Home improvement topicsBrowse Categories:Full list »Hollow Core Vs Solid Core DoorsIt seems as though every time we build a house for a customer they have a hard time choosing between traditional solid wood doors (typically a solid MDF core with a finish veneer) and hollow core doors. The question always seems to be:Which are better? Solid Wood Doors or Hollow Core Doors?Solid Core DoorsSolid core doors can range from solid uniform wood door sections (wood species is the same throughout the cross section) or doors made with a solid core (usually MDF or similar) with thin layers of veneer wood glued to the outside ready for paint or stain.Solid Door Pros – solid wood doors are great for sound dampening, insulating properties, damage resistance and value to potential buyers.Solid Door Cons – Solid doors certainly have benefits but they also cost approximately 50% more, they are heavy and more prone to shrinkage and expansion due to temperature and moisture changes.Hollow Core DoorsToday hollow core doors are are installed in a majority of low to moderately priced new homes.

Hollow core doors have made great strides in quality compared to the early years when they were extremely flimsy and cheap. Hollow core doors have a wood frame around the perimeter of the door panel, usually one to two inches in depth. The surface is either hardboard or plywood with corrugated structural cardboard stiffeners throughout the center of the door for stiffness.garage door service greenwich ctHollow Door Pros – Hollow core doors are cheaper, lighter, and less likely to warp, shrink and swell. wooden door knobs dublinHollow core doors also take paint much better than solid wood doors.auto glass repair lafayette coloradoHollow Door Cons – Hollow core doors are prone to damage from unruly kids, slamming doors into stops and other impact loads. electric garage doors east rand

Hollow core doors are also much harder to modify and repair due to the hollow nature.Economics Typically Drives The ChoiceWe actually have hollow core doors in our new home and I don’t regret the decision at all. Today I priced a 2/6 x 6/8 hollow core colonial style door and a solid door, both with pre-hung jambs. door knobs at anthropologieThe difference in price is $78 vs $114. auto glass repair manhattan ks$36 doesn’t seem like a big deal, however, our new house had over 20 doors for a total difference of $720.The bottom line really is cost in my opinion. garage door openers columbus ohioHollow core doors have performed very well for our house and will likely serve us well over the years. At the time I needed to cut costs wherever possible so it was a wise decision.

If we had solid doors I know they would last as long as the house.Photo Credit: schnaarAbout the authorNot what you're looking for? Search for more articles here. Enter keywords like, 'insulation' or 'kitchens' etc to find your topic.9 Comments Sign up or log in to customize your list. Here's how it works: Anybody can ask a question The best answers are voted up and rise to the top I bought a house built in 1970 which still has the original interior doors. They are hollow-core, boring, brown doors. I am debating whether to simply paint them white or replace them with new pre-hung 6-panel doors. So I am wondering if more value would be added by going with solid-core doors instead of hollow-core (enough to justify the added expense). To my untrained eye, I can't tell the difference by simply looking at a door whether it's hollow or solid. Secondly, I know that solid-core doors do have some sound-dampening attributes that can be useful between rooms, but does it make any sense to replace a hallway closet door with a solid-core?

The differences between the types of doors is pretty obvious in use: Mimics the appearance and feel of a solid wood door Heavier and slams better Lighter and easier to handle than a real wood door Hollow core doors are a good choice for areas where sound transmission is less important, like a closet or pantry. Solid Core doors are heavier and more resistant to normal wear. Solid core doors are commonly used in areas where more privacy is preferred. If interior noise reduction is a priority, consider the JELD-WEN® ProCore The Quiet Door®, which reduces sound transmission by up to 50 percent when compared to a hollow flush door. You have hollow core doors, solid wood doors, and solid core doors. Solid core doors are heavier than solid wood doors so are the best choice for sound reduction for an inside door. Simple soundproofing rule is more mass (dense weight per sq. foot) = more sound blocked. They are also cheaper than solid wood doors but not cheaper than hollow doors but if sound reduction is what you're after solid core doors are worth the money.

Trust me, solid doors are much more valuable. You will know the difference the first time you close one! Short answer, no more need be said. Check with your home owners insurance... I'm fairly sure solid core get a lower rate due to being better/safer during fires...with discount on insurance they may be cheaper than you think The value of the home should go up also. And if you want more sound reducing... You know the expanding spray foam-dont get it at a big store...get it from a dollar store...often its same type and brand- Find wall studs drill very small hole just enough for tub & fill the walls. Better soundproofing,lower heating and cooling costs. Sign up or log in Sign up using Google Sign up using Email and Password Post as a guest By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service. Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged doors interior or ask your own question. For the song by Alison Moyet, see Solid Wood.

Solid wood is a term most commonly used to distinguish between ordinary lumber and engineered wood, but it also refers to structures that do not have hollow spaces. Engineered wood products are manufactured by binding together wood strands, fibers, or veneers with adhesives to form a composite material. Engineered wood includes plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) and fiberboard. The fact that a product is made from solid wood is often touted in advertisements. However, using solid wood has advantages and disadvantages. Perhaps the greatest advantage of solid wood is that the wood is the same all the way through, so repairs are relatively easy. Repairs to veneer are much more difficult and sometimes impossible. Solid wood furniture is strong enough to easily satisfy all furniture applications, and it can last for centuries. Society is still questioning whether furniture made of plywood (often made from pine) can do the same. Plywood and other engineered wood products used to make furniture are typically covered with a veneer such as Cherry.

It is common today for furniture manufacturers and retailers to advertise such veneered plywood furniture as made of "wood solids with cherry veneers". Most customers believe that to mean solid planks of less expensive woods such as poplar, etc., with expensive woods such as cherry used for veneers. However, "wood solids" is a term of art. The "wood solids" are simply plywood, or another engineered wood product. In the USA, the Federal Trade Commission doesn't allow furniture to be advertised as made of "solid wood" unless all exposed surfaces are in fact solid wood.[1] Solid wood is expensive. Engineered wood (often advertised as wood solids) is not. One of the most frequently made hollow wood structures are hollow core doors. Hollow core doors are much lighter than solid wood doors, cheaper and are easier to install. However, sound travels more freely through them, which can be a problem if the house is noisy or the occupants desire a lot of privacy. Also, hollow core doors should not be used as doors to the outside because they can more easily be broken open by robbers.