Door style and design: What are your options?

With the seemingly endless array of door styles, choosing the best one for your home can be quite a challenge. Whether you’re looking to replace one old door or pick out a dozen doors for your new home, it’s always best to know your options. Here’s the low-down on the most common doors in terms of material, mechanism, and design.

Door materials

Three materials reign when it comes to doors: wood, steel, and fibreglass. With its classic looks and homey feel, wood is still very popular in both traditional and contemporary homes. There are lots of choices for wood doors, ranging from basic solid doors to luxurious panelled ones. For contemporary homes, steel doors are a great fit. They are secure, affordable, and low-maintenance. Plus, they can be painted in any colour to suit your home. Fibreglass doors are great alternatives for those who don’t want to deal with too much upkeep. They can be stained to look like wood, but unlike metal or wood, they won’t rust or rot.

In terms of beauty, high-quality wooden doors are still hard to beat. However, since metal and fibreglass doors require less maintenance and are more energy efficient, many homeowners are opting for them too.

Door mechanisms

Most doors found in homes, apart from garage doors, are either hinged or sliding. Hinged doors are still the most common because they are easy to install and are more varied and secure. On the other hand, the sliding door style is great for those who have limited space. They work well for closets or rooms where space is an issue, but they can’t give you full access to your closet. An alternative door style that saves space but grants full access is folding doors.

Door styles

Flush doors appear as solid doors without any decorations and are mostly used for rooms or closets.

Panel doors are made up of several frames of embossed panels and some glass inserts. They are some of the most common door styles and can be used as exterior or interior doors.

French doors are mostly utilised as patio or entry doors because of their decorative appeal. They feature several glass inserts or “lites” that allow more natural light and a wonderful view. They definitely amp up a home’s curb appeal when used as an entry door.

Dutch doors were originally meant for use in farms or stables. They are divided in half and can be opened separately. Today, many homes have adopted the style and use it for their exterior doors.

Barn doors are sliding doors that usually hang from an overhead track. They are perfect for rooms that need privacy but don’t really have much floor space to spare.

Pocket doors also slide to open and close, but unlike barn doors, they slide into a pocket on the wall. This makes them look quite sleek and perfect for dividing different areas of the home.

Found your perfect door? It’s time to get it installed—hear from door installers now!