The pros and cons of different types of internal doors

There are of course, many different styles and types of interior doors, and finding the right match for your customer’s project is essential in order to ensure that the end result is both functional and aesthetically appealing! It is important to ensure that internal doors complement the overall appearance of the rooms, and that they also fit in with the theme, tone and style that you are trying to achieve for your customers.

If you are in the design stage of a project with your customer and are about to begin discussing the options available to them in terms of internal doors and entryways, it is worth taking a quick look at the different options available to you, in order to make the best suggestions for your customer’s home.

Here is a quick run down of all of the main types and styles of interior doors, plus the pros and cons of each.

Don’t fall at the first hurdle!

 

Before you even get as far as looking at the options for new doors for your project, it is important to find out if your project and choices are subject to any regulations or guidelines regarding the type of property, and its usage. If the property is a listed building or a heritage home, you might find that you are limited in terms of the alterations that you can make to the doors or internal walls of the property, and will have to work within the confines of those guidelines.

If the home is intended to be used as a buy to let property, there may be additional guidelines in place regarding the placement and materials used for internal doors, for instance if fire-resistant doors are necessary in order to comply with the landlord’s licence.

Veneered doors

Veneered doors or “flush” doors are one of the lower cost interior door options, being constructed of exterior sheets of plywood or hardboard, with either chipboard or a honeycomb layer of cardforming the internal bulk of the door. Reinforcing timber battens secure the exterior edges, and sometimes, extra reinforcement is present around the lock and hinges. 

Pros

• Low cost
• Easy to buy off-the-peg
• Light and easy to handle

Cons

•  Limited space to cut in from the outer frame, as thin battens make up the exterior of the frame
• Lock block on one side of the door only, so limited options on which way you can hang the door

Moulded doors

Moulded doors are constructed with either plastic, low cost wood or manmade materials making up the outer surface, in a lower-cost copy of the traditional heavy panel door styles.

Pros

• A wide range of styles and finishes available
• Considerable cost saving over traditional panel doors

Cons

• Wear and tear in use can be hard to cover and correct if the finish of the door is plastic or veneered

Panel doors

Panel doors are of course the big brother of the moulded door, and one of the traditional styles of door that offers a wide variety of options for customisation. Panel doors consist of a solid wooden construction, and the panels themselves can be made of wood, glass or any other material of your choosing! They are also easy to work with, and can be altered and cut down to suit your project.

Pros

• Panel doors look and feel like expensive, high quality doors
• They are easy to work with, and can be cut and planed to size
• Panel doors work well in properties where complimenting the theme and matching the existing style is important

Cons

• Generally more expensive than most other internal door options
• Matching the appearance of existing aged wood within a home with a brand new door can be challenging

Sliding doors

Sliding doors are one of the two options available to you if you wish to install a dividing door that allows two smaller rooms to be converted into one larger room when needed, and sliding doors are also popular in bedrooms as the frontage to generously sized wardrobes.

Pros

• Allows for an infinite range of options to use the available space of one or more rooms
• Do not encroach into the room when opened
• Many different styles and materials available, to suit all types of project from a kitchen/diner fusion to a bespoke wardrobe build

Cons

• Can be expensive, and may need to be made specifically for the project at hand
• One side of the doorway remains closed off in order to allow the other door to be opened:normally, both sides cannot be open simultaneously

Folding doors

Folding doors are your second option in terms of room dividers, and are an incredibly popular option for placing a movable dividing wall between a lounge and dining room, or a kitchen and a dining room.

A great many styles, materials and finishes are available, from solid panels to glazed doors to allow light into along divided room, even when the folding doors are closed.

Pros

• Offers many options to allow room spaces to be utilised in a variety of different way
• Many styles and finishes available
• Can be opened in sections to suit the homeowner’s needs
• Generally easy to buy off the peg

Cons

• Requires space to allow the doors to fold open
• Limited options for customisation and resizing, depending on door material

Whatever options you present to your customers, it is important that you can answer all of their questions and concerns and provide a knowledgeable insight into their various options, plus be able to identify any limitations or problems that might arise along the way.

Working closely with your customer and doing your research is of course, essential, in order to ensure that the end result of your interior door selection is both fit for purpose, and achieves the finish that your customer is looking for.

Changing doors is the simplest way to transform a home or a room, and the latest trade doors from Magnet Trade provide advanced thermal efficiency, fire protection and security, as well as sheer good looks. We provide a wide range of stylish internal doors beautiful folding doors and specialist fire doors.