Both solid core and hollow core doors have legitimate uses in home building and remodelling. Solid core doors are useful for security and soundproofing, while hollow core doors are much less prone to warping and are easier to install. Several different features can indicate whether a door is a solid core door or a hollow core door.

  • Both solid core and hollow core doors have legitimate uses in home building and remodelling.
  • Several different features can indicate whether a door is a solid core door or a hollow core door.

Hold up the door. Solid core doors are much heavier than hollow core doors. A solid core door contains much more mass than a hollow core door.

Look at the door. Solid core doors often have insets and recess panels. Hollow core doors often have a flat surface and a strip of wood applied to the entire perimeter (outside border) of the door.

Check the price of the door. Hollow core doors are much less expensive than solid core doors. Solid core doors are often 50 per cent more expensive than comparable hollow core doors. In fact, high-end solid core door doors can cost thousands of dollars.

TIP

Solid core doors may be solid wood sections or a composite material with a wood veneer applied that can be painted or stained. Hollow core doors are also often made of plastic or other inexpensive materials, especially for lower-end products.

WARNING

It is fairly easy to put a fist through many hollow core doors, which makes them poor choices for outside entry doors.