15 Types of Doors for Your Home

1. 1. Wood doors: Wood is the most popular material for both doors and door frames. The majority of interior doors and entryway doors are made from wood. Wooden doors fit well with Craftsman, Victorian, Queen Anne, Colonial, Federal, and Italianate architecture. When properly matched to an architectural style and paint color palette, exterior wood doors provide curb appeal. Solid wood doors offer beautiful woodgrain finishes when stained, while hollow-core doors—made from hardboard panels—can be a lightweight and cost-effective option.
2. 2. Fiberglass doors: Fiberglass is a popular material for entry doors like front doors and side doors because it is energy-efficient, relatively lightweight, and can mimic the appearance of wood.
3. 3. Metal doors: Steel doors and aluminum doors are low-maintenance and easy to paint. They tend to be hollow with a layer of insulating foam core to provide energy efficiency. Metal doors are among the most popular options for exterior door materials, along with fiberglass and natural wood.
4. 4. Glass doors: Glass door styles are popular for bathrooms (think shower doors) and kitchen cabinetry. They can come with an aluminum sash, a wood sash, or no sash at all. Double-pane glass doors offer insulation that single-pane glass paneling does not, which is why double panes are better for exterior door styles, such as sliding patio doors.
5. 5. French doors: Also known as double doors or casement doors, French doors consist of two doors hinged on opposite sides of a large door frame.
6. 6. Pocket doors: Pocket doors slide into pockets in the wall, so they are completely out of sight when not in use. They come in a variety of styles. Antique pocket doors can be fitted with glass (including stained glass) and work well to separate a living room from a dining room. Modern pocket doors are often made of hollow-core plywood so they can hang easily and often function as hanging closet doors.
7. 7. Bamboo-jute composite doors: Bamboo is a form of wood that grows rapidly in the wild. Bamboo doors are popular as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to solid wood.
8. 8. Flush doors: Flush door designs are characterized by their lack of ornamentation. When shut, flush doors sit flush to the wall. They tend to be made of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) or plywood (either hollow-core or solid core).
9. 9. Panel doors: This popular door design is characterized by embossed panels, which tend to come in groups of two, four, or eight. Paneled doors are common interior passage doors and cabinet doors.
10. 10. Hinged doors: Also known as swinging doors, these doors hang on hinges attached to door frames. You can buy the door and the frame separately, or you can purchase a prehung door that is already hinged to its frame. Wooden hinged doors in a wooden frame are the most common types of interior doors. Smaller hinged doors (both ornamented and flat-panel) are the standard choice for cabinetry.
11. 11. Sliding doors: Also known as bypass doors, these doors sit on steel rollers and slide to open. Sliding doors are popular as patio doors.
12. 12. Barn doors: Barn doors slide like bypass doors but are supported from above. Rollers attached to the top of the door slide along a metal bar. Barn doors come with both rustic and modern finishes. Rustic barn doors are often battened—consisting of vertical planks secured by horizontal battens.
13. 13. Pivot doors: True to their name, these doors pivot on a hinge and open outward. When closed, they appear to be part of the wall. Most pivot door designs have large glass panels fitted into steel frames. They often serve as a high-end alternative to an exterior sliding door.
14. 14. Dutch doors: Dutch doors contain two doors in a single frame, with one door stacked above the other. Each has its own set of hinges and can be opened independently of the other.
15. 15. Louvered doors: Louvered doors have wooden slats that allow airflow but block most light.

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