House plans, home builders & dreams

Generally most houses have at least two entry doors and a number of doors into bedrooms, bathrooms and toilets. Some kitchens and living rooms also have doors and there are wardrobe and cabinet doors.

The types of doors you select will add to the character of your house and also to the cost of it. As always, you should try and select doors to suit the house style you are aiming to create. Some doors are more secure than others, so if security is important to you, choose accordingly.

Internal versus external

External doors (ie entry doors) are generally made out of tougher materials as they have to be able to withstand people wanting to break and enter your house and also the effect of the weather. In some cases they can be constructed of solid wood or metal or just thicker plywood. Sometimes people have sliding glass doors or French doors (doors with wood trims and glass panels) or solid doors with glass panels as their exterior doors. However, these are not as secure because you can smash the glass.

One friend was annoyed because the large (and expensive) glass doors she'd selected had scratch marks on the glass. The manufMerri Mysteries Inc.r claimed they were perfect when they left their shop, but because she wasn't there when they arrived, she couldn't know for certain whether the builder and his contractors had scratched them while they were at the building site or if they came that way.

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Door heights and widths

In Australia, the average door is 820mm wide x 2040mm high. But you can get doors which are 620mm or 720mm generally for the same price. You can also get doors that are 2300mm high for a little extra. In the USA, standard door widths are 30" (750mm), 32", 36", and 42" (105mm), and standard heights are 80" (2000mm), 84" (2100mm), and 96" (2400mm).

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Door decorations

Door costs increase according to the complexity of the patterns on them (eg their panels and other trims and inclusions such as glass). "Flush" means plain or no pattern. These are the cheapest. There are a number of patterns or panels to choose from which may or may not match the style you have chosen for the house.

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Double-doors

I think double doors are an excellent option as they can improve cross ventilation and help make a small house appear larger. I have them leading into my bedroom and also into the living room, which is opposite. When I open them both up, sometimes a breeze flows across the house. As I live in a warm climate, this is wonderful in summer. It also helps to quickly remove the oxygen depleted and stuffy air in the morning if I have the doors closed at night (eg if I have visitors staying with me in the house).

I also have a double set of sliding doors between two rooms so I can open them up to create a larger room when necessary (eg when entertaining).

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Sliding doors are useful in areas where there isn't room to have a door swing open. I personally don't like to have them as bedroom doors as they tend to rattle as you close them.

They can be installed, so they slide:

• into the wall cavity – this looks more professional and neater but costs a little more
  
• on the outside of the wall – this doesn't look as neat but it could be the only option if the wall is solid for some reason (eg a brick wall).

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Bi-fold doors

Bi-fold doors are another good way to open up the divider between two rooms so you can create a larger room when you need it (eg for a party). Generally they are made of glass with wood or aluminium edges rather than solid wood, so they don't provide much privacy between the two rooms. They can also be very expensive because of their special hinges and because they are trendy. It is much cheaper to just have a double set of sliding doors.

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A screen door can be very useful to keep flying creatures out (eg flies, mosquitos, hornets etc). If you also make it a security door and lock it, you can keep the solid door open to create more ventilation. It is more secure if you buy one that you can lock with a key but don't keep the key in the lock as this reduces its security value.

You can get new screen doors with a mesh that can't be cut with a knife but that you can easily see through. These are great if you have a lovely garden or view you want to see without interruption. But they are more expensive.

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Kitchen cupboard / cabinet doors

As mentioned before, most designers say that you should make the tops of your windows and the tops of your doors the same height. See the Kitchens chapter for more details on kitchen design.

There are a variety of different types of garage doors:

• roller doors (these are common in Australia)
  
• tilt doors
  swing doors (that open up or out or like an accordion or are bi-fold).

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There are a wide variety of door handle styles available (eg basic handles, knobs and fancy levers). It is really a matter of taste and what will go with the style of the house. Don't go for really modern handles if you are trying to achieve a period feel, for example. Personally, I like the timeless elegance of brass handles, but I don't want actual brass that I have to polish and I don't want the coating so thin it will be tarnished within a few weeks.

There are different types of handles:

• passageway handles (eg for doors that don't need to be locked)
• handles that don't turn (eg a fake handle that is just put on to make the double-doors look balanced, but only one twists and opens)
• handles with locks.

You have a number of choices with regards to locks. These days a lot of insurance companies insist on deadbolts on the entry doors, especially if you live in a high crime area. You can also get very modern keypad locks which are great if you hate carrying keys and are good at remembering numbers but check with your insurance company before you buy one to ensure that they will meet their requirements.

Cheap lock sets can be bought from hardware stores and installed. But it is worthwhile having a locksmith refit the barrels so that they are all keyed alike, particularly lockable security screens. Otherwise, you will have so many keys you won't be able to put them in your pocket!