Our guide to internal doors
Modern open plan living room with mink velvet sofa Credit: Colin Poole
Interior doors can make a striking style statement and, if chosen wisely, could even add value to your property
Revamping your interior doors is a sure way to add appeal and value to your property. Here’s a guide to what you should consider when replacing your internal doors.
- Pick a door that suits the period of your house and furniture style. If you live in a contemporary house, flush products offer a sleek minimal finish, whereas panelled doors give greater depth and a more traditional feel.
- Consider the material the door will be made in – oak continues to be extremely popular and can be matched with furnishing and flooring. Wood veneer doors have seen a resurgence in popularity recently, are more affordable and available in a range of finishes. Moulded or primed timber doors will give you a vast range of colours to choose from.
- Internal glazing is a great way to bring light into dark rooms without sacrificing warmth or sound insulation. With frosted glass you can maintain privacy in rooms such as the bathroom.
Fire doors
- When buying new doors you should fit a fire door anywhere a fire is likely to start, such as the kitchen or living room with a fireplace.
- Building regs state that fire doors should be fitted if you are undertaking an attic conversion to provide safe corridor from the loft to outside the building.
- Firedoors come in standard 44m or 45mm thicknesses.
- They are rated to determine how long they can withstand heat and flames. FD30 doors offer 30 minutes protection and FD60 doors offer 60 minutes protection.
- Only buy fire doors that are accredited by professional bodies such as the British Woodworking Federation’s BW-CERTFIRE scheme.
An example of modern internal doors with glazing.
A period home with pannelled fold back internal doors.
