Oak is for more than the front door. Oak comes for interiors too. The cost of purchasing oak will soon be offset by the increase in value to your home.
Range
Oak doors come in the same styles as cheaper options. The difference is oak will stand the test of time and survive long after you’ve moved out. Like all other interior doors, if you’re picking oak, they need to be purchased together and in the same style.
The doors might be different. The dark and oppressive hallway upstairs will benefit from frosted glass panels for the bedrooms to allow light to travel from room-to-room without compromising privacy. It opens up the space.
Oak itself is a heavy wood and may seem oppressive, particularly if updating cheaply made, poor quality doors, but it isn’t the case if the right colour and style is selected.
The kitchen and any room with an in-use fireplace will want fire doors. Engineered doors with an oak veneer will cut costs without sacrificing cold and noise insulation.
Unfinished
If purchasing brand-new doors, be sure to purchase all the interior doors together so they match. Unfinished doors come without a stain or paint. Some come pre-sanded and primed, ready for your personality to splash some colour.
Hand Painting
Doors can be a bit tricky to paint, but worth it if you really want to add your personality to your home or update doors that don’t require replacement.
They need to be laid flat to prevent drips and leave a smooth finish. They also require drying time between coats. Oak doors will require multiple coats. Only one side can be painted at the same time. Each side can be painted a different colour.
Be sure to paint the side facing a hallway in the same colours. A mismatched hallway creates chaos and oppressive feelings.
Light, Bright, Dark
The colour needs to be decided upon. If using a contemporary design, greys and even black are popular. If using a classic design, white is the best choice, especially if repainting. To brighten dark spaces, choose a light colour. If painting an unfinished door for the first time, a varnish will enhance the natural grain of the wood.
Repainting
The oak doors already hanging in your home would have been painted before, maybe even a few times. Much like an unfinished door, an already painted door can’t be painted while hanging in its frame. Additional steps need to be followed.
Take it down and remove the hinges and door handles. Now would be a good time to order replacements.
Old varnishes and paints need to be sanded away. Do this to the doorframe as well, unless you’re replacing. Doorframes receive a lot of wear and tear. With the door out of the frame, now would be the best time to replace.
Use a primer and treat all the knots with a knotting solution. Remember to do both sides.
Follow the steps for painting an unfinished door.
