What Are the Different Types of Exterior Doors?

Choosing a door involves more than just practicality—it's about enhancing your space, ensuring security, optimizing light, and aligning with your design vision. This article provides essential insights to help you make informed decisions that will resonate with your lifestyle and endure throughout your time in your home.



Swing Door

What is a swinging door?

Swinging doors are the standard type found in many homes today. As the name suggests, these doors swing open and closed. The direction in which a swinging door opens is referred to as its handing. To determine the handing of an interior door, stand in the doorway with your back to the hinge-side jamb. If the door swings open to your right, it's a right-hand swinging door; if it swings open to your left, it's a left-hand swinging door.

You have two main options when purchasing a swinging door:

1. **Door Slab**: This is just the door itself without the frame or hinges. It's typically chosen when you want to replace an existing door without replacing the door frame or trim.

2. **Pre-hung Door**: This type comes with the door already mounted on hinges within a frame (jamb). It's easier to install because the hinges are already attached and aligned at the factory. Pre-hung doors are the most common choice for both remodeling and new construction projects.

The decision between a door slab and a pre-hung door depends on whether you need to replace the entire door unit (including frame and trim) or just the door itself.


What are the advantages of a swinging door?
Swinging doors are the most familiar and widely available choice. Because of this, the hardware style and finish options are virtually unlimited, and swinging doors are often the lowest cost option. Pre-hung swinging doors are one of the easiest types of doors to install, and if installed properly, will last a long time.

French Doors

What is a French door?

A French door typically consists of two all-glass door panels with thicker top and bottom rails. Originating in 17th century France, these doors were initially designed as exterior doors to enhance natural light and airflow indoors. Over time, their elegant design made them popular for interior use as well.

What are the advantages of a French door?

1. **Natural Light and Airflow**: French doors are excellent for bringing natural light into interior rooms and promoting airflow, which can improve ventilation and the overall feel of a space.

2. **Privacy Options**: Despite their glass panels, French doors often include options for privacy such as curtains, blinds, or frosted glass inserts, allowing you to create private spaces when needed.

3. **Aesthetic Appeal**: With their classic design and decorative glass options, French doors add a touch of elegance and timeless beauty to any home. They can complement traditional decor styles and are versatile enough to fit modern interiors with various glass and lite combinations.

4. **Space Efficiency**: French doors can save space compared to swinging doors that require clearance when opening and closing. They are also a stylish alternative to sliding doors for connecting indoor and outdoor spaces.

Overall, French doors are prized for their ability to enhance both the functionality and aesthetic appeal of interior spaces, making them a popular choice for many homeowners.

Pocket Doors

What is a pocket door?

Pocket doors slide on wheels from an overhead rail, fitting neatly into the wall cavity when closed. They offer configurations with a single panel sliding left or right, or two panels meeting in the middle, providing space-saving solutions and a streamlined appearance.

What are the advantages of a pocket door?

The primary advantage of pocket doors is their space-saving design—they do not require floor or wall space to operate. This allows you to utilize both sides of the doorway for furniture, decor like photos or paintings, making them ideal for maximizing space in smaller rooms.

Bi-Fold Doors

What is a bi-fold door?

A bi-fold door, also known as a folding door, consists of two panels hinged together. These panels fold into each other when pushed to the side. In smaller openings, a single two-panel bi-fold door can slide either to the right or left. For larger openings, two two-panel bi-fold doors can be installed—one opening to the left and the other to the right.

Bi-fold doors can operate in two main ways:
1. **Overhead Track with Wheels**: The doors are hung on an overhead track, allowing them to slide smoothly and fold away neatly when open.

2. **Pivot Pins**: Alternatively, bi-fold doors can operate on pivot pins located at the top and bottom of the hinge-side panel near the door jamb. This mechanism allows for a different type of folding action while still providing a space-saving solution.

Bi-fold doors are versatile and suitable for various applications, offering flexibility in how they can be installed and operated to suit different space requirements and design preferences.

What are the advantages of a bi-fold door?

Bi-fold doors are advantageous in settings where space efficiency is crucial. For instance, a four-panel bi-fold door only protrudes into the room a quarter of the distance compared to a single-panel swinging door when fully open. This feature makes bi-fold doors ideal for spaces like bedroom closets, laundry rooms, and kitchen pantries, where maintaining ample walkway space is essential. Their ability to maximize usable area while providing easy access makes them a popular choice in such environments.

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