​Interior ideas: Choosing internal doors

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Family Home in Winchester's Sleepers Hill, Martin Gardner Photography Martin Gardner Photography Klassieke mediakamers
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Value your privacy in your home? Not too keen on including every single room in one vast layout? Then you’re definitely going to require some interior doors!

Since the dawn of building, internal doors have been dividing rooms, and with increased suppliers and designs it has become trickier (but also much more interesting) choosing the right ones. 

But before you start dreaming about the various designs and options such as glass doors, sliding designs, or even vintage barn doors closing off your kitchen, have you considered the steps to choosing those internal doors in the first place?

Because we have!

1. Internal doors: How much should I spend?

What you’re going to pay for internal doors will depend on three key factors: 

• Material 

• Construction quality 

• Whether it’s a single door or a doorset.

Looking at the cheaper end of the scale, if you’re buying on a door-to-door basis, plan on paying between £50-£200 per door. Then budget a further £30-£40 per door for handles, latch and hinges.

When it comes to doorsets, prices can vary considerably – some sets range between £90-£300, while others only start at £1,200. 

Of course you’ll want your interior doors to last – thus, always take quality into consideration when viewing prices.

2. Internal doors: Choosing between hollow and solid timber

The main difference lies in their construction, yet it affects the price. 

A hollow two-skin door has air spaces within the core, is less robust, lighter in weight and usually cheaper. More expensive doors usually possess a solid core construction and a prefinished timber veneer.

But those with an engineered timber core are by far the best option, as they are less likely to twist or change shape than standard wood when conditions change throughout the year. And keep in mind that (usually) lighter equals cheaper, so expect to pay from £30 upwards for a standard-size door with a hollow core. 

And thanks to their fabrics, solid doors also provide better sound- and thermal insulation, with insulative properties running through the core of the door.

3. Internal doors: Deciding on a style

It’s a fact that homeowners put much more emphasis on the look of a ground-floor door than upstairs ones. As most guests don’t wander upstairs to look at interior doors, homeowners focus more on creating a wow factor when walking through the entrance and matching these doors to the architrave, frame and even flooring. 

To achieve that wow factor, one has various options – from cross-directional grains and different timber and colour options, to glazed inserts that allow light to flow throughout the home. And remember to factor in whether your internal doors will open out or into a room. 

Pocket doors seem to be gathering much interest these days due to their stylish look and space-saving advantages. 

For a modern look, frameless doors are becoming quite a trendy choice, but remember that these are more expensive as they have to be made with an invisible frame and shadow gap. Frameless doors are more suited to those who prefer their doors to be part of the fabric of the house and not stand out. 

As modern houses are increasingly featuring higher ceilings, designers and architects are adjusting interior doors to maintain proportion with the room – thus, taller, oversized doors are becoming trendy, too.

4. Internal doors: When to buy

If you want your internal doors to have real impact within your homebuilding project, they need to be considered in two separate phases. 

Firstly, make a decision about the sizing and configuration of your doors very early, as in the stages of when the architectural plans are drawn up. Take pocket doors as an example – the cassette into which pocket doors slide will need to be built into the wall, and thus need to be known before the walls go up. 

Secondly, know the finish of your doors around the same time as the rest of the interior design scheme. Of course it’s natural for ideas to change, so factoring in the aesthetics at the start allows for these to develop.

5. Internal doors: Common mistakes to avoid

1. Not considering doors as part of the interior fit-out budget. 

2. Not measuring door sizes correctly. 

3. Not installing and treating / finishing the doors correctly. 

4. Not considering which way the door is going to open, hug left or right, etc. 

5. Not leaving enough space for the door to open.

Devote a little more time to getting these factors right at the beginning of a project. Of course sometimes it’s worth living in the house first to consider how you want to enter the different rooms and the available space, but don’t ever deem your home’s internal doors as an afterthought. They are so much more!

Now that doors are done, let’s see these 11 ways to dress your windows.

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