CHOOSING A NEW DOOR

At Hoults Doors, we work with our customers to get them the right doors for their projects. Here are important choices to make when you are selecting doors.

  • What is your budget? There are a range of door options to fit most budgets.
  • What size doors do you need? To find out, see our instructions Measuring for A New Door.
  • Do you know what type of doors you want? Consider:
    • The purpose of the door.
    • The style and architecture of the building.
    • The location of the doorway.
    • The opening direction of the door; inwards, outwards, or to one side, as a slider.
  • For entrance doors, is the doorway exposed to wind and weather, or sheltered?
  • For interior doors, do you want an affordable hollow-core door or a solid door that will improve soundproofing?
  • Do you want windows in your doors?
  • For entrance doors, do you want sidelights beside the door?
  • What finish do you want for your doors? Stained, painted, rolled or sprayed?
  • Will you have to update doorways for the doors that you want? Hoults can provide custom-built door frames.
  • What hardware does your door need?  Handles, hinges, locks?

Doors for All Budgets

What about cost? To help you plan, here are basic budget and premium options for the main types of doors.

  • Interior DoorsBudget: Standard hollow core. Premium: Solid-core/soundproofing, timber or fibreglass doors.  Depending on the end finish you want for your project, there are many different door skin and door core options which can create different results for you.  Please ask; the more detail you give us, the more we can tailor our product to your needs.
  • Entrance DoorsBudget: Solid doors (no windows), painted. Premium: Timber doors, doors with windows.
  • Character Doors Budget: Fiberglass doors with moulded panels; recycled doors from other houses. Premium: Again, timber doors and doors with windows.

About PreHung Doors

When choosing  finished prehung units, it is important that the top of the jamb lines up with other items in the house, i.e., lining up to a window or corresponding door openings.  These need to be considered before gibbing and before finishing off openings, as it can affect the doors’ height. Hoults Doors can help you though this process.  Some profiles of door jambs, particularly architrave jambs, will have different heights form the frontof the door opening to the back of the opening.

Handling New Doors

  • If you have purchased a timber door, install it as soon as possible. Store it in a dry, well-ventilated place if you have to wait.
  • Do not leave an uninstalled door near damp plaster, wet paint, or very humid areas, such as basements or outdoor sheds. Even a quality door may warp or twist.
  • Regarding doors sitting on site, most manufacturers require that the doors be sealed immediately to meet their manufacturer warranties. Many doors will have either a sticker adhered to the edge of the door, or a separate sheet detailing door limitations  in terms of sizing and sealing.  Refer to individual supplier specification sheets or ask Hoults Doors to verify the requirements.  Not taking care of this can affect your warranty.
  • When you move a door around, lift it and carry it. Dragging a door may chip or splinter it, or scratch floors.