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.