When buying a wood door for your interior space, you cannot choose a random one. There is a wide range of door options available on the market. Each option has advantages and disadvantages, especially in the interior space.
Hence, the best solid wood interior doors will depend entirely on many factors, including wood materials. If you need a guide in choosing the best wood for interior doors, keep reading!
Contents
What are interior doors?
Interior doors, as their name suggests, are intended for use inside the space. This door is built inside the space structure to separate several rooms or spaces, which promotes privacy. Interior doors are also outstanding in their functionality. Among its prominent functions are excellent sound insulation and accessibility.
The door is also known as aesthetically pleasing due to the wide range of styles, finishes, and materials, elevating the space’s decor. However, its primary function is to allow people to enter and leave the building without hassle.
What is the purpose of wood in interior doors?
Interior doors are doors designed for the inside structure to divide and function well. For this reason, wood became the primary material to support its overall functionality. One of the purposes of interior doors is to provide an aesthetic to elevate the design and appeal of the place. This feature is necessary, especially for residential and commercial spaces.
Wood is also versatile and provides various advantages. One of which is their durability and strength, which can be supported by strong wood materials. Hence, they can last in space for decades. Wood also provides good insulation, which reduces sound and environmental impact and promotes regeneration.
The Best Wood for Interior Doors
The best solid wood interior doors will depend on various factors, including the wood type. To give you an overview, please refer to the following:
Oak Wood
Oak wood comes from the timber of the oak tree, which belongs to the genus Quercus. Oak is a popular material because of how aesthetically pleasing it looks. Aside from its natural look, it has a variety of hues and natural grain patterns. This door also works well with stains and paint, which allows for design variations.
Additionally, oak offers both pros and cons. One of the pros oak doors possesses is density, strength, and durability. They can last for years without hassle. However, they also have their cons, such as that they burn quickly due to their high BTU contents. They are also more expensive.
Poplar Wood
Poplar wood comes from the tulip tree and is a member of the magnolia family. Poplar is a popular material because it has white to cream hues with a straight and uniform grain pattern. Despite being pleasing, this door option has more to offer. Hence, they are employed in various industries, whether residential or commercial.
Poplar wood is excellent for holding paints, but not so much for stains. Still, this makes them perfect for customized door designs. This door option is also lightweight and robust enough to withstand wear and tear during the interior door experience. Despite this advantage, poplar is not durable. They are even susceptible to decay and mosquito attacks.
Alder
Alder wood comes from the Alnus tree, mainly Alnus rubra and Alnus glutinosa. Alder is commonly colored yellowish to reddish brown, which is suitable for rustic and contemporary spaces. This material has a fine grain, evenly distributed across the surface. It also contains a lot of knots that add to its more elevated look.
Alder is visually appealing, but its function makes it stand out. One of their advantages is that they are resistant to rotting when placed inside the space. This makes them long-lasting. However, if you’re looking for a door with good insulation and durability, Adler might not be a good option.
Walnut
Walnut wood comes from the walnut tree, particularly from the Juglans genus. There is a wide range of walnut trees available, but the most commonly used are American black walnut and European walnut. The appearance of walnut wood, in general, has a deep, rich brown color with purple or gray undertones.
These features make them appear to blend well in contemporary and rustic spaces. Walnut is a great option if you want to accentuate the door. Because the door is not as hard compared to others, this makes it less durable.
Cherry
Cherry wood comes from cherry trees, especially American cherry and black cherry trees. This door option is prevalent because of its distinct color and texture, which are reddish-brown, wavy grain, and smooth texture. However, despite its aesthetic design, its color darkens over time, mainly if exposed to sunlight. Its aesthetic appeal captures the eyes of many. They also perform well in terms of absorbing shocks. Thus, it can be used in high-movement places.
Maple
Maple wood comes from maple trees, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. This wood option has an almost white to light brown color. They are also uniformly colored, have fine textures, and have distinct patterns. These characteristics make them highly valued in design aspects.
Maple offers various benefits, one of which is durability and hardness. This door doesn’t break easily, as it can withstand wear and tear. This makes them a perfect option for high-traffic and extreme-weather areas. However, maple costs more than other wood options. They are also vulnerable to stains and discoloration, which is why they need to be sealed properly.
Mahogany
Mahogany wood comes from the genus Swietenia, mainly Swietenia mahagoni and Swietenia macrophylla. Mahogony is one of the most adored options because of its rich, dark-brown color that elevates warmth in the space. It also contains a unique, wavy, grainy pattern that adds character to the material.
Aside from its rustic aura, mahogany brings so many advantages. One is their hardness and durability due to how they resist moisture and decay. Even in humid places, mahogany will still last decades. Although their downside is, that their availability is limited. You need to source well to find a quality option.
Cedar
Cedar wood comes from the Cedrus genus or Cupressus genus. Cedar has light to reddish brown hues with straight grains. Aside from its color, cedar also offers an aromatic scent. Cedar smells pleasant and can repel mosquitoes and insects inside the space. Cedar even provides outstanding functionality, mainly in terms of durability, less warping and shrinking, and moisture- resistance.
What Type of Interior Door Should I Choose?
There are different types of interior doors on the market. However, the best one depends on many factors, such as materials, style, functionality, finish, and budget. To help you decide on which one to choose, we have listed the top following interior door types:
Wood Doors
An interior wood door is derived from wood material like pine, oak, poplar, etc., and is mostly filled with solid wood veneer, fiberboard, or mechanical board. This door type is utilized in interior spaces due to its versatility in style to fit your space’s style and aesthetic while offering a high-end feel. They also serve as a divider to maximize space or offer privacy due to their excellent sound insulation.
Sliding Doors
A sliding interior door is a type of door that slides horizontally along a fixed track to open and close it. This design is beneficial for various purposes, especially in creating an open-concept living space. They can also be used for space division and privacy. You can also tweak this design by adding glass or frames to enhance practicality and visual purposes.
French Doors
An interior French door is the perfect door if you want to let the light flow inside the space. This door usually contains a glass panel attached to the door frame. You can customize this door to fit your space by adding a double door to create a grand entrance or opening. With how light they are, they are usually added between the entryway of the kitchen or living area and the dining room.
Panel Doors
An interior panel door usually contains two to eight panels, sometimes used as a combination. With this arrangement, your door can be one massive panel or several smaller ones. This is a modern design that elevates the space while providing functionality and space efficiency. Additionally, most panel doors are made with solid materials like wood or composite, making them durable and soundproof.
Glass Door
An interior glass door is a type of door with glass panels or inserts. This door adds an elevated and sophisticated touch to various interior spaces by letting natural light into the spaces. This makes them popular for residential and commercial spaces. Glass doors come in different patterns, styles, and glass types. You can either add clear glass, French glass, or frosted glass.
FAQs
What is suitable wood for interior doors?
The most suitable wood for interior doors is oak and pine due to their durability, versatility, and aesthetics. Oak and pine have durable woods, as they can resist twisting and warping. These doors are versatile in style and design, with oak having a classic appearance and pine having a rustic appearance. Oak also has a natural grain pattern and warm color while having unique knots and grain patterns. Additionally, both of these doors are easy to install and maintain.
What is the best quality wood for doors?
The best quality wood for doors is hardwood, such as knotty alder, accoya, and oak. Knotty Alder has a unique design, is reasonably priced, and is stain-resistant. Accoya is durable, resilient, and long-lasting compared to other types. Oak is visually pleasing, has excellent thermal insulation, and has good sound insulation. These three options surpass standards, making them high-quality.
What makes a good internal door?
A good internal door should be durable, have good sound insulation, and be aesthetically pleasing. Hollow doors or solid-core doors attain these qualities. However, solid-core doors are more suitable for bedrooms, bathrooms, or home offices as they add more properties and sound absorption. Whereas hollow doors are more suitable for bedroom or living doors as they add easy access and not too much sound privacy.
What is the best material for interior doors?
The best material for interior doors is solid wood. Solid wood is a traditional and timeless option, as its natural design complements any space. At the same time, they can be painted or stained depending on your preferences and aesthetics. Their performance and functionality are top tier too, being durable, excellent insulation, and soundproofing.
Conclusion
Each of the wood options has its own pros and cons that fit well with different wood door types. There is a wide range of wood doors that you can choose from based on the wood material. Among your options are solid wood interior doors, solid wood entry doors, solid wood bedroom doors, and more!
Whether you’re looking for something special, a comprehensive guide and professional guidance can help. At Mannlee, you have all the wood options you need. So, contact us now!
