Internal doors for new build houses – what you need to know

We might be a little biased, but internal doors are the unsung hero of any building project – they can make or break the look of a new build. Once upon a time the ‘forgotten man’ in homes across the country, internal doors jazz up a home’s decor and add some much-needed flavour to the inside of any property, which is why their popularity has soared.

In this short but jam-packed guide, we’ll run through everything you need to know about internal doors for new build houses. Let’s take a look. 

Style – there are plenty of options

The good news is you’ve got options – size, design, style, material and finish are just some of the areas you can customise and tailor to your tastes and personality. 

Gone are the days when you’d have 4 or 5 styles to choose from – oh no. You can now customise your door down to the very finest detail, and we’re all for it! You can make sure your doors are ‘in character’ and compliment the rest of your home, or do the complete opposite and go for the contrarian look. Get creative, do some ‘idea borrowing’ and customise your internal doors to exactly how you want them to look.

Types of internal doors

Let’s scan some of the different types of doors available. There’s plenty more, but today we’ll take a look at some of the most popular ones to give you some inspiration.

Solid doors – If you’re looking to separate your rooms, and privacy is important to you, solid doors could be the right option. An open feel is great, but sometimes peace and quiet and feeling ‘closed-off’ is what you need. If that sounds like you, solid doors are worth exploring. 

Sliding doors – Usually made out of wood or glass, sliding doors give you the best of both worlds: an open-plan feel if you’re wanting to create some space, or nice and cosy if you’re looking to shut the room off. There are plenty of design options with sliding doors too: you can even have your sliding doors made out of mirror if that takes your fancy!

Pocket doors – Similar to sliding doors, pocket doors ‘slide into the wall’ giving you extra space and an open feel. You don’t see them every day, but they add some charm to new builds and allow easy movement between rooms. 

Folding doors – Doors that fold away – who would’ve thought it? Folding doors are perfect for cramped spaces. We’ve seen them used for all sorts of rooms – think pantries, wardrobes and utility rooms. 

Glazed doors – Think of a glazed door as an ordinary glass door, only with panes inside the windows. They’re great for linking between shared rooms, like a kitchen and a dining room for example. Easy on the eye and a design classic, they might be best avoided if you’re looking for some privacy. 

Timber and internal doors 

Timber doors are our speciality, and there’s a whole host of reasons we prefer to stick with timber. First of all, they look great – you’d be hard-pushed to find another material that gives the same refined, aesthetically appealing finish that timber offers. This blog is about new builds, but indoor timber doors are easy on the eye in older homes too. 

They’re also natural insulators. In English, that means timber doors keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Let’s take aluminium doors as a comparison: they let more heat in, and allow heat out quicker so you’re left with the polar opposite – colder in the winter, and hotter in the summer. 

Another benefit is the longevity of timber doors. They can last between 20 and 40 years, sometimes even longer. Add in the fact you can repaint them when restyling you’re home, and you shouldn’t need to replace your timber doors for a long, long time. 

The final (and arguably most important!) point is that timber is environmentally friendly. Timber is a natural resource, it’s 100% renewable and biodegradable. Never before has it been so important to shift our focus towards sustainability, and by investing in a timber internal door, you’ll be contributing to that. 

Should I choose a painted door?

It’s a popular option, and the reason is they’re easy to repaint if you need to further down the line. Maybe your doors are looking old and tired, or maybe you’re redecorating and looking to bring your home back to life. If you opted for a painted door, it’s easy to rework the door to make it fit in line with your home’s new look. 

Final thoughts 

If that all seemed a tad overwhelming, fear not. It’s just about making sure you’ve got all the info to pick the right internal doors for your home. With so many options at your disposal, we wanted to give you our best tips and tricks for picking the right internal doors for you. If you’re still stuck, want to brainstorm some ideas or are looking for a quote, head here to get in touch. We’re looking forward to seeing how we can help!