DOOR BUYING GUIDE
If you’re replacing worn or damaged doors, remodeling or wanting to enhance the inside of your home, a new door offers a refreshing change. Let our guide help you choose the right door to complement your décor.
Things to Know Before You Buy
Before you purchase a new door, there are a few things to keep in mind.
DOOR TYPE
There are two types of doors Pre-hung and Slab
A Pre-hung door, which includes a frame-mounded door and hinges, is ready to install and use with a prepared doorway.
A Slab door is just the door and doesn’t include a frame, hinges or handle set. Slab doors come unfinished (Stain or Paint required) or finished and ready to hang.
PRE-HUNG DOOR
SLAB
SIZES AND MEASUREMENTS
Door openings and dimensions are important when installing or replacing a door. If you are replacing an existing door with a pre-hung door, you must select a door that has the same dimensions as the existing one.
Standard widths are 24, 28, 30, 32 and 36 inches, while the height must be a minimum of 80 inches. For a slab door, measure the width, height and thickness of the door. For a pre-hung door, measure the width and height of the slab, the rough opening (space between the studs with no door installed), and the thickness of the jamb.
DOOR HANDING GUIDE
Door swing is important for placement of door hardware. To determine door swing, stand outside of the door ( entrance side ) If the hinges are on the left side of the door, you are have a left-handed door. if the hinges are on the right side of the door, it’s a right-handed door.
LEFT HAND REVERSE
LEFT HAND
RIGHT HAND
RIGHT HAND REVERSE
DOOR STYLES
A well-designed door is a simple way to add style to your home. We’ll walk you through all of the available options.
Barn Doors
Barn doors are a great way to separate rooms, while providing an artisan flair to any space. Some barn doors glide along an upper rail, and others have a bottom track to prevent the door from swinging. Barn doors range from rustic to polished and come prefinished or unfinished in a variety of styles.
We also offer a kit to convert most doors into a barn door.
Pocket Doors
A pocket door is a sliding door that opens by sliding along its length and disappearing into a compartment in the adjacent wall. Pocket doors are used for architectural effect, or when there is no room for a swinging door. They usually travel on rollers suspended from an overhead track, although some also feature tracks or guides along the floor. Both single and double door versions are used, depending on the width of the entry.
Bifold Doors
Bifold doors are hinged with symmetrical door panels that fold outward and to the side as a pair when opened. Many bifold doors are louvered, allowing for better air circulation than traditional doors. Bifold doors don't swing and take up less space than a hinged door, making them a great choice for closets, laundry rooms, utility rooms or room dividers.
Bypass Doors
A bypass door consists of two or more sections that can slide in either direction along one axis or parallel overhead tracks, so that they slide pas each other. They are most commonly used as closet doors, in order to access one side of the closet at a time. The doors in a bypass unit will overlap slightly when viewed from the front to eliminate any visible gap between them.
French Doors
When thinking of French Doors most envision a large pane of glass sectioned into smaller panels that may also be referred to as window grids or divided lites. A French door is more than just an entry or exit point. It’s an elegant way to allow natural light to fill your home and has more benefits than just their sheer beauty.
Swinging Doors
This is a hinged door that swings into or out of a room, and is the most standard interior door application
DOOR FINISH
The finish you select on your new door depends on the time and money you’re willing to put into the process.
PRIMED
Primed doors are prepped with a coating that seals the wood and makes it easier for the stain or paint to adhere. Primed doors are a great choice if you want to paint the door yourself. Giving you flexibility in style and color.
STAINED
A stained door enhances the natural wood pattern and creates an even color tone, allowing the natural wood to shine through. Stains come in a variety of shades from lights, such as honey maple or white oak, to darks, like black or espresso.
PREFINISHED
A prefinished door is factory-finished and ready for installation using machinery and techniques that are a step above what you might have available at home. With precut door holes and hinge screw holes. The only work required is installation.
UNFINISHED
Unfinished doors are a blank slate and require more work than prefinished doors. They’re pre-sanded but not stained or painted. Interior doors are available in a variety of styles, giving you the option of enhancing every room in your home.
CORE TYPE
A Hollow core doors are lightweight, inexpensive, easy to install and popular choice for many homeowners. Their versatility makes them ideal for bedrooms, bathrooms and closets; however, they don’t offer high-quality sound blocking and have little fire resistance.
Cutting hollow core doors can be tricky because they aren’t truly hollow. Inside is a foam or cardboard core. Measure the amount to trim, align and use a utility knife to score with a straight edge. Clamp a straight edge cutting guide to the door, and cover the score with m asking tape all the way around the door to help prevent chipping. Cut with a power saw.
Solid core doors are sturdier, heavier and offer better soundproofing than hollow core. They’re better insulated, offer the look, feel and durability of solid wood without the cost and provide good fire resistance.
Primed doors are prepped with a coating that seals the wood and makes it easier for the stain or paint to adhere.
Tip
When trimming a hollow core door, cut at the bottom and no more than 1-1/2 inches.
