Choosing the right internal doors for you and your home is a big decision. 

They are pieces of furniture that you have to live with, look at, and use, day in and day out — making the right choice vital. 

Internal doors should complement your home, fitting perfectly with your style and home design. 

In this post, we provide a guide to internal doors, helping you to make the most informed decision.

Buyers Detailed Guide to Internal Doors

The right door style for you 

When it comes to choosing the style and type of internal door for you, you need to consider several factors. 

Factors such as: 

  • How will the door work/operate? 
  • What is your current interior design (is this staying or likely to change?) 
  • Your current furniture, including flooring, mouldings, and even your staircase! 

However, these are just considerations. Your doors don’t have to match your interior settings perfectly. In fact, many homeowners are now making their internal doors feature doors by choosing very different timber colours or grain patterns. 

Styling Tips 

If your interior has a more contemporary feel, we would recommend opting for a flat (flush) door. This type of door helps to complement a sleek and minimalistic look. 

Matching with both contemporary and traditional interiors are panelled doors. Offering more detail and depth, panelled doors are the most common type of doors found within the home. 

For an older home with a more Victorian style, a classic panelled door can work wonders. 

Types of internal doors 

There are a variety of interior doors to choose from: 

Wood – including hollow (generally cheaper, however less robust) and solid (heavier, more expensive, yet, provides superior sound and thermal insulation). Wood doors are very strong, easy to install, and easy to keep clean. Wood doors can also be painted and polished to suit your style. 

Aluminium doors – offer slimline frames, are sleek in their look and contemporary in their design. Aluminium doors are also easy to install, they’re lightweight, and they’re now available in a variety of colours. They’re also long-lasting, and they don’t suffer from corrosion or rust. 

PVC – secure, budget-friendly, and fire-resistant. PVC doors are strong, easy to maintain, and again like aluminium don’t suffer from rust. 

The Look 

When thinking about the look of your internal doors, you need to decide whether you prefer wood or a painted finish. 

Wood – offers warmth, can be enduring, and depending on the type of wood chosen can be rich in colour. 

Painted – mainly found in white, painted doors provide a clean appearance and fresh feel, they can also be painted in a range of different colours. Painted doors can also be repainted over time to different colours to suit your changing interior. (Note:  Opt for gloss paint to provide you with a high sheen, or satin for a more subtle sheen). 

Types of wood 

With hardwood doors, it’s essential to check the pattern of the grain as well as the colour. 

If Oak is your wood of choice, bear in mind Oak does vary considerably; for example, English and European Oak are very different from American White Oak. 

If you’re buying a second-hand door or a reclaimed internal door, you need to make sure that the door is not cracked or warped, as well as being aware of those that have been stripped to remove paint. 

Glass or solid? 

If you’re looking to keep rooms light and open, then an internal glazed door can be a great option. 

Internal doors can be fully glazed or feature glazed sections. 

You also have the choice of clear glass or obscure, allowing light in, while also keeping an element of privacy. 

Glazed doors are mainly found in communal living spaces within the home rather than bedrooms…for obvious reasons. 

Best doors to divide rooms 

If you’re looking to divide rooms or create an open plan, feel with the option of closing rooms off, you can now find a range of stylish internal doors to help. 

These doors include: 

Glazed doors – creating a strong link between rooms, you can still see one room from another with an internal glazing option. Glazed doors can also make rooms brighter while also making them feel bigger. 

Solid doors – great if you’re looking to completely close off spaces, creating a more cosy and intimate feeling without any distraction. 

Door Designs 

Bi-Folding – easy to open; these doors are great space savers as well as being stylish and contemporary. 

Double doors – if you have space for the doors to open, double doors are great at making a room look bigger, as well as helping to connect two rooms with ease. 

Sliding doors – great for connecting rooms; however, it’s important to remember sliding doors will not open fully. 

Metal framed doors – unusual for internal doors, however, growing in popularity, adding a distinct look and feel to your home. 

Check your measurements 

If possible, we would always advise avoiding stripping and cutting doors down to make them fit. This weakens the door as well as spoiling the proportions and overall aesthetics of the door. Also, once cut, there’s no going back.

Find out more

Checklist when buying your internal doors 

Find out exactly what the price includes! 

It’s essential to check when buying internal doors, precisely what the price includes. For example, does the price include just the door? Or is the door frame, handles, hinges, etc? 

These additional features, of course, are needed to finish the door; however, they can also affect the price, hence influencing your final decision. 

When looking for the perfect internal door, it’s essential to buy a door that matches your unique preferences and likes. 

Internal doors offer style; they help to keep your family safe, they can help to add value to your property, and if doors are appropriately maintained, they can last a lifetime (if you want them to!) 

At Crucial Engineering, we can supply your doors finished, pre-finished, or completely unfinished, depending on your chosen style. 

We also specialise in aluminium doors and windows, providing a range of styles and designs to suit your requirements. 

Call our team today on 03451 930 420 to discuss your options further. 

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