Which Wood Should I use for Interior Doors?

Wood interior doors come in two primary options - paint grade and stain grade wood doors. While many consider the difference to be in the quality of the wood used in the interior door, it also takes in to account the joinery methods and the expanses of wood used.

For paint grade wood interior doors, finger jointing is normally used to connect the wood pieces of the stiles, which are the vertical sides, to the rails, which run horizontally in the door. The paint tends to cover up these joints. If stained, these areas tend to have inconsistent coloring and the stain can pool in the area.

On the other hand, stain grade wood interior doors normally have continuous expanses of wood to eliminate the joinery and thus the staining issue of the finger jointing. Stain grade wood is also considered to be the more attractive hardwoods, as their graining is well worth playing up the effect with stains. Conversely, lower quality woods don't always offer handsome graining worth highlighting.

Paint grade interior wood doors are less expensive to make, tend to use less expensive woods, and therefore are normally the less expensive option. Stain grade interior doors tend to cost more due to the larger pieces of wood that are necessary to make the doors, as well as normally using more expensive species of wood.

While wood species are an important choice when considering wood interior doors, also take into account the grade of the wood door - whether it is paint grade or stain grade. Reputable door manufacturers are always happy to answer questions to help you make the best choice for your home.