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What Should I Consider When Buying 6 Panel Interior Doors?

Amy Hunter
Amy Hunter

There are a variety of interior doors that you can choose from when shopping for your home. Many people find that 6 panel interior doors add beauty and sophistication. They are available both with a hollow and a solid core.

A 6 panel door is likely to be more expensive than a plain door, but a hollow core interior door is less expensive than a solid core door. These doors do have their disadvantages, however. They do not do a very good job of blocking noise from adjoining rooms and also sound louder when they are shut. This is because the hollow core does not dampen sound very well.

Man with hands on his hips
Man with hands on his hips

The better choice for most homes are 6 panel interior doors that have a solid core. This allows you to have the advantages of a solid core door and the aesthetics of a traditional interior door. If the look appeals to you but the cost does not fit into the budget, you have several choices.

If you believe that the look of 6 panel doors is worth the investment, you may want to add them only in the areas that are most visible. Put them in areas where guests to your home will see them, such as a hall bathroom, the door between the kitchen and dining room, and any other prominent area. Save the plain, thinner grade doors for areas of the home that are less likely to have guest traffic.

When you have concerns are noise, then decide where the best areas for solid core doors are in your home. If you plan on putting solid core doors in high-visibility areas, you may want to make the investment in 6 panel doors, but if they are not in a highly visited area, you may want to choose the plain solid core door to save some money.

Areas in your home that can benefit from solid core doors are bedrooms and bathrooms. The amount of noise they dampen is significant, and adding solid doors to these rooms is a worthwhile investment. Of course, if it fits in your budget, buying all solid core 6 panel interior doors both look attractive and help keep your home quiet.

Discussion Comments

anon128458

I have a question about the different types of solid six panel doors. Are there special considerations with the solid base that the oak is veneered on? tdt

googlefanz

What are the pros and cons of custom solid wood doors? I've been looking into putting in a 6 panel interior door in my study, and while I love those nice custom mahogany doors, they're just so darn expensive.

What do you all think, is it worth the expense?

gregg1956

@pleats -- I find it odd that you say that, because I've got some 6 panel pine interior doors and I find that they dampen the sound pretty good without the crazy heaviness of oak -- maybe I just don't know what I'm missing out on...

pleats

If you're truly worried about the sound, you may want to invest in some 6 panel oak interior doors. They are usually really heavy and thick, but dull sound like you wouldn't believe.

I have a couple of 6 panel wood interior doors, once pine, and one oak, and I think that the oak does a much better job of dampening the sound.

Of course, you can also consult an architect or interior designer -- they'll be able to talk about the dynamics of sound in your house and what kind of doors would work best.

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