Internal doors buying guide (with inspo!)

What I love the most about interiors is the details. Yes, you can decorate a room with the most expensive wallpaper and the most luxurious carpet, but if you complete the space with cheap-looking finishes, it could let the whole thing down.

Doors are one of the unspoken secrets of interiors – many people replace a plain white door with another plain white door and be done with it. However, internal doors are the opening into the room, and should be considered as much as other choices.

You can think about the style, the colour, the handle, how draught-proof it is, and more. In a period property, you may choose to keep your internal doors in keeping with the rest of the house and buy a reclaimed door.

There are almost endless choices to make. But don’t get stressed about it.

Below, I reveal how you can go about choosing your internal doors, and provided plenty of inspo with a little help from Skirting World.

Choosing internal doors

When choosing your internal doors, there are a few main things you need to think about:

• Type
• Colour
• Style
• Price

First, types of door.

There are usually three main types: solid wood, engineered wood (such as MDF or veneer) and hollow doors. The quality of each of these vary, and therefore the price will too.

For this reason, think about how many doors you need.

Are you replacing just one, such as a door into an ensuite, or are you replacing many, such as all the bedroom doors?

When the latter is the case, you likely want all the doors to match and it could get expensive. In this situation, you may choose slightly cheaper doors so you can replace them all at once. If you just require one door, you may choose an expensive option.

Solid wood is going to be the more expensive option, whereas the hollow door is usually the cheapest.

While price is an important factor, you may also wish to consider the pros and cons of the types of doors.

Solid wood, for instance, is usually bespoke, so it can be made to exactly fit the doorframe. It is better at retaining heat than other materials and helps to block out unwanted sounds, too. However, wood can warp over time and expand/contract depending on how hot or cold the temperature in the house is.

Hollow internal doors are usually made from corrugated cardboard, that’s in a sort of honeycomb shape. This makes the main structure of the door. Then, veneer is placed on either side of the structure to make the door look like it’s made from solid wood.

While hollow doors are cheaper and won’t expand/contract, they are less robust and may not last as long as solid wood, meaning you may have to replace them.

How much does an internal door cost?

You can generally expect to pay anything from £35 to £200 for an internal door. The price will depend on some of the factors we’ve mentioned above, where you buy them from and whether you can get a discount for buying multiple doors.

 

Internal door styles

Internal doors with glass

When an internal door has glass in it, not only does it let lots more light in, but it makes a space feel bigger and less closed off.

See how the glass door in this kitchen allows you to partially see into the next room? The continuity of the same cabinets running into the utility makes it feel like an extension of the kitchen and is so much nicer than having a solid door.

I also love the panelling detail at the bottom and the wood that runs up the glass to break it up and add interest.

Internal bifold doors

Oak internal doors

Oak has been one of the most popular materials for doors in the last few years. Before that, internal doors were most commonly white gloss.

One of the reasons why oak is so popular is because of its versatility.

It can be made to fit almost any doorframe, and can be waxed or painted if you’d prefer. Personally, I really love the look of an oak door as it is, as it adds so much warmth.

The image above shows a classic five-panel oak door, but you can get them in so many different styles, from square panelling to completely plain.

White internal doors

White doors have been the go-to for some years, and while this isn’t likely to change, there are other styles of internal doors you can choose instead.

But white is classy, and you can choose between a whole host of types, like panelled, glazed, sliding, folding or flush.

When it comes to panelled doors, there’s tons of options too, like this geometric-looking one.

Grey internal doors

Grey interiors have been huge the last couple of years, mainly thanks to the Hinch army. While it’s not for everyone, grey can look modern and trendy, and there are usually loads of greys to choose from.

If you want your internal doors to blend into the background, then a grey colour might be the one for you.

Internal double doors

Double doors are super dramatic and give any room the wow factor. If you have space, then these would be a fab choice for a master bedroom or a walk in wardrobe.

Create the look by purchasing two doors that are exactly the same. Install a double door frame and hang both doors so they open by pulling towards you.

Black internal doors

Dare to go bold? You can choose black internal doors.

Some are subtle, like this crittal style one that still allows lots of light through and looks sleek and modern:

 

Are internal doors a standard size?

When you’re choosing internal doors, you may find there’s a few sizes to choose from. This is because every house is different and it’s likely that what fits another home won’t fit yours.

The one that has been used most commonly in UK homes is 762mm by 1,981mm. The largest measurement, 1,981mm, is the height and this rarely changes. Instead, it’s the width that changes so you can have narrower or wider doors depending on the existing frame.

Other popular sizes in the UK include:

• 457 x 1,981mm
• 533 x 1,981mm
• 610 x 1,981mm
• 686 x 1,981mm
• 762 x 1,981mm
• 838 x 1,981mm

1,981mm is equivalent to around 6 feet and 6 inches, so unless you have someone significantly taller than this living at home, the standard height should be right for you.