Guide to Supplies for Wood Doors

Get the right supplies for wood door installation projects

By Andrea Townsley

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Explore handle and knob styles for use with wood doors

Handles and knobs are the most noticed wood door accessories. They should match the decor of the home or office as well as stay in keeping with the overall style. For example, you wouldn't want to put a country-style handle in an upscale, modern office. Pay attention so you can keep your clients happy.

I recommend: MyKnobs.com has a large selection of knobs and handles for exterior wood doors as well as interior wood doors. Consider using one of the knobs from Direct Door Hardware. If you have a client interested in using handles instead of knobs for exterior or interior doors, check out Work.com's Guide to Door Handles.

Stock up on hinges and other functional accessories for wooden doors

Obviously, hinges are mandatory for door installation; they come in many different sizes and are made of different materials. Bronze hinges are nice for polishing off the look of the door, while stainless-steel hinges can be used indoor or outdoor due to their durability. Installing a kick plate isn't imperative, but it's a good idea to use one on a commercial wood door or any exterior door to decrease the chance of the wood getting scuffed or damaged.

I recommend: Find the right size brass hinge set at Hinge Outlet; the company also carries stainless-steel hinges for both residential and commercial use. Check out the selection of kick plates and push plates at KnobsAndThings.com.

Have the right equipment for preparing and installing wood doors

f you're working with unfinished door slabs, you'll have to prepare the door yourself (as opposed to simply hanging a prehung door). Preparation includes mortising hinges and cutting out a hole for the knob. Usually, this process is done using a router with the appropriate drill bits. You'll also need a chisel to remove wood from the section you're mortising and a hole saw blade for cutting the hole for the door handle.

I recommend: Choose a router in your price range at Rockler. Buy a drill bit set from HardwareAndTools.com, which has lots of sets to pick from. Woodcraft Supply has an excellent selection of chisels. You can find many different sizes of hole saws at Small Parts.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some wood door manufacturers include hardware accessories with the doors themselves, especially if you buy prehung doors. If you can find a package your client approves of, this may be a way to save on costs.

1. Budget;
2. Style and décor;
3. Uniqueness.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy wood doors by the book

The budget book, that is. Investments in real estate properties that see a frequent change of tenants require commercial wood doors that are sturdy, yet reasonably priced. Also consider whether your wood door needs to be soundproof.

I recommend: CraftMaster interior wood doors are available in several styles, and the company also offers basic paneled doors and pine. They make excellent replacement doors for apartments. Interior Doors Direct also offers several styles of interior wood doors, but the basic paneled doors are good replacements.

Replace the ordinary with extraordinary custom wood doors

Make your office space special with custom wood doors by specifying door design, wood type and dimensions, as well as choosing veneer and engineered core components or laminated lumber. Add interest with Dutch doors, also known as stable doors. The top half of the door opens while the bottom remains closed, enabling the person in the office to see who is outside the door while maintaining privacy of the workspace. Also consider French doors, which normally consist of double doors with eight to 10 panels of glass in each door, though the glass design may vary.

I recommend: Contact Simpson Door Co. for orders of custom wood doors. Algoma Hardwoods is among the wood door manufacturers producing wood doors that emphasize the beauty of wood grain patterns.

Go for unique interior wood doors

Ornate Victorian-style wood exterior entry doors, panel doors with glass of varying texture and color and arched doors are only a few styles offered by wood door manufacturers to give that 'Wow!' to rental properties or the office. For a breathtaking effect, go for a hand-carved wooden door with scenes of nature and animals.

I recommend: YesterYear's Vintage Doors handcrafts each door from 100% furniture-grade solid wood. Check out their interior wood doors and exterior wood doors. For a truly exotic look, go to the Richard Cornelius website to see his hand-carved wooden doors.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't limit yourself to wood doors available at the nearest lumberyard or chain store. Interior Doors Direct is an example of a company that makes standard door styles but will create special orders. It started as a local lumberyard but now sells 99% of its orders over the Internet.
• •  Before settling for the ordinary, visit several wood door manufacturers to see what may be possible within your construction budget.

Guide to Pricing and Costs of Wood Doors

Offer clients wood doors in a variety of price ranges

By Andrea Townsley

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make a statement with exterior wood doors

You have a ton of options for the front door. Many property owners like doors that have glass panes or even doors that contain a stained-glass adornment. Wood entry doors come in a variety of species, including inexpensive types like pine and poplar, all the way up to exotic species like cherry and mahogany. More basic doors start at under $1,000 while top-of-the-line doors can run as much as $7,000 or so.

I recommend: MillworkforLess.com offers a wide selection of doors to choose from. If you're working with a client who doesn't mind spending some extra money, the high-end doors at Nick's Building Supply should suit him or her.

Offer your clients a variety of interior wood doors

There are a wide variety of these doors, including hollow-core doors made from a cheaper form of wood, which can be bought at any local home improvement store for under $100, and nicer solid-core wood doors that usually run between $100 and $200. You can even install solid wood doors inside the home, although these are much more costly than the other two options, starting a $200 for a slab and up to $700 for a pre-hung door.

I recommend: Buy Wood Doors has a selection of solid-core doors that are already primed and ready to paint. If you work with an owner who insists on installing solid wood doors, take a look at the six different hardwood species available from Baird Brothers Sawmill.

Use specialty wooden doors to add a unique touch to clients' properties

If you're working with a client who needs to divide space in his or her home or office but still keep an open feel, interior French doors might be a good idea. Expect to pay anywhere from $300 to $1,000 for these versatile doors. For homeowners, wooden doors for the bedroom closets can add a nice finishing touch; bifold doors will cost you between $300 and $1,500. Lastly, hidden doors are camouflaged as bookshelves and the like but are, in reality, functional doors. These innovative doors start around $1,000 but can run as high as $2,500.

I recommend: Check out the different designs of interior French doors at Ambiance Doors. For bedroom closets, consider the raised panel bifolds available at Designers Doors. Browse through the different styles of "hidden doors" at HideADoor.com.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your client has very specific tastes and nothing you find seems to suit him or her, consider contracting a door company that makes custom wood doors. This may also be your best solution if your client has a door that is rounded at the top since these are hard to fit with stock doors.