While it's not something that we often think about, your internal doors can really finish off your home. They take up enough space on a wall to become a feature if you would like them to, and this can be achieved through the style, material, finish and/or hardware that you choose! There are so many door options to choose from that it can be a bit confusing knowing where to start, so we have put together a quick guide to help you understand what is available:
1 | Types of Doors
There are many types of doors available. While most doors in your home are likely to be hinged doors, you may want to consider some other options that can become more of a feature or save you space:
Hinged door - standard passage door used between rooms in most houses
Pivot door - pivots are generally needed over hinges for wider doors of 1200mm and over, to support the weight of the door
Cavity sliding door - these types of door hide into the wall cavity and take up no space within the room, making them fantastic for small rooms like bathroom and pantries. However, be aware that no plumbing or electrical fittings can be placed onto the wall where the cavity is.
Double doors - these are 2 x hinged or sliding doors covering one larger opening, and can create more of a feature in a room
Barn door - these are sliding doors that slide on the outside against the wall, they are generally wider than a normal door opening and are perfect as a feature door
Bi-fold doors - Bi-fold doors fold in half to take up less space when open
2 | Materials
Most internal doors tend to be a primed door that is ready for painting. You can also get timber doors that are either a solid timber or a timber veneer only. With either, primed doors or timber doors, you also have many options with glass inserts. These are great to help let more light into a room or as a feature.
Doors are usually either a solid construction or have a hollow core construction. Hollow core doors are cheaper than solid doors, as they are mostly hollow with a honeycomb shaped infill. However, they are also less sound-proof, so we usually recommend to stick with solid construction for areas that you would like more sound proofing like bathrooms and bedrooms.
3 | Appearance
Doors also come in different looks. The most common in new houses is a 'flush panel' door which means they are completely flat with no pattern. These are also the cheapest option, but they don't add much to the space if you want something that is more classic or decorative.
If you have an older home or more of a traditional style, we recommend going with panel doors, which have recessed 'panels' to create a profiled look. There are many traditional style profiles that have 2, 3 or 4 panels. However, there are also a many profiled door options that are very contemporary, with linear patterns (like a VJ panel) or shaker style patterns. As mentioned above, glass inserts in doors are also a great feature available in many door styles.
4 | Finishes and Colours
If you are planning to paint your door, you can go as neutral or as bold as you would like. If the door is not to be a main feature in the space, we usually paint it to match the skirting boards and architraves (which are usually the same colour as the walls or a builder's white). We like using a semi-gloss finish on doors and woodwork, but you can go with a high gloss for a more traditional look. If you'd like to go bold, you can use a darker or bright colour to make your door a feature. If the door on a feature wall, you can paint the door as well as the skirts and archs to match.
If you have a timber or timber veneer door, you may choose to stain it instead of painting it. Keep in mind that stains will look different on different types of timber, so we recommend doing a sample stain on a similar timber piece. If you love the timber colour as it is, you may also choose to just add a clear coat instead.
5 | Hardware
An important part of any door is the hardware. Hinged and pivot doors will require a lever handle, pull handle or a knob to suit the style that you're after. Cavity sliding doors will require a pull handle or flush pull. If you'd like the door to be able to slide completely into the wall cavity, you will need a flush pull and an end pull so you can pull the door back out of the cavity. Most lever handles, knobs and flush pulls also come with a privacy option that allows you to lock the door from the inside - perfect for bathrooms and bedrooms.
An additional tip is that doors come in standard sizes. While there are custom sizes available (usually for an extra cost), doors are usually 620, 720, 770, 820, 920, 1020 or 1200mm wide and 2040 or 2340mm high!
I hope these tips have been helpful! If you want to find out more about how we can help you with your project, get in contact with us below:
Have a wonderful week!
Nina xx
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