Whether they lead to the bathrooms or to bedrooms, interior doors are integral parts of a house. Apart from serving their usual purpose, interior doors, when improved the right way, can increase a property’s appeal to buyers. Here’s a short guide for choosing the right interior doors when rehabbing homes.

Always remember that you don’t have to buy new interior doors. Often, these parts of the houses need only a little cleaning and a new coat of paint. However, if the rehabbing project demands it, you might be forced to shop for new doors so it is important that you know what type of doors to choose.

Basically, you can choose from two types of doors: panel or flush. Panel doors are made by interlocking rails and stiles that serve as the frame of wood, glass, or other materials. If the house you are renovating has these doors, it is likely that you won’t need to replace them. These doors were created to last for a long period of time. With this design, the door is less likely to shrink or swell. Because of this quality, panel doors are more expensive compared to flush types. Among the cheaper panel doors are MDFs (medium-density fiberboard doors).

When rehabbing homes, especially properties that do not have a classic or antique interior, flush doors will do. These are doors with flat surfaces and are not composed of interlocking parts. Although they are damaged easily compared to panels, they are preferred by home builders because they are cheaper and easier to install. Millions of houses across the country use hollow-core flush doors, which are the cheapest and lightest in the group. They have thin wood veneers as surface and cardboard honeycomb cores. If you plan to paint the doors, and you should, go for birch surfaces. It is easier to paint these hardwood surfaces because they receive finishes better, unlike lauan mahogany veneer.

Before you go shopping for the right interior doors, make sure you measure the existing door. Rehabbing houses, after all, is also about preparation.  The standard thickness of interiors doors is 1 3/8 inches. When it comes to height, they should be 6 feet 8 inches tall. For the width, it should be at least 2 feet for bathrooms and closets and 36 inches at most for bedrooms. However, these are only standard measurements. The size of the door still depends on the door frame.

Whatever type of interior door you choose, always consider your budget. Can you even afford one? When rehabbing houses, you are operating on limited funds so think well before buying.