Doors can be painted, stained, and used as bulletin boards and blackboards, but few, except Frank Cueva, Paso Robles general contractor with Central Pacific Construction, ever think about how many kinds of doors there are.

Doors keep homes and businesses secure, provide privacy and keep out the weather. But, doors are not only utilitarian, they can be beautiful, interesting, inviting entryways, and add focal points to exterior architecture and interior design.

Most people think of doors as being made from wood, or glass, but they also come in PVC, plastic and different kinds of metal. Along with a variety of materials, doors come in a lot of different styles.

A good place to start learning about doors is understanding the difference between interior and exterior doors.

• Interior doors are generally not as sturdy as exterior doors because the purpose is to provide privacy and to separate rooms. Bedrooms, bathrooms, and closets are examples of interior doors. Locks for interior doors are optional. Interior doors are typically made from lightweight material.
• Exterior doors are solid, typically made from heavy material, and lock securely to help protect against unwanted intrusion.

The only hard and fast rule about doors is that exterior doors need to be sturdy enough to prevent damage from weather and prevent intrusions. Some interior doors, especially in industrial or medical facilities have special requirements and must meet certain standards and building code requirements. Other than meeting safety and code requirements, the door is wide open for incorporating almost any kind of door into a home or business.

Opening the door to design

Doors can be adapted to your design ideas and to meet any code requirements. Once you have an idea of what kinds of doors are available, discuss the options with your Paso Robles general contractor at Central Pacific Construction. There are a surprising number of options and you can depend on the experience of Frank Cueva and his team to work with you to get the perfect doors installed.

Here are some descriptions of the different types of doors. These doors can be acquired prefabricated in their traditional materials. Most of these doors can be specially constructed from almost any material or combination of materials to create unique and personal entries and focal points.

Hinged Doors

Hinged doors are the style of door we are most familiar with. One side of the door is installed on hinges and the other side swings open to allow entrance or exit from a room. Two significant points about hinged doors are:

• The direction the door swings (into or out of a room) can be important and should be discussed with the general contractor.
• Hinged doors can be constructed from a variety of material, including recycled material, framed glass, wood or metal. Basically, don’t let the traditional hinges limit your imagination!

Dutch Doors

Dutch doors are hinged doors that are divided into a top section and a bottom section. Each section can be opened separately. The bottom section can have a shelf for passing food and dishes between the kitchen and dining room or patio. Versions of Dutch doors serve a number of purposes and give a traditional look to a design.

Pocket Doors

Pocket doors get their name because they slide into a pocket between the walls. This style of door is a great space saver for small spaces and is also popular for closet doors.

Overhead Doors

Overhead doors, like garage doors that roll up, can be very trendy depending on your interior design. They certainly provide an industrial feel to a space. Overhead doors between a living space and garden or patio are a very unique way to bring the outside into the home and make a room seem larger.

Folding Doors

Folding doors are sections of panels that are hinged together and fold in a fan type manner. The doors are installed on overhead tracks. Although the typical uses are for closets and utility rooms, don’t let those uses limit you. Adding folding doors is a great way to create office space, an art studio, or children’s play space at one end of a family room. Close the doors for privacy or to hide the creative process from visitors. Leave the doors partially open to keep an eye on things when the space is in use.

Sliding Doors

We associate sliding doors with glass patio sliders or closet doors, but these doors are much more versatile. Because they are constructed of panels or a single panel that slides rather that swings open, they are great space savers.

Another style of sliding door can be used as interior doors. Hanging from overhead tracts and rollers, similar to how some barn doors work, a board door, or metal door, can add a rustic feel to an interior.

Pivot Doors

A pivot door turns on metal fixtures at the top and bottom of the door. An interesting feature of a rotating door is that it can rotate from the center, meaning that when open each half swings into the adjoining rooms, or it can rotate from different sections. A rotating door isn’t necessarily space saving, but the materials and architecture certainly make rotating doors an interesting focal point to a room.

French Doors

French doors are two doors that open in the center, swinging wide to create a double-sized entry. French doors add a sense of elegance and expansion to space. Only one side can be opened if desired, but when both doors are swung wide open they provide an unblocked view of another room or the gardens.

Ask the experts

Once you decide on the styles of doors, make an appointment with the Paso Robles general contractor at Central Pacific Construction. Frank Cueva can discuss your design ideas with you and make some practical recommendations that will help make your remodel or new build a very unique and personal reality.