We recently spoke with JELD-WEN, one of the world’s biggest door suppliers, to find out what the latest residential interior door trends are in North America.
A trend that is consistent not just in doors, but throughout interior spaces, is the move to a more modern, clean look. With interior doors, this has translated to an increased demand in flat-panel doors at the expense of more traditional, moulded, raised door panels. Other door styles that are gaining in popularity are flat panel flush doors, French doors with frosted glass and painted doors.
Doors are also getting bigger, with larger-size deviations from the standard 30- or 32-inch x 80-inch door becoming more common. Sliding barn doors are also seeing a rise in popularity, which can, in part, be attributed to the increased demand for bigger doors as they allow for bigger door openings and improved access. According to JELD-WEN, this trend towards bigger sizes extends beyond interior doors and into exterior doors and even windows as well.
Not only is the appearance of interior doors experiencing a shift, the way in which they are manufactured is changing as well. Door manufactures are finding new ways to use environmentally sustainable practices in the production. For instance, JELD-WEN’s wood waste is turned into biofuel, its rainwater is recovered for use in the production process and solar cell LED lighting is used throughout its facilities. Furthermore, the door skins for select JELD-WEN interior moulded wood composite doors are made with 65 per cent pre-consumer recycled content. All of these efforts dramatically improve the environmental impact of its operations.
Innovation also plays a role in new door trends. For instance, JELD-WEN recently introduced ProCore, an interior door that is built with a solid particleboard core. ProCore is lightweight yet improves sound reduction and adds privacy to any room. The business has also developed a soft-closing barn door hardware system called DesignGlide™ that accommodates 80-inch and 96-inch regular-sized doors. This prevents the need for an 84-inch door or the need to reframe a door opening when installing a sliding barn door, which can save valuable time.
Time savings, of course, are extremely important to any construction professional. This is why JELD-WEN recommends the use of pre-hung interior doors. This type of door is already mounted onto the frame for new construction or renovation jobs where the intended area for the door is open and exposed. Using a pre-hung door rather than installing the door frame and slab separately can save nearly three hours of time per door.
If a pre-hung door is not an option, but you still require more than just the slab, easy-install doors are the way to go. Easy-install doors come with the machined door, primed MDF jamb, door stop and hinges to speed up your installation process and are available through Co-op Home Centre locations everywhere.
Whether you’re looking to provide your clients with input on the latest door styles or trying to shave some time off the interior door installation process, be sure to consider these trends for your next project.
