Panel Door Design for Houses

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Panel doors are quite popular for a number of reasons. They add an extra bit of quality and beauty to a home. There is a wide variety to choose from, so you don't have to worry about your door looking like your neighbor's if you don't want it to. But what kind of panel door should you choose?

There are a lot of options when it comes to panel doors. Raised panel. Flat panel. Various wood species. Glass panels. The size of the panels. The number of panels. The position of the panels. Does it sound confusing yet? Don't let all these options frighten you away. Instead, think of them as all the great ways you can design a door that suits you and your home perfectly.

First you may want to know the difference between a raised panel door and one that has a flat panel design. Raised panel doors are also called stile and rail doors. These typically have elevated areas as well as recessed areas surrounded by decorative wooden lines. Essentially, the name says it all. Raised doors do require a little more manual craft time than the flat door. Flat doors are simpler with cleaner lines that decorate the door without any additional recessed or raised areas. The lines merely act as outlines to showcase the panel design.

Choosing between a raised door and a flat door will probably be one of your biggest choices. After that, it will become a matter of style. Panel doors can have anywhere from a single large panel to over ten panels. The more decorative you want your door to be, the more likely you are to choose a higher number of panels. If you want to allow natural lighting into your home, you can request that some of the panels be glass instead. You can even choose the location of the glass, anywhere from ¾ of the door panels being glass to just the very top of the door. You can have a single glass panel or have them divided up.

Once you have the main layout of your door, all you have to choose is the wood you want it made of and whether or not you want it painted or otherwise decorated in some way. Keep your home in mind to ensure that the door matches well and soon you'll have a beautiful new entryway into your house.

Though you may have never heard the term "stile and rail door," you've no doubt seen one of these kinds of doors. Stile and rail doors are basically doors that come with panels; in other words, they're not just flat wood doors. The stile refers to the vertical pieces on the door, while the rail is the horizontal pieces. The panels of the door fit in between the stiles and rails. Many people opt for this type of door because they are strong, well-made, and the finished product is attractive and gives the door, and ultimately the room it's in, a lot of character.

If you're building a home and deciding on doors, or if you're just replacing existing doors, the stile and rail door is a popular one that you'll be able to enjoy for years. There are, however, a lot of options when it comes to which style or design you want with this type of door. There are tons of different configurations that you can select from with the panels, and you can also choose between having an all wood door, or one that includes glass as well.

When selecting the door that is right for you, it's really going to come down to personal preference, as well as the overall look of your home. You want your doors to match the rest of your home, so obviously you will choose a look that blends well with the other features. The great thing about stile and rail doors, though, is that there are so many options, as mentioned above. If you have an older home and want your doors to represent that, you might consider simple single panel doors for the interior, and then something with glass and wood panels for exterior doors. The beauty of these doors is that you can mix and match them for different rooms or areas of your home, making your living place truly unique.