Photo: Jill Burrow

Which material is best for wooden doors?

Mahogany is more durable, stronger, and more stable than its oak counterparts. It's the best selling wood door material. Its straight grains are colored various shades of beautiful red. Its hardness makes it great for nearly any use as well as its ability to stain and take paint well.

etodoors.com - Types of wood that are best for doors | ETO Doors Blog

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Wood Door Species and Properties

Understanding the properties of different types of wood is a crucial element of any project. The kind of project, the location, your personal preferences, and the price will all have a significant impact on your wood selection. Knowing the differences can save you time and money while giving your project the exact look, durability, and finish you are after. Below are several of the more popular woods on the market and what you should know about them.

Mahogany

Mahogany is more durable, stronger, and more stable than its oak counterparts. It’s the best selling wood door material. Its straight grains are colored various shades of beautiful red. Its hardness makes it great for nearly any use as well as its ability to stain and take paint well. This wood is extremely versatile and great for outdoor usage. It has a unique wood grain. Some downsides are that it can be challenging to work with due to its hardness, and it can be costly depending on where it is grown.

Knotty Alder

This wood is commonly known for its durability and strength, as well as its natural honey color. For rustic wood doors, the knots in the grain show up dramatically, which suits a country or cottage design style. It is commonly used in more expensive furniture or as a substitute for rarer walnut woods. It is naturally weather-resistant, making it ideal for outside projects or furniture. This wood is also similar to cherry, maple, and walnut wood. It is a very versatile hardwood. On the downside, it is one of the softest hardwoods on the market, making it dent easier than woods like cherry and walnut. It can also lighten in color over time. This inexpensive wood is lightweight and is very common in rustic pieces and farm-style furniture. It’s well-known for its yellowish or whitish appearance with dark brown knots. It is an affordable wood, as well as plentiful and readily available on the market. Pine takes paint and stain well, making it ideal for furniture. Pine also will develop a beautiful rustic patina over time as well as resisting shrinking and swelling from moisture. It is a very soft wood, so it’s prone to scratches, dents and cracking under too much pressure. For inexpensive projects, this is also one of the most common woods used.

Cherry

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This hardwood lumber ranges from a reddish-brown to a blond color, its subtle, straight grains distinguishing it from the rest. Usually found in chairs, cabinets, and tables. Easily cut and shaped, and it polishes well, leaving behind a beautiful look. Unstained, it has a vibrant and eye-catching look. This hardwood can be expensive. A downside to it is the wood can also darken with age, changing the look.

Maple

Maple wood has the look of creamy white with an occasional reddish hue. One of the densest wood pieces, known for its strength. Heavy-duty items such as dressers and kitchen cabinets are where you will commonly see it. It is also a very shock absorbent wood usually used in the flooring of bowling alleys. This wood is affordable and extremely durable. It can take a beating while simultaneously looking great. This particular wood takes stain very well, often used to mimic a more expensive wood such as Cherry or Mahogany. Finishing on this wood is vital. If you don’t seal it correctly, the fine grains make any scratches very evident.

Oak

This is a very grainy hardwood. There are two main types, which are red oak, which can range from light brown to pinkish red with swirly water like pattern, and white oak with its tiger stripe grain with yellow rays and flecks. Oak often used in arts and crafts. It is a very water-resistant wood to warping and water damage if appropriately cut. It has a distinctive wavy grain that pops when a subtle bright finish is applied. Stain can overly darken the wood or exaggerate its highlights, making it look two-toned.

Walnut

Walnut can range from chocolate brown to yellow, depending on if the wood is from the center or outer edge of the tree. This wood has been a top pick for doors, headboards, antique style dining room tables, and mantels. One thing we love about the look of our walnut interior doors is the modern style, quite a cutting edge design look. This hardwood is usually oiled or clear coated to bring out its natural color and straight grains. This wood is solid and great for carving intricate pieces. The color is unique and beautiful. Some may not like the color change from light to dark that can be found on a single board. This wood is also one of the more costly of the hardwoods.

Redwood

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This famous wood grows from trees that stand more than 300 feet tall and live up to 2500 years old. The wood is resistant to sun, moisture, and insects due to a natural chemical that it produces as it grows. It’s a hardwood that is great for outdoor projects and furniture. Water, insect, and sunlight-resistant. This wood doesn’t fade with time because of the elements, which is a big plus. It also has a beautiful finish when it is appropriately applied. Unfortunately, it is costly, and the color will change to a darker hue due to the natural chemical it possesses that makes it so resistant to outside weather.

etodoors.com - Types of wood that are best for doors | ETO Doors Blog