Types of Doors | Ultimate Guide to Door Types and Styles

In order to demystify the process of purchasing a door, it’s important to understand the different categories available for homeowners. Each category holds particular advantages and possibilities and offers a wide range of design features.

Door Types: How to Choose the Best Door

Interior Doors
Exterior Doors
Front Entry Doors
Sliding Doors
Sliding Barn Doors
Pocket Doors
Dutch Doors
French Doors
Closet Doors
Hinged Doors
Bifold Doors
Pivot Doors
Bypass Doors
Double Doors

Choosing a door doesn’t need to feel overwhelming or confusing. It should be an enjoyable, creative process that allows you to curate your space to your unique design style.

14 Types of Doors to Consider for Your Home

1. Interior Doors

Interior doors divide spaces within homes, creating the potential for privacy between rooms while simultaneously reducing noise levels. Interior doors also improve energy efficiency. When closed, they allow you to control where hot and cool air travels. Your heat and air conditioning won’t need to work as hard to bring rooms to your desired temperature, so you can enjoy lower energy bills.

But with so many design options to choose from, interior doors can do much more than divide spaces and lower bills. Interior doors can be a bold statement piece, or they can create a sense of design continuity if you choose to use a similar style throughout your house. Your pre-hung doors can be made of sturdy solid wood, sleek industrial steel, or beautiful glass panels that allow light to flow from room to room. Slab doors are available to change up the style of your home and adding decorative hardware only adds to the design possibilities.

Interior doors are also designed for different functions and purposes, depending on your needs and spatial requirements. They can swing at a hinge inwards or outwards or slide along a wall from either side. They can be purchased as a singular panel or coupled in pairs. Iconic French doors, Dutch doors, or barn doors can all be installed in your home’s interior. There’s no need to settle for average eggshell white hollow-core doors.

2. Exterior Doors

Exterior doors provide many similar benefits to a home. Durable wooden or steel doors leading to the backyard or into the garage provide security and privacy along with energy efficiency. A set of glass-paned French doors creates a dramatic exit onto a patio or deck while also allowing sunlight to flood your home. These types of exterior doors are often chosen to replace older sliding patio or storm doors since many homeowners desire a touch of elegant charm.

As with interior doors, you can choose the look and feel you want to reflect for your exterior door, whether that be rustic barn, minimalist, industrial, modern, or French country. Similarly, outdoor certified hardware, including knobs, handles, and decorative pieces, are available to vamp up your home’s exterior style.

3. Front Entry Doors

Front entry doors make an unforgettable first impression for your guests by adding curb appeal to the face of your home. As with interior and other exterior doors, front doors can be made of many different materials, including solid wood, glass panels, iron, fiberglass, or a combination of any of these to make a composite door.

It’s important to choose a quality entry door over a cheap one. Though there are many doors for sale in stores and online, Rustica’s front entry doors are carefully hand-crafted pieces that bring security and durability, as well as that “Wow!” factor. Owners can choose from doors under three categories: Classic Series, Designer Series, and Double Front Doors.

All are outdoor-use certified and built to last the test of weather and time. They come in an abundance of finishes and textures within each material category. On average, the basic cost of replacing a standard-sized front door is the following:

Front Door Type	Standard Entry Door Size (2’W; 6’8”H; 1 ¾” L)
Single Door	$1232-$1712
Double Door	$1600-$6300

This cost will decrease or increase as you play with width, height, and length. Additional costs will be added as you choose your hardware or more expensive finishes.

Another fun feature that you can add to certain front doors, like Rustica’s Mountain French Full Entry Front Door, is to install a sidelight (or sidelite). A sidelite is a vertical window installed on either side of your door that allows more light to enter into your home. Installing entry doors with sidelights creates a friendly, inviting warmth to your home’s front entryway. These panel doors can also match your design style, as

Rustica offers customization for size, texture, and color of the glass.

4. Sliding Doors

Sliding doors are panels that move from side to side along a track mounted above your doorway. A sliding door is the perfect door replacement for tight spaces that don’t allow for a traditional inward or outward swing. Instead of swinging open, these doors move left and right, either passing along the wall or in front of one another. They can be sold as singular panels or as multi-panel sets depending on the width of your door frame and your room’s spatial restrictions.

5. Sliding Barn Doors

Rustica offers a gorgeous selection of quality sliding barn doors that can be used in your home’s interior. Sliding barn doors can serve as room dividers in larger, open-concept spaces or they can cover small closet or cubby spaces that hold storage or decorative pieces. Most often, these doors are chosen as replacement doors for traditional hinged doors that lack the beauty and artistic expression of a sliding barn door.

Sliding barn doors come in five different systems:

Standard: Single door, single track. A hanger is placed at the top of each side of the door, attaching the panel to a singular mounted track.
Biparting: Double door, singular track. Biparting barn doors slide in front of the wall as they open, diverging to the left and right. Four hangers are needed in total for this system.
Bi-folding Doors: Double doors, singular track. Creased panels fold over one another as double doors diverge and slide to either side of the door frame. Bifolding doors can save space when sliding or bypass doors will not fit.
Bypass Doors: Double door, double track. Bypass barn doors each move along their own tracks, allowing them to bypass, moving left to right in front of and behind each other. Four hangers in total are needed to attach these doors to their track.
Triple bypassing: Similar to the bypass system but allows for three or more tracks and doors. Two hangers are required per door.

Most systems can be mounted above the door frame. For lower ceilings that don’t allow for a wall-mounted track, homeowners can purchase ceiling mount barn door hardware. This means that you can most definitely find a sliding barn door system that fits your needs! And that’s great news, because replacing a standard door with a sliding barn door is worth the time and cost.

Rustica offers several options within three categories to bring the ease and space-maximizing convenience of a sliding barn door to your home. The following chart represents base prices for standard sliding barn doors.

Sliding Barn Door Type	Standard Sliding Barn Door (2’W; 6’8”H; 1 ¾” L)
Builder Series	$298-$438
Designer Series	$800-$1200
Mirrored Barn Doors	$758-$1278

The “Builder Series” features simple, no-fuss design barn doors. For more artistic expression, choose the “Designer Series” which includes the bright-colored X Barn Door, the shimmering Sunrise Barn Door, or a wide selection of metal barn doors. Rustica features fun mirrored barn doors as well. These doors have a mounted mirror on one side (or both sides) of a steel or wooden panel. The choices are yours to make!

Remember, these door prices can vary depending on your selected door dimensions and barn door hardware, such as handles and track systems.

6. Pocket Doors

Pocket doors are a great space-saving option for rooms that can fit neither a standard hinged door nor a sliding one. Many homeowners choose to install these doors in tighter spaces, like closets, bathrooms, and offices. With pocket doors, you don’t need to worry about swing radius. This door disappears into a compartment in the door frame as it slides open, slipping into the space as into a pocket.

Rustica offers pocket doors in the following categories:

Single pocket doors
Double converging pocket doors
Stacked or bypassing pocket doors

The company also has options for non-traditional pocket doors. Multi-pocket door frame options are available for stacked doors with more than two doors (going up to six) and corner pocket door hardware is offered for doors installed on perpendicular walls. Below is a chart for a range of base pricing for pocket doors:

Pocket Door Type	Standard Pocket Door Size (2’W; 6’8”H; 1 ¾” L)
Single Pocket Doors	$1327-$1627
Double Converging Pocket Doors	$1624-$2945
Stacked/Bypassing Pocket Doors	$1306-$1606

As always, these prices will change as you deviate from standard door size and when choosing more expensive materials and add-ons.

7. Dutch Doors

Dutch doors cut a door horizontally, splitting the panel into two hinged swinging pieces. This division can leave the door with two equal parts or can be made further up, creating a door with a larger, main panel and a smaller one above it. Dutch doors are perfect for creating a quasi-connection between spaces, as homeowners can choose to leave the bottom portion closed while opening up the top portion, allowing air and light to flow through the home.

These doors can be installed with an inward or outward swing and a left or right pull. Rustica offers Dutch doors in a variety of different designer categories. The Farmhouse Dutch door, the Barn Dutch door, and the Washhouse Dutch door all feature a similar country rustic simplicity, while the Port Dutch, Grove Dutch, and Bridge Dutch are made with sleek metal grids.

For bolder door styles, you could choose the bright red Corral Door or the Schoolhouse Dutch Door with mounted chalkboards on each panel. The chart below features base-level Rustica Dutch door pricing:

Dutch Door Type	Standard Dutch Door Sizing (2’W; 6’8”H; 1 ¾” L)
Singular Dutch Doors	$992-$1196
Double Dutch Doors	$2474-$2882

8. French Doors

French doors are the preferred door style for optimal direct sunlight. Their paned glass panels act as a window, allow natural warmth and light to flood the interior of your home. When French doors are installed throughout the home, this same ambiance carries from room to room. If you want to control the amount of light in your interior space, Rustica offers French doors with panels extending to different lengths down the height of the door. Some stretch the entire height of the panel while others stop mid-way or only slightly frame the top and bottom of the door with a few inches of paned glass.

French doors can be utilized in both exterior and interior spaces. Invite guests into your home through a classic symmetrically paned door, like Rustica’s Mountain French Full Entry Front Door. Double French doors (also called French windows) can open up as patio doors, or to a porch or deck, bringing elegance and grace to your backyard.

These doors can be installed on the interior of your home, standing alone or in pairs. French doors are perfect for dividing spaces for privacy and noise control while still allowing light to flow between rooms. Or, like barn doors, a paned glass door can also slide on a track, passing in front of walls and conserving space while remaining timeless in its chic design.

See the below chart for the base price (not including hardware) for a singular, standard French door.

French Door Type	Standard French Door Sizing (2’W; 6’8”H; 1 ¾” L)
French Sliding Barn Door	$979-$1179
French Interior Door	$1512-$1587
French Entry Door	$1607

9. Closet Doors

Many homeowners miss out on the design features that a closet door can bring to a space. Take a look at the wide variety of interior doors offered by Rustica and you’ll find almost endless options to consider. Pocket doors, bypassing or bi-parting doors, bifold doors, or even an interior French door can simultaneously cover your closet space and complement your unique style.

The same guidelines for choosing room dividers apply to closet doors: To maximize space, choose sliding or bi-fold doors. If you can sacrifice a square foot or two, go for a standard hinged door or a classic French door. Just don’t settle for the status quo. Instead, take the time to browse the many styles, textures, and finishes of Rustica’s interior doors.

10. Hinged Doors

By far the most common style of door, the hinged door is timeless in its design and versatile in its functionality.

A typical hinged door has two to three hinges mounted vertically along one edge, allowing the door to open in or out. While this style of door isn’t breaking the mold, there are more than a few reasons why hinged doors are common choices for exterior doors and interior doors alike.

Easy Installation: Installing a hinged door couldn’t be much simpler. All you have to do is screw the hinges into the doorframe, align them with the hinges on the door, and insert the pin. The process is quick and easy, especially with a little assistance.
Style Options: Due to this type of door’s widespread popularity, you can expect to find them in many different styles, such as barn-style doors, panel doors, and much more, giving you the freedom to tailor your entry to your exact style.
Material options: You’ll also find hinged doors constructed from a variety of materials, whether you’re in the market for a wood door, a steel door, a fiberglass door, or most any other material used in door construction.

11. Bifold Doors

If you’re looking to maximize the space of a room, create a more open entryway, or more conveniently access a room or storage area in your home, a bifold door is a unique and eye-catching solution.

While the bifold door’s design is a little unconventional when compared to the other styles of doors on this list, the convenience this door offers is practically unmatched. The bifold door opens from the middle, folding in on itself against one side of the door jamb. The effect is much the same as that of a pocket sliding door, only you won’t need to create a recess in your wall to install a bifold door. By allowing the user to open the full width of an entryway, without the door needing to swing in or out, the bifold door saves space, which is especially useful for smaller floorplans where every inch counts.

While most people associate bifold doors with pantries or closets, they work just as well as entry doors or external doors. There are exterior models of bifold doors in a variety of styles.

Are you interested in adding a little personality to your home’s entrance? Consider a bifolding barn door. While the classic style works with most home designs, the ability to open your front entryway on a nice day will add a sense of opulence to a space, while bringing fresh air and sunlight into your home.

12. Pivot Doors

If you’re looking for a truly unique door with a high modern sensibility, the pivot door is a bold and eye-catching solution. While this style of door is less well-known than the others on this list, its origins begin in the ancient world. And while pivot doors today boast intriguing, modern designs, their function is much the same as their old-world counterparts.

What makes the pivot door so unique? Instead of using a hinge mounted on one side of the door, the pivot door rotates on a vertical axis by utilizing a set of pivot hinges, one of which is mounted to a ceiling plate, with another mounted to a floor plate. When installed, these pivots can be mounted at any point on the door panel, creating the vertical axis for the door to rotate.

Because pivot doors are relatively simple—consisting of only a door panel and a few pieces of hardware—they’re extremely customizable and easily accommodating to specific dimensions. They can also be made from a variety of materials, from wood to glass to marble, and so much more.

While the pivot door’s customizability allows for more creativity and convenience than a more traditional style of door, this door’s real strength is in its visual appeal. With elegant functionality and striking, minimal designs, these doors are perfect for modern spaces.

13. Bypass Doors

If it’s ease of use you’re after, it doesn’t get much more convenient than a bypass door. This unique style of door offers the convenience of a sliding door without requiring any special accommodations. As long as your entryway is wide enough to accommodate a traditional double door, installing a bypass door should be a cinch.

A bypass door operates much like a sliding door, but instead of sliding into a wall recess, like a pocket door, the two panels that make up the bypass door slide on a pair of overlapping brackets, so that one panel is concealed by the other when opened.

While a single bypass door allows the user to open the door to the width of a standard single door, a double bypass door extends one panel’s width past the door opening on either side, allowing the user to utilize the full with of the opening, creating greater ease of access and more spaciousness than a standard double door.

While bypass doors are commonly used as closet doors, a bypassing barn door can enhance the design of any room by lending an entryway a little rustic charm. Bypass doors are also easy to install, with minimal hardware that requires only a few tools to mount.

Similar to pivot doors, bypass doors are easy to customize. Hardware kits and door panels can be purchased separately, allowing the user to mix and match materials.

14. Double Doors

When it comes to selecting an entry door, there are several types of front doors to pick from. While you can get a unique entry door with sidelights and a transom, nothing quite compares to the grand joy that comes from choosing a double door for your home’s entrance. With double doors, two door slabs join in the middle of the entrance when closed. This means that when both doors are open, there is an extra-wide entrance. Whether you are considering a wooden door, steel door, or fiberglass door for your home’s front entrance, a double door will give your home a grand aesthetic.

Double doors aren’t just for entryways though. They can also add a special touch to your home when used as interior doors too. For instance, double doors are a great option for an office door or master bedroom.

Double doors come in many different styles and designs, including solid door slabs, panel door slabs, and door slabs with glass panels. Additionally, double doors also give you the option of closing off the space or opening the space up by simply opening the two doors together. If you’re looking for a way to easily divide the space inside your home, double doors may be a great option to consider.

Door Sizes

A standard door size is 2 feet wide, 6 feet 8 inches high, and 1 ¾ inches thick—though Rustica offers a variety of custom door dimensions across their door categories. Most doors can be ordered as small as 1’ x 6’ x 1’¾” to as large as 6’11” x 9’11” x 4’11”, with few exceptions. As the homeowner, you need to determine the appropriate door size for your space. If you’re replacing a door, simply measure the dimensions of your current door (height, width, length) and you’ll have what you need for your new purchase.

When installing a new door in an area that previously did not have one, you can follow these simple steps:

Height: Measure from the sill (the piece of wood that sits directly on your floor) up until you reach the underside of the top of your door frame.
Width: Measure from interior left side of frame to interior right side of frame. Sometimes, it’s helpful to take multiple width measurements—taking one towards the top, one in the middle of the door opening, and one towards the bottom. Warping can cause door frames to expand or shrink, so be sure to take the shortest measurement of the three to ensure that your door will fit.
Length/Thickness: Measure the length of the door frame itself to know how thick your door should be.

Door Materials

Interior and exterior doors are made from a variety of beautiful, quality materials or by combining any number of materials. There are benefits to each material type:

Wood Doors: Wooden doors create a warm, traditional feeling whether used inside or outside. These doors are easily customized, both in unique carved design features as well as in texture and stain. A wooden door’s solid core is extremely durable and insulates well. They are also easily repaired.
Glass Doors: The most common door in this category is the French door. These doors are energy-efficient, producing natural heat and light. They are valued for their elegant, historical design.
Metal Doors: Popular metal doors include aluminum, galvanized steel, or iron. These doors are a sturdy, durable, and secure option that resists warping better than any other material. They are fairly energy-efficient.
Fiberglass Doors: Fiberglass doors are usually heavier than metal doors, such as aluminum or steel, but much more energy-efficient. Fiberglass doors are a great choice for customization, as the plastic is malleable and easily crafted to mimic a metal door or wooden door.

Door Hardware

Unleash your creativity and design your own style with Rustica door hardware. Whether you’re shopping for French door knobs or sliding barn hardware like tracks or barn door handles and pulls, Rustica offers a diverse array of options for the home designer. There are many features and questions to consider when finalizing your door hardware:

Handles: Does your door require a knob or a pull? Before installing a pocket, bypass, or bifold door, be sure to choose a handle that falls flush with the door frame. This is also true for handles installed to the backs of sliding barn doors.

Hinges: These are necessary if you’ve purchased anything but a sliding barn door as roller doors don’t use hinges. There are many door hinge types so they can be customized in design and finish to match your door’s handles and door jamb.

Locks: Rustica offers locks for every type of interior and exterior door. Choose from electronic locks, deadbolts, or key locks for standard hinged doors. Sliding barn doors can be closed with door hooks or with The Rustica Latch+Lock, which is the first ever sliding door latch hardware system.

Track Systems: Which track system works best for your sliding door? Choose from the following options for track systems:

Low Clearance Barn Door Hardware - Attaches closely to the top of the door. Perfect for rooms with limited ceiling and header gap heights.
Ceiling Mount Barn Door Hardware - Mounts directly to the ceiling as either a space-saver or as a room divider in larger spaces.
Cabinet Barn Door Hardware - Commonly used for sliding shutter doors or areas with limited square footage.
J Track - Hangers lie flush with header height, rolling closely along the track. Perfect for low-clearance spaces.
Tube Track - Contemporary, u-shaped hangers run along a rounded, tubular track.
Flat Track - A simple, traditional track style that can be used in rooms without spatial restrictions.
Box Track - Track and hangers attach to the top of the door instead of its face. Great for close spaces or for the preservation of the door’s front panel.

Door Installation

After door delivery, many homeowners immediately call a professional because they don’t know how to attach their door’s hinges to the frame or how to install a barn door. The installation can be completed fairly quickly, and the average range of costs for installing a new door can fall anywhere from $500-$1500.

Rustica offers easy solutions and guidance for door installations. Customers can purchase hinged doors pre-hung, meaning the door can be delivered with the hinges in place on the door or with the new frame attached (perfect for frame replacement!) along with those hinges, making French, Dutch, and other hinged doors simple to install.

As for barn doors, it really isn't necessary to hire a contractor as long as you carefully follow these five easy steps.

Step 1: Attach a mounting board to your wall if your door is heavy. The mounting board should be a bit wider than your track system so that the door’s weight can be distributed to more stud beams. If your door is lightweight or is a shutter, this might not be necessary.

Step 2: Assemble your track and prepare for mounting. Measure the spacing where you will need to drill, using a level for assistance on both the mounting board and the track itself.

Step 3: Drill holes into your marks, either on your mounting board or directly onto the wall. Then, drill holes into the track. If you’re nervous about this step, Rustica also offers an option to have the tracks delivered pre-drilled.

Step 4: Using a level to ensure straight lines, mount and install your track to the wall or header. Attach your track to your board or wall.

Step 5: Use the supplied hanger kit and the manufacturer’s booklet (included with your door). Follow the instructions and attach your rollers to the door using the provided bolts, nuts, and washers. Ask a friend or family member for help hanging your door.

Which Door Should I Choose?

Deciding which door type is right for you ultimately comes down to your own personal style and needed functionality. When it comes to picking a door for your space there some things to consider:

Exterior or Interior: Some doors are better suited for interiors only, such as pocket doors, while others can be used as interior doors or exterior doors. You may opt for different materials depending on whether your door will be an interior door or exterior door. For instance, using a solid wood door or a steel door as an external door will provide more security than a glass-paneled door.

Function: Before picking a door style, consider why you want to install the door and how you want it to function. If you are simply looking to divide your space, a barn door can provide a rustic, homey feel. Choosing a barn door with windows or glass panels can still give you the rustic vibe while keeping your space open and airy. On the other hand, if you’re more concerned about getting fresh air but you don’t want the dog to get out, a Dutch door may be a better option.

Space: It’s also important to consider the space you have to work with. If you are working with a small space, it is going to be important to choose a door style that has a small door swing, such as a barn door, sliding door, or pocket door. You’ll also want to consider the width of the space you are covering. Most doors can accommodate the standard interior door width. However, if your door opening is wider, you may want to consider a double door, sliding door, barn door, or bifold door.

Once you have determined the functionality that you want, where you’re hanging the door, and how much space you have, you can select the door style that best fits your needs.

Which is Better? Bifold or Sliding Doors?

Both a bifold door and a sliding door offer many of the same benefits. Depending on the type of panel you choose, they both let in natural light, give the illusion of more space, and work with wider openings.

Likewise, both can be used as interior doors or exterior doors, though sliding glass doors will only be able to open as wide as a single panel. Sliding barn doors and bifold doors can accommodate almost the entire opening of the door frame. Therefore, when it comes to deciding which is better, it ultimately comes down to personal preference and your overall design aesthetic.

Rustica Has a Door for Every Need

Choosing the right door for your home may seem overwhelming at first. There are so many styles, functions, materials, and choices. But with a little understanding of interior and exterior doors, you’ll find the process to be enjoyable as you explore creative and artistic choices.

The doors in your home make a statement, so you should never settle for inferior quality or design. You want to make sure that your doors can not only withstand the elements and protect your home but also meet your design expectations and complement your unique style. When it comes to quality, beauty, and unsurpassed craftsmanship, nothing compares to a Rustica door.