Which interior door is better to choose for the apartment: material and design

. Contents:doors and design type

Interior door color

What else to consider when choosing interior doors?

Protection from noise and odors, the division of space and decoration of the apartment - all these functions are assigned to interior doors. It is desirable that within the same apartment they are made in the same style, although small differences in design are allowed. It turns out that the task becomes more complicated, because the choice will determine how the dwelling as a whole will be perceived. What interior doors are better for choosing for an apartment, so that they are functional, durable, respond to the chosen interior style and please the eye? We understand the basic materials, the type of design and color scheme.

Material for interior doors in the apartment

Production material is one of the most important parameters of an interior door, so it is of paramount importance when choosing. Today, you can find doors made from wood, MDF, chipboard, glass, metal, plastic, or a combination of options.

Buyers build their choice on the budget allocated for the purchase, the type of room where the door will lead, the style of the interior and personal preferences. To be fully prepared, you need to know the basic performance of each option.

Wooden interior doors

Wooden doors are a standard of naturalness and quality, and if the budget allows, then it is better to choose this option. The main advantages of include the :

• environmental friendliness;
• strength;
• durability;
• high sound insulation and low thermal conductivity;
• maintainability;
• chic appearance.

Disadvantages :

• fear of moisture, so it is better not to install such doors in bathrooms;
• Flammability;
• high price.

The door leaf can be made from solid solid wood ( oak, beech, hornbeam, ash) or cheaper conifers. If you need to choose a cheaper interior door, then you can pay attention to products from glued array: natural wood bars are glued together under high pressure, and their fibers are positioned in different directions relative to each other, due to which increased resistance of the material to differences is achievedtemperature and humidity.

Wooden doors are usually treated with paint, stain, varnish or antiseptic to protect the material and highlight its natural beauty. Doors of laminated veneer lumber can be covered with veneer, and valuable wood with a characteristic pattern is used.

It is better to buy wooden interior doors from reliable manufacturers who thoroughly dry wood - this is a guarantee of product quality. It is desirable that before installation the door for several days was in the room where it will be installed.

Mazonit interior doors

Masonite, or cellular, interior doors first began to produce the Canadian company Masonite, hence the name. The design of such a door includes a skeleton of bars, an outer skin made of MDF or MDF, as well as semi-hollow( honeycomb) filling. As honeycomb filler use:

• paper with a thickness of 0.3 mm, from which they make a volumetric harmonica with cells of 5-15 cm in size. The canvas comes out light, cheap, but does not withstand serious blows, however, it doesn’t extend to interior doors;
• bar flat aggregate filler allows to obtain a canvas of greater strength, but the weight with the price increases;
• cellular fiberboard .The MDF slab is cut into bars a little less than the thickness of the door, of which a lattice with a mesh size of about 3 cm is formed. These are the most expensive doors in the Masonite category, as they are strong and light.

On top of the MDF or MDF sheets can be finished with natural or artificial veneer, varnish, paint or laminated coating with wood imitation.

The main advantages of mazonite doors:

• reasonable price;
• low weight, which facilitates transportation and reduces the load on the walls;
• wide range, so choosing the right option for your interior will not be a problem;
• resistance to temperature extremes;
• good sound insulation performance. Masonite door muffles noise by about 20 dB( a more accurate indicator depends on the design features).

Cons :

• low moisture resistance when in direct contact with water, but the fabric withstands a variable exposure to high humidity. When installing such products in the bathroom, it is better to additionally cover the sheet with protective agents;
• low impact strength, especially for webs with paper filler.

are today considered to be one of the most popular in the assortment of many foreign and domestic manufacturers. Among them, unfortunately, there are unscrupulous companies that produce products of inadequate quality. Remember that the avaricious pays twice - better contact the proven manufacturers and retailers whose name serves as a guarantee. In Kiev, such a reliable seller is the Vist store, which offers interior doors of the highest quality from major Polish and Ukrainian manufacturers.

Interior doors made of MDF

The doors made of solid MDF boards are superior in strength to mazonite sheets and are not much inferior to wooden counterparts. Such doors are made of wood chips, which are pressed under high pressure and temperature, they do not use resins during manufacture, which can later release toxic formaldehyde, therefore one of the main advantages of interior doors from MDF is their health safety .Among the other advantages of are :

• strength, ability to withstand shocks and other mechanical loads. The thicker the door, the more pronounced this property;
• durability. According to the maintainability of MDF, the plate is inferior to the tree, but some defects on it can be masked;
• light weight;
• cost. Doors from MDF are called ideal in terms of price and quality;
• good sound and heat insulation performance;
• excellent appearance.

As for the moisture resistance of the , some manufacturers use special additives, due to which a good level of moisture resistance is achieved when it is not constantly exposed, so you can even use MDF doors in the bathroom. Much depends on the quality of the coating. From cons worth noting the opportunity to light up and the fact that the thick canvas with high-quality veneer are expensive. As a coating can be used veneer, eco-veneer, laminate, enamel or PVC film.

doors made of chipboard can also be found on the market, but in terms of performance and durability they are inferior to MDF counterparts, they can release toxic formaldehyde.

Glass doors

Glass can serve not only as an insert, but also as an independent material in the manufacture of doors. For this purpose, uses the following types of glass:

• triplex , which is made of several layers of glass, glued together with a film. It turns out durable material that is difficult to damage, but in which case the fragments will remain on the film;
• tempered glass stronger than usual 10 times and in the case of a strong blow shatters into fragments with smooth edges;
• matolyuks - frosted glass that transmits light, but allows you to see what is happening behind the door. It is inferior in strength to tempered glass, but at times surpasses the usual one.

If you need to choose an interior door so that it demarcates the rooms and at the same time visually expands the space, then you can stop on the glass version. Other advantages of include environmental friendliness, chic appearance and the ability to apply any drawings and stained glass windows, durability, resistance to water. Glass can be made both completely transparent and frosted. Significant minus glass doors - poor insulation. Despite the high strength, they are not recommended for use in the nursery.

Plastic interior doors

Foldable and sliding doors are usually made of plastic, but there are also swinging structures. On top of the plastic canvas can be covered with a film with a pattern or even veneered. Such products gained widespread at the expense of such advantages of :

• low cost;
• light weight;
• moisture resistance. Plastic is absolutely not afraid of exposure to water, so it can be safely used in rooms with high humidity;
• hygiene and ease of operation;
• good strength, as the basis of the design is aluminum profile( for swing and sliding options);
• sufficient sound insulation( with the exception of plastic folding doors).
• a large assortment of colors and textures.

The main minus is unnatural. In addition, plastic is a fragile material and can be injured with a strong blow.

Aluminum interior doors

Aluminum doors are made of anodized aluminum, which is electropolished. Usually the metal is supplemented with glass inserts, but can also be used in the form of a dull sheet. Sometimes it is stained to achieve the desired effect.

The main advantages of the of such doors include moisture resistance and corrosion resistance, temperature extremes, durability, strength, impact resistance, and excellent sound insulation. Among minuses high cost and high thermal conductivity. These doors will be an excellent addition to high-tech and loft styles.

Decorative door trim

Many people confuse the material used to make the door leaf and the material of its decorative coating, which raises incorrect questions such as which doors are better, mazonite or laminated. The outer coating plays a decorative role, also protects the door from moisture, abrasion and other negative influences. We have already figured out the materials for the execution of the door leaf; now we will find out how the decorative layer can be :

• natural veneer - a thin section of wood with the preservation of its texture. The most expensive lining option and excellent replacement for solid wood doors. The veneer is attached to the canvas under high pressure with glue, lacquered on top. Veneer can finish almost all types of door leaf;
• eco-shears ( artificial veneer) are also made from wood. First, thin longitudinal sections are made, which are pressed with the addition of glue and resins. Then from the prepared material make cross sections, getting the finished material for finishing. Eco-sheeter is cheaper than a completely natural counterpart;
• laminate for coating doors is made of several layers of paper and film coated with a pattern and a protective coating. The pattern can repeat the texture of any wood species or anything. Laminate on fiberglass will be many times stronger than laminate on paper, it is not susceptible to sunlight, abrasion, it can be washed, but it costs more;
• PVC film can be of any pattern and applied to the door leaf in chambers with elevated pressure and temperature. The film can be revetted with a canvas with the most difficult relief, suitable for plastic doors, MDF and mazonite doors. This coating has a high moisture resistance and low price;
• coloring with enamels, toning antiseptics, varnishes. Depending on the type of canvas, the finish with the required level of transparency and protective properties is chosen. For example, the texture of natural wood is better only to emphasize the impregnation or translucent antiseptic, and the surface of the aluminum door can be painted in dense color.

Type of opening of an interior door

The choice of the mechanism for opening an interior door depends on the type and area of ​​the room. The most popular options:

• hinged doors installed, probably, in 90% of apartments, if not more. They open in one direction, consist of one or two canvases. If the door opens to the left, it is called left, to the right - right, this must be taken into account when choosing accessories. Note that for opening the door leaf of the swing door, you must provide a place. If not, then it is better to choose sliding or folding doors;
• sliding doors( compartment doors) involve sliding the fabric along or inside the wall. Guide rails can be top, bottom or top and bottom. The last option is the most durable and practical. If the rail is located only on top, then when draft is not enough heavy door can swing. Sliding doors are great for those apartments where every square centimeter counts, but in terms of protection from sounds and smells they are inferior to the classic swing option;
• folding doors( accordion doors) consist of several panels connected by hinges, an upper rail( sometimes there is a lower one) and a roller. The bearings are built into the roller, so the canvas moves softly and silently. Folding doors are often equipped with stoppers for fixing the blade in a certain position. Such cloths are made of plastic, aluminum, MDF, can be deaf or with glass inserts. Of the advantages of space savings, of the minuses - poor sound insulation and fragility;
• stable doors - a type of swing doors, consist of upper and lower parts, each has its own hinges and a lock. Previously, these doors were used in the stables, today they are used in apartments, especially in the country style. Such doors are well suited if there are animals and children in the house: the lower sash can be closed to block the path, and the upper one can be left open for ventilation;
• swing doors - an infrequent phenomenon in the apartments. Constructions that open in both directions can often be seen in shopping centers, subways and supermarkets, but today there are also “homemade” options on sale. A significant disadvantage is the inability to ensure tightness, so high levels of sound and heat insulation cannot be expected.

Type of interior door leaf

Door leaf can be:

• panel;
• paneled.

The flush door is made of a single piece of material, has a flat surface, without any hints of relief. These are simple and minimalistic options, which can be made of either solid wood or MDF, plastic or with a honeycomb filling. paneled doors are assembled from a frame and panels, which can be wood, MDF, glass, etc. As a result, it is possible to get an interesting look of the door with shaped inserts.

Also door leafs are divided into:

• deaf , made entirely of opaque material;
• with glass inserts , fully transparent, frosted or patterned.

The size of an interior door and the design type

The main parameter that should be repelled is , the width of the doorway .If it is 80-90 cm, then you can stop at a single door, if it is more than 110 cm, you will have to choose a double interior door or reduce the doorway. Depending on the design of the door are:

• single-leaf .Doors with a single blade completely cover the opening, usually have a width of 70-90 cm, but can reach up to 100 cm. The most common option;
• double leaf suitable for wide openings, consist of two identical parts, both can be opened;
• one-and-a-half have one full canvas and the second is much smaller, often fixed. Option for large openings, but not wide enough for double doors.
  
  

Color of interior doors

Choosing the color of interior doors is necessary so that the canvas echoes the trim or pieces of furniture. The following principles are used in the selection of :

• for the color of the floor - the most common option, ideal when all rooms have the same floor covering;
• in the color of the furniture;
• under the color of the walls;
• contrasting shade.

The white color of the always remains a universal option, and the baseboard in the tone of the door will help to enter the door of a non-standard shade. In a pinch, from different sides of the door you can use different color finishes.

What else to consider when choosing interior doors?

When you personally inspect the door, pay attention to the following points:

• accuracy of geometry .Take a tape measure and measure the distance diagonally from one corner to another, compare two values, if the difference between them is up to 1 mm, the door can be taken;
• The end of the door should be perfectly smooth, and the presence of the “eight effect” means that the production technology is broken and the curvature will only increase in the future;
• The surface of the should be smooth and without rough edges, incl.and the surface of the ends, check easily by a simple touch;
• If the door has an glass insert , you can shake the canvas a little. Rattling will say that the glass is unreliable fixed. Mud stains on frosted glass can not be removed - it is a defect in production;
• gasket must be supplied with the door, it ensures complete tightness of the structure.

Finally, pay attention to the quality of hardware , because the comfort of operation will depend on the handles and hinges. Ideally, all the doors in the apartment will be made in the same style, but they may differ in the type of opening and even the material of manufacture.