Door Basics

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Doors come in three basic types: solid-wood, solid-core and hollow-core. Substantially older houses typically have solid doors hung in frames constructed on site. While doors in newer houses and replacement-doors units are more likely to be of the solid-core prehung variety, which means that they probably were constructed of veneer over an insulating core of some sort and were factory made as a matched set. So you may have several different types of doors in your house and each of which may require different types of maintenance and repair. Other than in decorative details – for example paneled or plain, doors differ in whether they are made for exterior or interior use. And whether they have provisions for retarding the spread of fire.

All exterior doors must be constructed of materials and adhesives that can withstand weather. They also must be strong and thick enough (about 1 3/4 inches) that they provide a good measure of security when they are equipped with an exterior grade lock. Many have specific features built into them that also give them a high R-rating. These days they are just as likely to be made of steel or fiberglass as of wood. Interior doors are more likely to be 1 3/8 inches thick and be made of wood. When replacing any door be sure you take the location of the door into consideration along with the other factors.

A flush door has a smooth veneer on each side over a solid core (either wood or particleboard) or a hollow core (cardboard reinforcing), making it the less expensive option typically. A panel door is made of interlocking panels often solid pine or oak. Hollow-core doors are the least sturdy for obvious reasons and can be easily punctured or damaged by moisture. But even well-made doors can become deformed, damaged or misaligned in their frames over time just through heavy use or possibly a defect in their initial installation. A hardware problem can also lead to a badly operating door.