Interior Doors Key Terms

Know interior doors key terms before buying doors for your business

By Andrea Townsley

When it's time to buy interior doors for your business, you might end up being overwhelmed with all the different types. Whether you're building a new office or replacing doors in your existing building, knowing some interior doors key terms will help when you start shopping. This is especially true for business owners who like to cut costs by doing things themselves. Here are a few terms that can help you get started.

Solid wood, solid-core and hollow-core

A solid wood door is made entirely of real wood while a solid-core door is constructed of particleboard or metal covered by wood or fiberglass. Hollow-core doors are usually the least expensive and are made of cardboard covered with a wood veneer; these give the least soundproofing.
Try: Doors Key provides an explanation of all three types of doors.

Pre-hung

A pre-hung door is one that is already "hung" onto a door frame. When replacing an old door by yourself, it may be easier to remove the entire door and frame and replace it with a new pre-hung door, especially if the frame is not in good condition.
Try: Get more information on pre-hung doors at Interior Door Replacement Company.

Panel

A panel is designed to give a door a more pleasing look; it can be raised or flat. It is essentially an area of the door that is cut out and replaced with thicker or thinner wood for a more textured look. Sometimes, panels can be glass.
Try: BobVila.com discusses panels in more detail.

Pocket door

A pocket door is designed to save space by sliding into the wall instead of swinging out. These can range from plain hollow-core doors to ornate solid wood doors.
Try: Find out more about pocket doors at Designer Doors.

Bifold doors

Bifold doors are most commonly used for closets or areas that need to be concealed, like washer and dryer alcoves. These types of doors are designed to save space as they fold onto themselves instead of swinging out.
Try: Lowe's lists some advantages of bifold doors for you to consider.

Fire rating

A fire rating is assigned to doors that can withstand fire and smoke for a certain length of time. Current fire ratings include 20, 45 and 60 minutes.
Try: Republic Doors and Frames and Technical Glass Products both have information on fire rated doors and frames.