The Low Down on Doors
The Ins and Outs of Doors
Every home has a couple different kinds of doors. The two largest distinctions are interior and exterior doors.
Exterior doors tend to be heavier, come with glass or windows, have a certain level of security and have some sort of weather resistant features. Front doors are generally created to give visitors a good impression of your home and provide you with a great deal of security. They are generally solid wood or feature a metal-based core. Back doors tend to be much less elaborate but still provide a good deal of security. Oftentimes back doors include French and patio doors which feature a lot of glass and a great deal of functionality.
Interior doors are usually lighter-weight, rarely feature glass, and are generally not weather resistant. Interior doors not only include bedroom doors but also closet doors, pocket doors, and bypass doors.
Your bedroom doors are typically hollow core doors and are made to provide a limited amount of privacy. Anyone who has stuck a dismantled pen or other implement into a door lock to get it open can attest to this. These doors are rarely very attractive or elaborate but a little more attention has been paid to their aesthetics in recent years.
Other interior doors are closet doors, pocket doors and bypass doors. They serve the purpose of hiding or separating rooms. These are also lightweight doors, which normally do not have any security features. They may be solid or hollow core but are typically quite thin. Bypass doors are two or more doors, which slide in front of and behind each other to allow access. Pocket doors slide into the wall and can stay hidden there, nearly invisible to the naked eye. Closet doors can come in a number of different styles. Bi-fold doors are very common for closets but bypass and hinged doors are also very common.
Solid and hollow core doors have been mentioned and are pretty self-evident but flush doors are an increasingly popular construction method. A flush door is usually an interior door but can be used for exterior doors if they’re a bit more substantial. These doors feature paneling of wood or MDF over a frame, much like hollow core doors, but instead of leaving the middle open these doors are filled with a cardboard material.
The styles of doors for both interior and exterior are extremely varied, as are their methods of operation and function. Before you make style decisions though it’s important to review what the function will be and to address the key points of security, functionality, and if you want any ventilation or light penetration.
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