A guide to buying an oak front door

The history of doors nearly follow the history of windows. Just as windows were created to allow in light while keeping out the elements, so doors allowed entry to a building. However, doors had the added responsibility of keeping out those who were unwelcome. Oak is among the most popular woods for doors. When buying an oak front door, there are a few tips to consider.

Wooden doors

The first doors were simple blocks of stone which pivoted on hinges. In areas where wood was plentiful, this material grew popular for doors. The rough opening The RO, or rough opening, must be considered when buying an oak door. As owners of older homes can attest, not all ROs are the same. This may require you to buy a custom oak door for your front door. In order to make sure you buy the properly sized oak door, measure the door opening thoroughly: the header (the horizontal top of the door opening), the threshold (the horizontal bottom of the door opening) and the sides. These measurements will help you determine whether you can buy an oak door from the store floor or having to order a stock door to be custom-made.

Style

Oak doors come in a variety of styles from plain to multi-paneled. Some oak doors are flat, without any raised portions. These doors, while plain, can be stained to bring out the grain of the wood. The benefit of the solid and plain oak front doors is that they are less expensive, If you were to buy oak panel doors, then the price will go up. The style of home front door is usually determined by the over-all style of the home. Other styles include multiple oak planks fitted together, doors with grills, or even oak doors with elaborate hinges.

Solid oak versus veneer

Oak doors come in a variety of thicknesses as well as quantity of wood. In other woods, you can choose solid doors made entirely of wood or doors with hollow cores or cores made of metal. The hollow core doors with oak veneer are among the less expensive. Oak veneer over a metal core offers more security as well as a level of fire retardation. These doors are the most expensive. With both styles-the hollow core or metal core-you can paint of stain the exterior to suit your needs.