Internal doors may not be among some people’s first considerations when buying or renting a house or flat – but maybe they should be?
After all, changing internal doors can:
- Transform the way your property looks and feels
- Greatly increase fire security
- Make your home more energy efficient, thereby driving down utility bills
So, what kind of internal door options are there? And which is the best type for you and your home?
Flush Doors
Flush doors are very simple in their design.
They have plain and smooth facings on each side, and no patterns or panels.
While flush doors may appear to be made of solid wood, they actually consist of solid, hollow or stave materials.
A solid core is essentially a solid sheet of material, like particle board or foam, that gives your flush door excellent insulation, sound-proofing properties and strength. They’re therefore a fantastic option for schools, hospitals, nurseries and the like – as well as for homes or hotels.
Hollow core flush doors are much less sturdy, offering only minimal support between the door skin and frame. As such, they don’t offer a great deal in terms of robustness or insulation. Basically, if you’ve got a moody teenager in the house or kids that like play-fighting, the likelihood is that one of them is going to put a foot or shoulder through a door of this nature.
Stave core flush doors come somewhere in between solid and hollow. The core is formed of wooden slats stacked and fixed on top of one another. The facings and lippings are then attached to the core to give the impression of a solid wood door.
Flush doors probably won’t win many beauty contests, but they are certainly easier on the pocket than many other options.
Then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if you’re looking for a very clean and simple aesthetic, flush doors will possibly be a better choice for you than (typically more elaborate) panel doors.
Wooden Panel Doors
Panel Doors are the most common type of wooden internal doors.
You’re probably looking at one right now. Or closing one to shut out the noise the kids are making while you’re busying yourself researching new doors.
Panel doors are a traditional and very popular style of door fashioned from several pieces of wood to form (as the name suggests!) attractive panels framed by stiles and rails of greater thickness.
Panel doors allow for more of the kind of sophisticated detailing – like moulding and beading – that really draws the eye. It’s little wonder, then, that doors with wooden panels are such a popular option for period properties.
The options wooden panel doors give you are virtually endless.
But they do usually come with higher price tags due to the complexity of the wood and variety of materials that go into crafting them.
Nevertheless, wooden panel fire doors doors are extremely popular with Vigor Doors customers, due to their elegance, versatility, robustness, insulation and fire safety qualities.
Glazed Panel Doors
Glazed panel doors are also becoming increasingly popular with owners of more contemporary properties, as they allow plenty of natural light to flow around the home.
There’s such a wide choice of glazing options available that they really are becoming extremely popular.
You may also be surprised to learn that the glass used in modern fire door is impressively fire resistant.
Let There Be Light!
Of course, another option for internal doors is to go fully glazed, thereby allowing natural light to flow around your property uninterrupted.
Glass doors might not be the cosy aesthetic you’re looking for or offer much in the way of privacy, but they’re perfect for slick city centre apartments or ultra-modern minimalist homes.
And if you think that glass doors don’t offer much in the way of fire protection, well, you’d be wrong! The fire resistant nature of modern fire glass means that it is now possible to buy FD30 glass fire doors that can resist a blaze for up to 30 minutes, therefore giving occupants a vital opportunity to escape to safety.
Glass internal doors may not be for everyone – but you’ve got to admit that they bring a real brightness and freshness to any space. Dare you go fully glazed?
How’s That For A Finish?
OK, so the way your door is constructed – from panelled wood, solid core or glass (or with glass panels) – is one thing: how it’s finished is quite another!
A lot of people opt for that stripped-back, sanded-down traditional farmhouse look for their wooden panel doors. And why not? It’s a great aesthetic in the right kind of setting.
Or, you may want to wax or varnish (a nice, airy seaside blue, for instance?) your doors at a later date. But bear in mind the work and expertise that goes into removing doors from their hinges without causing any damage and then re-hanging them.
And it’s not just about panel doors. You can also elevate those less fashionable but more economical flush doors with a lovely colour and finish of your own choosing. This, again, is a highly skilled job, so we’d urge you to go for a fully-finished door and professional installation if you want a no hassle, wholly complete product.
Finally, have you thought about primed doors?
These doors have been pre-painted, usually in a simple white, thereby giving you the option to hang the doors as they are for a bright, contemporary aesthetic or paint them in a colour of your choosing. Either way, Vigor Doors customers often opt for primed internal doors because it saves them the hassle of having to sand and prime doors themselves.
And, of course, we would always recommend that you always get your doors hung by experts (that’s us, by the way! We deliver and install doors all over the UK).
Here for you and your internal door needs
We hope you’ve now got a better understanding of the kinds of internal door options available to you.
Whichever you choose, rest assured that we’ll be here to help you all the way if you’re looking for an internal door that stands tall in any setting and offers real fire protection alongside all the other benefits, such as aesthetics, insulation and durability.
If you’d like to learn more about the standard and bespoke internal door choices we can offer you at great prices, please call our friendly team on 01642 265 034 or email info@vigordoors.com.
