Shopping for a new door can be a bit overwhelming, owing to a large number of options available in the market. However, when it comes to buying doors for home, wooden doors have always been considered the premium (and usually the only) option among homeowners. Though times appear to have changed. Due to the technological advancements in the field of construction, engineered wood doors in Pakistan have also begun gaining immense popularity. Also known as composite or solid core doors, they look and feel just like the real thing.
Both of these options have their own advantages and disadvantages. They are constructed in a completely different way and have varying rates. So, if you are in the middle of a remodelling project or are building your house, you should take a look at our detailed guide on solid vs engineered wood doors in Pakistan and determine which of these might fit your needs the best. After all, you can’t buy a door by simply focusing on how it looks without knowing what it is actually made of, right?
Solid Wood Doors
Solid wood doors, as the name suggests, are made of a 100 percent natural wood, except for the hardware which is mostly metallic. These traditional doors are heavy, durable, sturdy and rather expensive. However, wooden doors also look very sophisticated and can add a hint of elegance to your home décor. Not to mention, they can be contoured and stained according to your personal style and preference.
Solid wood doors in Pakistan, as well as in other parts of the world, are either made out of a single solid slab of wood or wooden frame and panels. You can use a hardwood like oak or softwood like pine for solid wood door construction, though the type of wood you choose must fit placement and usage requirements.
Owing to its sturdiness and durability, solid wood doors are commonly used as exterior doors in homes for added security. Apart from being difficult to break through, these doors also pretty bad conductors of heat and energy. Therefore, they act as good insulators and keep your home warm in winters and cool in summers. Doors made from hardwood are also good at sound-proofing, as they can block transmission of sounds between the rooms.
However, being a natural construction material, each type of wood has a different level of strength, durability and moisture content. The most common types of wood used for the construction of doors in Pakistan include yellow pine, kail, diyar and ash wood.
For further guidance, you can check out our comprehensive guide on door wood selection for your home.
Pros and Cons of Solid Wood Doors in Pakistan
Let’s take a look at some benefits as well as downsides of installing solid wood doors in Pakistan.
Pro: These doors are solid, strong and last for a long time.
Con: Require regular maintenance and upkeep, especially against termite infestation
Pro: Brilliant sound-proofing and heat-proofing qualities
Con: Solid wood doors can warp, expand or contract due to weather conditions
Pro: Excellent investment, as they will help retain the resale value of your home.
Con: Traditional wooden doors are rather expensive
Cost of Solid Wood Doors in Pakistan
Usually, you would require 5 cubic feet of solid wood for the construction of a standard 3.5 x 7 ft door, with an additional 1.5 cubic feet natural wood required for jamb frame and architrave.
The solid wood door price in Pakistan varies with the type of wood you’ve chosen. Here are the current starting prices of the most popular types of wood used for doors in Pakistan.
Imported yellow pine: starting from PKR 3500 cubic foot
Kail wood: starting from PKR 2600 per cubic foot
Diyar: starting from PKR 4000 per cubic foot
Ashwood: Starting from PKR 4500 per cubic foot
Engineered Wood Doors
To put it simply, engineered wood doors can be considered a modern approach to the traditional wooden door construction. Instead of being made from natural wood, engineered wood doors comprise multiple sheets of engineered wood such as fiberboard or hardboard, that are then pressed and glued together to form a composite, solid core. The surface is coated with quality natural wood veneer with lipping applied to the edges.
Engineered or solid core doors look just like solid wood doors. In fact, they even feel the same on the surface. The only major difference between the two is that engineered doors don’t have any of the drawbacks of classic wooden doors. Moreover, they are available for a considerably lower price compared to solid wood doors in Pakistan.
One of the major misconceptions in the solid wood vs solid core doors argument is that the latter are cheaper because they are lighter and less sturdy. That is simply not true as engineered wood doors sometimes weigh heavier than solid wood doors and depending on their density, can even be stronger than their all-wood counterparts.
Whether you are opting for solid core interior doors or solid core exterior doors, you should know that they are available in different varieties in the market. However, overall, these doors offer good sound-proofing, are not likely to be affected by moisture in the air, are resistant to fire, and can be painted and contoured to look like traditional panel-and-frame wooden doors.
Pros and Cons of Engineered Doors
Here are some of the pros and cons of installing solid-core doors.
Pro: Owing to their dense core, engineered wood doors are almost completely soundproof.
Con: Have limited style and contouring options, compared to natural wood
Pro: These doors are relatively affordable and cost way less than solid wood doors
Con: Engineered wood doors can be little to install
Pro: Solid core doors are unlikely to warp, contract or expand due to the weather
Con: These doors can be a little heavy
Pro: Composite doors are strong and durable
Cost of Engineered Wood Doors in Pakistan
The starting price of a standard-sized engineered wood door in Pakistan is PKR 11,000, including the construction material, hardware and labour cost.
So, this was our solid vs engineered wood doors comparison. If you’re remodelling your kitchen or are planning to do so in the near future, our detailed guide on rates and types of wooden cabinets in Pakistan may come in handy. Similarly, don’t forget to take a look at the most popular types of window and their prices in Pakistan before starting on your next home improvement project.
For more information about solid and engineered wood door designs in Pakistan, stay connected to Zameen Blog – the best real construction and estate blog in Pakistan. In case you have any queries or would like to share your suggestions, send us an email at blog@zameen.com. Furthermore, subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest updates about property prices, construction trends and latest developments in Pakistan.
