When was the last time you thought about updating your doors, door/trim color and building hardware manufacturer? With so much of our focus on décor, doors tend to be an often overlooked part of the renovation process.

A few of them were replaced as we’ve updated the rooms, and I was pleasantly surprised to find an affordable solid-core Jeld-Wen replica of our original 1940’s doors.

The door was available in a variety of standard sizes, so we were able to replace all of our swing doors with this style, along with matching vintage-style glass knobs.

I’ve had experience selecting and installing every type of door over the years, and since it’s a reader question that pops up a lot, I thought I’d organize all of my knowledge, tips and advice in one post to reference. If you’re considering updating your door(s), I’ve broken down everything you need to know to get started, including round-ups of some of my favorite doors and hardware. Let’s dive in!

Door Types

Swing doors: Standard everywhere in homes

Bi-fold: Commonly used for closets that don’t need a lock, saves space

Pocket: Ideal in scenarios where there isn’t enough room for a swinging door, requires a more involved installation

Barn/sliding: Used to make the door a design feature, best suited for spaces where privacy/sound control isn’t critical

French doors: A popular double door choice for patios/exteriors, also a classic and elegant alternative for interior rooms

Saloon/cafe: These partial height bi-directional swinging doors allow for an easy hands-free passage between rooms

We also built custom sliding doors as a design feature in the living room, and decided to do something a little unexpected with the kitchen/laundry room passageway. Full privacy wasn’t needed, but we wanted some separation from the laundry area and back door so we opted for café doors .

We’re planning to hang a large chalkboard on the kitchen wall to the right of the door, and a standard swing door would hit/block the chalkboard, so these smaller swinging doors were a great solution.

Slab vs Pre-hung

Slab doors are a more cost effective option if you are replacing an existing door and don’t need a new frame or door trim. You’ll want to make sure the new door is exactly the same size with the same hinge location/shape, and bore hole size/placement. On older houses especially, it can be tricky to get the new door to fit perfectly and operate smoothly. For this reason, I usually prefer spending a little extra on a pre-hung door—you can still try installing it without the frame, but it’s there as a backup just in case.

We attempted to replace just the doors to save on labor/materials, but our frames were so old and crooked that they all had to be replaced (and the hinge placements didn’t match up). We also took this opportunity to update some of the original wood trim that was in bad shape after years of neglect.

Door Style

There are many affordable style options to suit your home, from traditional to modern, craftsman to mid-century. I recommend choosing a design that matches the time period and style of the house.

For cohesiveness, make sure to use the same doors throughout the house, with the exception of any “feature” doors such as exterior, sliding/barn doors, closet and glass or partial glass doors (ie pantry or laundry).

Here are some of my favorite interior doors—each come pre-hung, pre-drilled for hardware, primed and ready to install:

Door Material

For interior doors the most common options are wood, MDF, and particle board composite (either solid or hollow core). My personal favorite for most homes is solid core composite, as it provides sound protection, resists temperature/humidity shifts, and they’re a cheaper alternative to wood.

Exterior doors are available in a wider range of materials such as fiberglass, aluminum, wood, glass, steel and iron. They range greatly by price, size and style, and each material has its own pros and cons. Fiberglass and steel are my top choices if you’re looking for something low maintenance and budget friendly.

Paint color

While white doors and trim are still the default throughout homes in America, you don’t have to follow the status quo! Paint is an easy way to make doors more than just a functional building element, but rather a way to enhance the design and style of your home. I’ve been painting my white interior doors since 2014 and it has always dramatically improved the look of my homes. White walls and contrasting trim/doors have become my signature, but you could just as easily keep the trim white and paint only the doors.

As a professional building hardware manufacturer,we accept all kinds of window hardware orders, welcome to consult.