Which Internal Door Should I Choose?

The humble door is one of the most under-appreciated parts of interior design. A good door will act as an accent to the rest of your interior décor, while also serving several important functions. The trim and finish add to the aesthetics of the room, the thickness of the door muffles noises, and the design will either let in light, or provide privacy, as you see fit.

A door offers easy access to whatever is behind it, and will keep the temperature of the room stable – stopping drafts while also not turning the room into a greenhouse. The style and type of internal door that you choose for each room will depend on the look of the room, and the properties that you consider to be the most important.

Which Style of Internal Door?

When it comes to choosing the style of door, you have to think about not just practical considerations (whether to purchase a pre-hung door or a slab door), but also whether you want a standard door, internal bifold doors or French doors. If you do opt for the standard design, do you want heavy, solid oak internal doors, ornate Victorian doors, ones with glass panels, stile-and-rail designs with feature panels, or the more economical flush door with a faux hardwood veneer?

Flush doors are certainly the most affordable option, and they are convenient for other reasons too, since they tend to be hollow and therefore light and easy to work with. However, this also means that they cannot be cut down to size, so if your internal door frame is narrower or shorter than the standard sizes, you may find it hard to get a door that will fit.

Which Internal Door Material?

The material that you choose will depend on the location of the door and how often it is going to be used. Heavy oak internal doors are ideal for high traffic areas, and for bedrooms, where the thickness will be useful for cutting down on noise.

Hollow core doors, or glazed internal doors are lightweight and look nice, and might be a good choice for low traffic parts of the house. Sliding doors may be a good choice to lead from the living room to the conservatory, since they will preserve much-needed space in the living room, and if they are glazed they will let natural light into the living room.

Other Interior Door Considerations 

One thing that a lot of people fail to consider is the way that the door opens. Do you want a pocket door, which slides on a track and will open into a wall (this may not be possible, depending on the design of your home), a bypass door with a staggered design where the doors slide past each other, a bifolding design where the doors hinge in the middle and pivot on the edge, or a standard hinge design where the door has hinges on the left or right hand side, and swings at that edge. Remember, when planning the room, that if the doors hinge, you will need clear space around that area, while if they slide you have more leeway.

Another important consideration is internal door sizing. The type and style of door may be defined by the size of the opening in the space you're looking at. Intarnal bifold doors would make a good choice for a larger opening that divides two rooms, whereas a simple oak interior door might be just right for a single leaf door opening. Some door styles have multiple otions in one range, so you can mix and match between clear glazed, frosted, unglazed, single leaf and bifolding options to create a consistent feel throughout your home. 

A final item to consider is your budget. If you're looking to replace old, tired interior doors throughout your entire home, finding something cost effective might be your primary objective. If so, choosing an unfinished door and adding a wood stain yourself could help keep costs down. However, you may be updating your internal doors to add a touch of luxury, so a solid oak door that's finished to perfection could be just right for you. 

If you want more information on internal doors, please take a look at our guide: Can Internal Doors be Cut to Size: And other Frequently Asked Questions