Most home and business owners are surprised by the variety of doors that are available today. So many doors that not only look different and are made from different materials, but that also have their own unique functions. Different doors also can work to fulfill a buildings architectural, and engineering particulars, where they are perhaps included on a plan because of certain restrictions or confined options. So with so many door choices available, knowing what they are is important, so you can better communicate needs and ideas with your architect or contractor. It’s also worth knowing here that a pre-hung door refers to a door that is purchased with the surrounding frame intact, so the frame is installed with the door and hinges already in place. Also any windows incorporated directly into or above or below a door are referred to in the industry as lites, and trim work above and on the sides of a door is called door casing.

Single leaf doors are easily one of the most common. This is your standing, one piece door that you’ll find on the entranceways of the vast majority homes in western countries. Their popularity comes from the fact that they’re sturdy, functional and relatively easy to install. Single leaf doors are also architecturally highly versatile, in that they are an easy fit at the drawing board.

Double leaf doors are the grander cousins of single leaf doors, and they too are easy to find in the area that you live in because they’re a common choice on the front entrance way of homes were a larger, grander look is desired. Double leaf doors are basically two single doors installed side-by-side in a double wide opening, so they swing open independently from the center.

Pocket doors derive their name from the fact that they’re sliding doors that recess into a pocket in the wall when they are opened. They’re generally made from lighter materials too because they’re hung from a sliding assembly that’s installed in the top of the door opening. These doors are frequently chosen because of the fact they don’t swing open, so they’re a good fit for pantries and laundry rooms where there might be cabinetry or shelving in the way of a swinging door.

A blind door derives its name from the fact that it’s installed to minimize its visible profile. So typically a blind door won’t have trim and any readily visible hardware. There can be any number of reasons for a blind door, including both architectural and security, and chances are good that you’ve already seen one somewhere and didn’t even know it.

A flush door gets its name from the fact that will be installed perfectly smooth, having no outward architectural features, other than perhaps its color or texture. In most cases today flush doors are made up of a veneer skin with the interior being filled with foam, so they’re generally lite. Flush doors are most commonly included in the design when minimal profile is desirable and a door needs to blend in flat with other architectural features such as paneling or a wall covering design scheme.

Exterior doors are made specifically for installation on the exterior of the building. So for instance the front and back entrance of a home or commercial building will always call for specified exterior doors. They are made to withstand the elements, so for instance they won’t contain any materials on their exterior that may absorb water. They also tend to be heavier than interior doors, so they can provide a higher level of security that a lighter interior door would.

Saloon doors get their name from the fact that they have always been a popular choice for film set designers when they needed a door style to fit on the front of saloons in Western movies. Whether or not they were actually the preferred choice for real saloons in the wild-west is really anyone’s guess, but one thing is certain and that is that because they swing both ways and only extend from the chest to the knees of a person walking through one they are a good choice for people both entering and exiting a bar.

A bi-fold door is noted for its two to three panels that fold together much like an accordion when the door is opened. Then when the door is closed, the side by side sections that are held together by hinges unfold and meet to become one solid flat unit. Bi-fold doors aren’t nearly as popular as they used to be in earlier decades back around the 1960s, after having been replaced by sliding mirrored doors on closets where they are most often fitted.

A storm door operates in much the same way as a storm window does, in that it’s a light, easily installed unit that attaches on over an exterior door to serve as outer protection. They’re generally made with an aluminum frame with glass or clear plastic windows and screen. They function to block out wind, rain, leaves, insects, debris, small animals and anything else that could come in when the doors open.

A French door is noted for the volume of glass that’s framed in. They can be singular or installed in side by side pairs and are most popularly installed on the backside of homes where they service a patio, landscaping or other attractive outdoor features to be showcased by the windowpanes. The windows or Lites on French doors can be multiples or one solid pane.

A Dutch door was originally used in barns in old Europe, and over time made its way onto design tables as architect drew up plans for homes here in the US. This door is made up of four individual hinged panels that are attached in pairs above and below on both sides the opening, and are fitted with hardware that allows them to swung open two different ways. Just the top two can be swung open while the bottom two remain closed or a hasp can be quickly engaged on each side, so they then can function as a standard pair of swinging doors.

A louvered door gets its name from the fact that it is either completely or partially made up of framed in movable slats, in the design style as can be found on louvered window blinds. They can best be described as being light in construction, so they offer no security, so to speak. These doors are most commonly used in areas where light or air draft needs to be opened or blocked off, such as wardrobes, saunas, atriums, and closets containing an air-conditioning intake port.

A sliding glass door has become a popular choice on the back or side areas of homes where they almost always service a patio. They’re made up of a large pane of glass that’s bordered on all four sides with an aluminum or vinyl frame with rollers on the bottom. These are side by side doors with each one usually being between three and 4 feet wide to occupy a total space in a wall of some 6 to 8 feet laterally.

A false door used to be more popular than it is today because now with the ready availability of affordable high-tech security systems people really just don’t feel the need for them in the numbers that they used to. These are doors that are designed to blend in completely with their background, so that there is the appearance of no door it all. They are still in common use in buildings like vacation cabins, and remote job site support structures where electricity isn’t available.

A composite door derives its name from the fact it’s made from a variety of materials. Doors have always contained more than one material such as wood and glass, but in this case it refers to a more modern type of manufactured door generally containing synthetic materials with fiberglass being one of the newer innovations.

A molded door is manufactured using modern molding techniques. Generally speaking they’re made up of an outer skin that contains the design features, with the interior being filled with rigid foam. These doors were developed to duplicate the look, and lower the cost of elaborate millwork, and because of their skin is usually made of Masonite or a similar product they are more often than not seen on building interiors; although there are aluminum and fiberglass skinned molded doors available.

A ledge door, sometimes referred to as a brace door is manufactured from multiple tongue in groove wood planks fixed side by side vertically and then reinforced with two top and bottom horizontal and one central diagonal plank which are referred to as braces. In recent years they’ve been growing in popularity, right along with the rustic or ranch-style interior design motif.

A wicket door is quite simply a door that is built into a larger door. They’re installed to accommodate easier access than would otherwise be available by having to open a larger door on a cathedral, an industrial or commercial building, or perhaps a barn.

A security door is installed on an exterior front and or back home entranceway to provide an added layer of safety for its occupants. They’re made of framed in steel mesh/grating that’s embedded in a system of bars and are attached to the frame using bolts with rounded heads to prevent them from being removed. Some are built more solidly than others, so they come in a broad range of prices depending on the level of security that’s desired.