Things You Need to Know about Door Specifications

Remember the old saying “First impression is the last impression”; truly the front of the house is the first introduction to a home. While stylish front door reflects your social status, your inner doors dramatize and beautify the interior decor. Styles, materials and the look of the doors make major differences in the specifications of the projects. When you read specifications given by real estate developers in brochures, you must be thinking on how to find out what's best for you?

Here is a guide to help you know about different types of doors provided by the developers that can change the look of your home and make it look 'welcoming'.

Photo Credit- Tran Duc Homes/ Flickr

Material used- Wood is the most common material used for the doors and the type of wood determines its overall price. Mahogany, alder, pine and maple are some of the commonly used woods for doors. Other materials used include Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), glass, plywood and aluminum. MDF is the grain less and engineered product and gives a smooth look to the door. Hollow core doors are made of plywood and are hollow. On the other hand, solid core doors have wood fiber blend filled inside making it more temperature resistant and sound deadening. Metal and glass doors have a modern look and are expensive than all the other types.

Styles- While sliding doors move along side of the wall, pocket doors slide into the wall. Both the types are popularly used as partition between inner rooms as they save a lot of space. Folding doors (typically bi-fold) are used for closets and small spaces. Panel doors, made of patterns of square panels, are the most common doors for the interiors. Some of the not-so-popular styles of doors include barn doors, French doors and blind doors.

Photo Credit-Tran Duc/Flickr

Framing and hinges- A low quality frame can reduce the beauty of a high-quality door, hence framing is an important consideration. Low quality frames are not capable of guarding the damages due to which you have to suffer loss in the long run. Improper installation of hinges and frames reduce the durability of the door.

Swinging side- It is important to decide on which side the door should swing open and close. For example, if your bathroom is small and the door opens to the inside, then it will create problems in moving in and out. So you should customize the door swing accordingly.

Photo Credit-Omoo/Flickr

Sound Rating- A Sound Transmission Class (STC) measures the amount of sound loss through the door. Higher the STC, lower the sound passing through it.

Keeping all these points in mind while customizing the front door and the interior doors of your home will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

Do you think doors should be customized to one's requirements or it is a waste of time to give so much importance to the doors? Share your views with us.