Flush vs. Panel Doors
A door’s design contributes much to the overall scheme of a room and, indeed, an
entire home. Flush doors do their function, but they bring little to the table
as far as style goes. Panel doors, on the other hand, offer the look of fine
craftsmanship while also allowing builders to customize a home’s interior.
However, personal taste and price often dictate what kind of door surface to
choose.
Flush doors are smooth-surfaced and generally cost less than panel doors because
there is less wood and labor involved in making them. They are usually made up
of thin sheets of veneer that cover a core of wood, particle board, or
fiberboard. The veneer sheets act as stressed-skin panels and tend to prevent
the door against warping. The veneer may be of un-graded hardwood suitable for a
plain finish or chosen hardwood suitable for a natural finish. The appearance of
flush doors can be enhanced by the application of plant-on decorative panels.
Both hollow-core and solid-core doors typically have solid internal rails and
stiles so that hinges and other hardware may be set in solid wood.
A panel door, or stile-and-rail door, has inset panel pieces that give a more
elaborate, sectional look. For those homeowners that are concerned with
aesthetics, paneled doors are better options. They consist of vertical members
called stiles and horizontal members called rails. The stiles and rails enclose
panels of solid wood, plywood, louvers, or glass. The rails and stiles are
assembled with either glued dowels or mortise-and-tenon joints.
The stiles extend the full height of the door at each side. The stile near the
hinged side of the door is called the hinge stile, and the one to which the
latch or lock is attached is called the closing, or lock, stile. Three rails run
across the full width of the door between the stiles. These rails are referred
to as the top rail, the intermediate or lock rail, and the bottom rail.
Additional vertical or horizontal members may divide the door into any number of
panels. These additional members are referred to as muntins and they are also
assembled with either glued dowels or mortise-and-tenon joints.
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