Solid or hollow core doors—which option is the right one for your next home improvement project? Say you're ready to replace your interior and/or exterior doors, but you’re not sure if you should choose solid core or hollow core designs. Before you invest in upgraded doors for your home, take a look at what you need to know about the solid and hollow options and how they compare.
What Is A Solid Core Door?
It's all in the name. As the title implies, this type of door has a solid core. Even though this door is solid from inside to outside, it isn't necessarily one piece of wood. Instead, many solid core doors are made from layers of wood or wood and other composite materials.
The material makeup of a solid core door depends on the manufacturer. Some of these doors do contain layers of real wood, while others are made from synthetic or engineered products and a wooden veneer (or shell) that covers the outside.
What Is A Hollow Core Door?
Again, the name says it all. The interior, or core, section of this type of door is hollow. This means that the wood or wood and synthetic material layers do not go completely through the interior of the door. Instead of a completely empty space, many hollow core doors have an inner honeycomb-like support. This is made from a fiber or paperboard source.
These doors are often made from laminated wood or fiberboard sources. Even though these doors are not always made from real wood, you can choose a hollow core door with a wooden veneer. This thin outer shell is made from natural wood. Other hollow core doors are made from synthetic materials and embossed or painted to mimic the look of a hardwood product.
Why Should You Choose A Solid Core Door?
The solid core of this type of door provides superior insulation. This increases your home's energy efficiency. With added insulation from the solid core, this door can stop drafts and helps to hold heat in or hold cool, air-conditioned air inside of your home. Solid-core wooden doors make excellent entry doors.
Beyond the insulation value of an exterior solid core wood door, this option also provides added security. The solid wood structure of the door isn't easy for an intruder to break through. The thickness of the door can also add to its durability, making it a long-lasting choice for your home.
Mixed material solid core doors may not provide enough insulation to use as an exterior product. But these solid core options can help to block noise from room to room and stop some heat/cold transfer inside of your house when used as interior doors.
Why Should You Choose A Hollow Core Door?
A hollow core door won't provide the insulation and energy efficiency that you will find with a solid core wood door. This makes these doors poor choices for entry or exterior openings. Even though these doors won't provide a high level of insulation, they are lightweight, won't warp easily, they’re easy to install, and they’re often less expensive than solid-core models.
How Long Do Solid Core and Hollow Core Doors Last?
The answer to this question depends on a few factors. These include the quality of the door, the initial installation, how often you use the door, the placement of the door (inside versus outside), and how well you care for or maintain the door.
According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), a wood solid core door has a lifespan of 30 to 100 or more years. A wooden hollow core door may only last for 20 to 30 years. If you don't plan to stay in your home for decades, a hollow core door is an affordable alternative to explore for your interior needs. But if this is your forever home or you want to add extra value to your property, you may get more from a door with a solid wood core.
Do you want to learn more about your interior and exterior door options? Contact Mikro Corpfor more information.
