces as they can help blur the line between your indoor spaces and the natural outside beauty. French doors can be customised in terms of the amount of window panels, panel size, opening mechanism (swinging or sliding doors), colour and material, all of which make them a versatile choice for many different types of homes.

Stable Doors

Stable Doors are split horisontally, allowing the top and bottom halves of the door to hinge independently. This unique functionality allows these doors to remain closed (bottom half of the door) while allowing fresh air flow and natural light to flood the room it’s attached to. These charming doors are traditionally seen serving as external kitchen doors. Stable Doors offer the perfect balance between security and openness, thus making the stable door fantastic for homes with small children or pets for example.

Choosing the Right Door for Your

Considerations for Exterior Doors

When picking which door you want to use and an exterior door, we suggest prioritising weather resistance, durability and security. Of course it is also important to select a wooden door that boosts your home’s curb appeal and matches the aesthetic style of your home or your overall vision. Hardwood doors or reinforced engineered doors are popular options for external wooden doors because of their innate strength and durability, which comes at no cost to beauty. We highly recommend speaking to a professional to help you make the perfect choice for your exterior door.

Interior Door Selection

Choosing the best interior door for you would mean balancing aesthetic and functionality. You will have to find a door that not only compliments the rest of your home's style, but one that offers adequate noise insulation and privacy for each room. You very likely would need an array of doors for your home’s interior. You may consider solid doors for bedrooms in order to maximise noise insulation. Bathrooms would require something durable and moisture resistant while closets and pantries would need something less durable and decorative. We again recommend speaking to a professional to ensure that you find the right doors for your home. In conclusion, the specific wooden door you select will have an impact on both the aesthetics and the functionality of your home. In this blog, we discussed the many different types of doors available to you, as well as key aspects to keep in mind when selecting either external or interior wooden doors. We highly recommend consulting with a professional to help ensure that you select the perfect door for your home. If you would like to read more door related guides or blogs, feel free to check out all of our blogs or take a look at the wide range of doors that we offer.