Designing Wood Doors For Your Closet

Wood closet doors can be a decorative enhancement for almost any bedroom. When designing a new wood door set for a closet, there are several different elements to include.

Home Design Process

Designing any feature for your home is a matter of form and function.  In many cases, a homeowner will need to not only know what décor style they want for the entire room and home, but also what styles are available that meet the functional needs of the item. 

Step 1 – Choosing Your Door Style

You want to choose a door style that is not only functional, but also compliments the overall room style.  Wood doors can come in several different types and can be solid or hollow. Some designs feature a combination of wood and frosted glass inserts.

• Laminate Doors – This type of door is usually hollow with a plastic covering over the surface. Today’s wood laminate options look very attractive and can be a cost effective alternative to a solid wood closet door.

• Solid Wood Doors – Solid wood doors are probably some of the most expensive wood doors on the market. However, they also are extremely durable and long lasting. And for homeowners who are looking for an especially artistic wood closet door, it is possible to have a solid wood door carved into a beautiful decorative piece that makes and outstanding compliment to a room.

• Hollow Doors – Another type of wood door is the hollow wood door. Hollow doors are typically inexpensive. The outside edges and front and back of the door are solid, but the center of the door is empty. This makes the door light and easy to open and close.

Step 2 – Choosing the Closet Door Design

One of the important factors in designing a wood door is knowing what kind of closet opening you are going to use for the door. Decide where the closet will be located and the size of the door opening. Carefully measure the opening space, keeping in mind what type of door you want to hang in the opening.

If you plan to install sliding doors, you will need to decide if you are going to have slides or runners installed.

Step 3 – Installation

If you decide to use a prehung door, then installation is a fairly simple process of installing the door in the frame and then securing it in place.

If you have decided to install a sliding closet door, then you will need to install the runner/slider hardware in your closet opening. Do this by first installing the hanging runner hardware at the top of the closet opening.  Next you will need to install the runner hardware on the top of the door.  Finally, install the slider guides at the bottom of the closet opening so that the door will slide smoothly in the closet opening.

If you want to further customize your wood doors, you may decide that you want to stain or paint your doors, which will require more work before you are ready to finally install them.