Types of wood that are best for doors

“Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.”

Will it be a door from oak, mahogany, cedar wood, or another wood door material? We can’t know for sure.

But why not ensure it’s a door crafted and polished from the best type of wood?

For interior and exterior doors, there are a plethora of wood options for any design aesthetic, whether modern, traditional, or rustic.

Each option features different colors and grain patterns, offering a unique feel, personality, and warmth.

So, when you want to get doors to your home or office, pay attention to every little detail and select the best wood for door to increase your curb appeal and complement your design style.

You can choose from the top wood options from United Porte in this article for your interior and exterior doors.

Unitedporte.us

Types of wood for doors

Let us see the different types of wood used for doors and their most outstanding qualities.

1. Knotty Alder Doors

Knotty Alder wood is the best wood for doors.

Alder’s most outstanding characteristic is the knots in its grain pattern that gives it a rustic appeal, perfect for cottages, barns, or rural doors.

It is naturally light brown, occasionally featuring a peachy or yellow undertone. It is also affordable, beautiful, sturdy, and resistant to weather.

Knotty Alder

2. Poplar Doors

Unlike Alder doors with knots for rustic charm, Poplar doors have a smooth grain pattern that offers a more modern appeal.

The light brown color with yellow and greenish hues gives that painted finish look and remains durable and affordable.

However, the lack of knots makes Poplar ideal for painting since you don’t have to fill any knots, and less perfect for staining.

Poplar

3. Cedar Door

Cedar doors have remarkable aromatic qualities that humans enjoy, and insects dislike, making them the ideal insect-repellant doors.

They are also moisture-resistant and require less maintenance than treated wood. As a hardwood, it is less prone to warping or shrinking.

With these characteristics that make it the best wood for front doors, you can rest assured your home is safe and insulated.

Cedar

4. Red Oak Doors

The red oak is medium-brown with a reddish hue, high-shock resistant, and perfect for interior doors. It is also a hardwood known for its open and beautiful wood grain.

If you are looking for a traditional and rugged design in your space, red oak doors will deliver, whether it’s clear or tinted stain.

Unlike many oak woods, red oak is lighter and may also be used for furniture like desks, dining tables, or cabinets.

Red Oak

5. Cherry Doors

Cherry is a beautiful reddish-brown hardwood with a fine, straight grain and smooth texture. Because of its unique color, a clear or light stain is perfect for the wood.

With time, you may notice a change in the color depending on certain factors, including how it’s used. It may get a shade or two darker or, sometimes, fade.

Cherry is an exquisite choice for your office or study doors.

Cherry

6. White Pine Doors

Gotten from coniferous trees, White pine wood is that perfect blend of alder’s knotty wood grain and poplar’s smooth grain.

It features perfect close knots, light brown coloring, and tight wood grain. These qualities make it suitable for a country style, especially with a clear or light-colored stain accentuating the wood’s natural beauty.

Unlike other pine woods, white pine does not shrink or warp and stays durable. That is why it is perfect for interior doors since those are used more frequently.

However, because this wood used for doors has some knotting, it may be challenging to paint.

So, to ensure that the grains are not exposed through the paint, you may have to fill the knots and sand to get the perfect texture of the wood grain.

White Pine

7. Hickory Doors

Hickory is one of your best bets when the emphasis is on strength, especially if they match your aesthetic style.

It is one of the hardest and shock-resistant woods on the market because of its density.

But besides its strength, it also offers a stunning deep reddish-brown tone for that exquisite touch.

It’s often common to show off the rich appearance in a clear or light-colored stain and medium wood grain.

If you decide to paint a Hickory wood, you will have to fill the knots and sand down so that the grains don’t show on the door hardware.

But then, without the knots and in a different color, Hickory may not be as outstanding, which explains why it’s often left with a simple stain.

8. Mahogany Door

This dark, flexible wood with a reddish-brown color lends itself to outdoor services.

The mahogany wood’s standout quality is its tighter wood grain and distinctive coloring and pattern.

Most mahogany door owners fancy this unique pattern and prefer to showcase it in a clear or lightly tinted stain instead of painting the doors.

But mahogany doesn’t only bring beauty to the table (or door). It is durable, rot-resistant, and doesn’t warp or shrink with time.

United Porte’s mahogany doors also defy the style limitations. They blend yet stand out in any space - modern or rustic.

Mahogany

9. Walnut Doors

Like a walnut, the walnut wood is a hardwood with a rich chocolate-brown color, often featuring purple undertones.

Also known as “the American timber,” this wood suits and adds warmth to any design style - antique, simple, or exquisite.

Its wood grain has impressive natural circle and spiral patterns, perfect for interior doors with glass.

Walnut doors are sturdy, moisture-resistant, and do not warp or shrink, so your rooms are well insulated.

Walnut

Best wood for front door

Think of your front door as the portal to your sanctuary - your home. These doors aim to exude an inviting ambiance to you and your visitors.

But besides the appearance, the best wood for exterior doors should measure up on functionality.

For starters, it should be made from weather, rot, and moisture-resistant wood to ensure that your home is always safe and insulated.

Below are United Porte’s top four picks for a front door.

Cedar
Mahogany
Hickory
Alder

Best wood interior doors

For interior doors, the emphasis is often more on durability (since they will see more traffic) and insulation from heat and sound.

The wood should also be aesthetically pleasing since it will directly interact with your home decor.

They don’t have to be too weather resistant, as they are not directly exposed to weather changes.

Here are our top options for interior doors

White Pine
Poplar
Red oak
Cherry
Walnut

Which type of wood to choose for your door?

The best wood species to choose for your door will depend heavily on the need for the door (interior or exterior), its availability, and your general design idea (traditional, country-style, modern).

With these factors, there will still be a variety of woods for your home’s decoration that you can pick from.

But if you are overwhelmed or undecided on the best wood and design for your home’s front door, you can seek the services of a custom door manufacturer.

Conclusion

Now you know the different types of wood for exterior and interior doors.

So when you want new doors, you know where to get the proper preparation, build, and finishing, for that durable door.

With over 25 years of experience, United Porte offers the perfect balance of functionality and design.

You can choose any of our pre-designed doors, including the black entry doors, for immediate delivery.

Or our team of expert designers and engineers can build a custom door for you, considering your specifications and design choices to up your curb appeal.