Best Wood For External Doors: A Complete Guide
While selecting an external door for your home, there are various factors to consider and the material or type of the wood is one of them. One of the best parts about wooden or timber doors is that they come in various types of materials to select from.
External doors are required to be stable, durable, and able to withstand any test of climate. Each type of wood material has its own individual strengths and unique properties. Wooden doors can be altered, shaped and tailored according to your preference.
Depending upon your timber material preference, you can select the type of wood for your external door. There are two types of woods that you can use for your external doors. While some woods are hard in nature, there are some softwood options too.
Hardwood
Not all hardwood species are the same. They come with different properties, cell structures, advantages, disadvantages, and pricing. It is necessary to consider all these factors before selecting the hardwood external door for your home.
Best Types of Hardwood For External Doors
Hardwood is further divided into various subcategories of wood, depending on its colour, strength, and timber material. We have curated a list of the best types of hardwood for your external doors, depending upon their specifications
1. Accoya
Accoya wood, or Accoya timber, is known to be the world’s most long-lasting wood type. Accoya wood is made by altering the process of wood by improving its technical properties to make it stronger and more durable than the other woods. This process is known as “acetylation” and is done to strengthen the wood's cell structure.
Accoya tops our list as this type of wood is not just resistant to swelling and breakage, but also very easy to maintain. Accoya is even tougher than teak, a timber that already has ample strength
Price Range - £4,310 to £5,500
2. Oak
Oak doors are aesthetically appealing as they give a classy and luxurious feel to your home. These doors contain impressive insulating properties, providing you comfort during hot summers and cold winters. The weight and solidity of an oak door give a feeling of quality and security.
Oak doors are dense and heavy, providing a terrific noise barrier by keeping the sound out of the room. The only drawback with an oak door is that you would require to refinish the wood surface in a couple of years to maintain it.
Price Range - £350 to £2,660
3. Mahogany
Mahogany wood is extremely famous for its solid grain structure and reddish-brown colour. Mahogany wood is water-resistant, making it durable even when in contact with water and moisture. This type of wood can withstand poor weather, making it a perfect choice for decking, boat building, and patio areas.
Identifying a true mahogany wooden door can be quite challenging for many people. It is always advisable to purchase from a trusted dealer. Mahogany doors tend to change colour and get darker with time as this type of wood absorbs sunlight.
Price Range - £300 to £1,500
4. Walnut
Walnut is generally a dark rich brown colour with undertones of purple. It comprises straight grain with a wavy or curly look. Walnut falls under the category of sturdy and dense wood species. This type of hardwood is popular among artisans and is being utilised for a variety of purposes.
Walnut doors are highly durable and resistant to rotting and deterioration. They possess extreme strength and dimensional stability. The only drawback of a walnut door is that it can fade when exposed to prolonged periods of direct sunlight. However, with proper maintenance, your walnut door can resist fading.
Price Range - £200 to £1,200
5. Merbau
Merbau wood consists of a component named “tannin, " a natural oil that protects the door from rainwater and saltwater. This timber is extremely durable and termite-resistant, making it perfect for flooring and decking.
As this timber is naturally oily, it is resistant to cracking and splitting. However, the major drawback of using Merbau wood is that the timber’s colours can bleed when wet. The other timber materials stain in such a situation, but a Merbau deck bleeds.
Price Range - £200 to £600
6. Cherry
Cherry, just like its name, changes colour from pinkish-brown to reddish-brown. Unlike the other hardwood types, Cherry has a fine and single grain texture that gives the wood a smooth and straight finish. The major attraction of cherry timber is its colour and perfect finish.
Just like the other hardwood types, cherry timber’s colour also tends to change with time. It may fade in certain cases, while the other times, the reddish tint grows deeper and darker.
Price Range - £150 to £600
Softwood
Just like hardwood, not all softwood species are the same too. They come with different properties, cell structures, advantages, disadvantages, and pricing. It is necessary to consider all these factors before selecting softwood for your external door.
Best Types of Softwood For External Doors
Softwood is further divided into various subcategories of wood, depending on its colour, strength, and timber material. We have curated a list of the best types of softwood for your external doors, depending upon their specifications.
1. Spanish Cedar
The colour of Spanish cedar timber varies from light to darker shades of brown, and its texture also varies from fine to coarse. Cedar is a good insulator, which will keep your houses warmer in winters and cooler in summers.
Spanish cedar doors are a prime choice for exterior doors due to their pleasing aesthetics and natural rot-resistant feature. This timber can be painted according to your preference, giving you the option of selecting your own door colour.
Price Range - £600 to £1,500
2. Knotty Alder
If you prefer a rustic look on your modern front door, Knotty Alder timber is the perfect choice for you. Alder is a popular timber species due to its uniform and pronounced grain texture. The colour of an alder timber ranges from pale pinkish-brown to darker shades of reddish-brown.
The biggest drawback of Knotty Alder is its durability. As this timber is soft in nature, it is more easily prone to scratches and dents. Due to this soft texture, alder doors are usually less resistant to harsh and humid weather.
Price Range - £200 to £600
3. Pine
Pine timber is generally inexpensive and lightweight and recognised by its brownish knots on the wood’s surface. Pine timber can be found in yellowish or lighter shades of brown. Pine timber provides a vintage finish to your home because of its rustic appeal.
Pine timber needs to be maintained and treated carefully with preservatives in order to prevent the timber from rotting. The durability of the pine timber is a bit low when compared to the rest of the wood species.
Price Range - £300 to £1,000
Conclusion
These are just some of the best types of hardwood and softwood timbers that we have curated for you. Considering the specifications and weighing the pros and cons of each type of wood will help you well in selecting the best wood for your external door.
Whether you are looking for internal doors or external doors for your home, Emerald Doors is a one-stop solution for all your door needs.
Best Wood For External Doors FAQS
Difference Between Hardwood and Softwood
The main difference between hardwood and softwood is that hardwood is obtained from deciduous trees, while softwood is obtained from coniferous trees. Deciduous trees are denser and tend to shed their leaves in the autumn, while coniferous trees are evergreen with needle-shaped leaves.
Difference Between Solid Oak and Engineered Oak
Solid oak can be refinished and sanded any number of times you like. However, engineered oak can be sanded and refinished slightly or just once or twice. Solid oak is obtained directly from trees and is hence a bit expensive. Whereas, engineered oak is obtained by binding various particles and fibres.
Differences Between Oak and Pine
Oak falls under the category of hardwood timber, while pine falls under the category of softwood timber. This makes oak more sturdy, heavy, and weather-resistant when compared to pine wood. However, pine has excellent stiffness, enabling it to resist shock.