The doors for a home may seem like rather simple objects but they but they actually possess some complexity that’s easy to overlook. We all want them to look nice since they’re easily seen and play a big part in defining the style of a home as well as a room.
But depending on their role, they can also be a big factor in keeping our house warm and draft-free as well as quiet and peaceful.
Knowing what you need a door to do for you and what kinds of materials and technologies achieve those ends will help you make the right choices.
Then there’s the innovations and technologies to consider that make doors even more useful, efficient and environmentally friendly. So take a few moments to get familiar with the “ins and outs” of doors (yes, pun intended!) so that it’s easier to make the right choice, whether it’s an interior, exterior or patio door.
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Types Of Doors & What You Should Know Before Choosing
Features, Choices & Innovations Worth Noting
Where To Get Your Doors
Types Of Doors & What You Should Know Before Choosing
Regardless of whether you’re remodeling or building new, most door choices come down to which style looks best. A door is a vertical welcome mat and because it’s such a visible fixture, it only makes sense to want something that looks good. But all doors aren’t created equal so it pays to understand how they’re made and the differences among them in order to make the right choice.
Doors For Different Roles
Doors play different roles which govern the materials they’re made from and how they’re built. The basic types, not counting the garage door, are interior, exterior (or entry doors as they’re also called) and patio doors. Closet doors fall into the ‘interior’ category.
Exterior / Entry Doors
Exterior doors have to stand up to the elements so they’re made from several different types of materials (see the material information below). Wood has been a mainstay for entry doors but other materials like steel and fiberglass offer benefits over wood.
The location of the exterior door is something to consider when making choices. Front doors are a good place to spend a little extra on good looks like a distinctive wood craftsman door or some other type that suits your style.
On the other hand, entrances that are not as noticeable like garage, mudroom and back entrances might do with less distinctive doors, allowing you the opportunity to save some money. Regardless of the type you choose, try to get one that has the best insulation value available for that style and material.
Interior Doors
Interior doors come in many shapes and styles running the gamut from builder grade hollow-core to beautiful custom-made wood doors. Interior doors are typically made from either wood or MDF (medium density fiberboard), an engineered wood-based product.
MDF doors don’t have any grain and are usually painted. Because they’re an engineered product, they’re very stable (less likely to warp/twist) than solid wood. They can be routed, machined and formed easily which allows for the application of intricate designs or to mimic the look of traditional rail and stile doors.
Hollow doors transmit noise more easily than solid ones and while they may be less expensive, they feel flimsier and don’t have much heft. They’re built with a narrow wood frame around the perimeter with two “facings” or “skins” placed on either side.
Solid doors are made from solid wood (usually of stile and rail construction) or a real wood veneer that’s layered over an MDF or some other form of hardboard core.
Patio Doors
Patio doors are a bit more unique in that they’re an exterior door but usually wider and they typically contain more glass. In that sense, they’re somewhat like a window and it pays (literally and figuratively) to choose one with good energy performance.
Patio doors come in a wide variety of styles and two main configurations: sliding and hinged.
Some hinged styles are actually french doors, with both doors hinged at the right and left sides of the frame.
Other styles offer the look of a french door but only one of the doors opens, the other is essentially a window that looks like a door.
Considerations to think about with patio doors is the difference in space-makeup between the sliding and hinged varieties. Sliding doors don’t swing out into a room and thus take up less space. Hinged doors open into the room and require enough space for the door swing.
Garage Doors
Garage doors make up the largest doors in your house and are actually the most complex. There’s a wide variety of styles and types of construction and choosing the right kind for your house takes a little understanding of what to look for.
Since the garage door is usually one of the most visible parts of your home it makes sense to choose one that looks great and complements the style of your house. However other considerations include which materials to choose, making sure the right safety features are included and whether to install it yourself or have it done professionally.