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What is a Flush Door?

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

Flush doors are simple interior and exterior doors that feature plain facings on both sides of the construction. While this type of door is more closely associated with function rather than style, this plain sort of door lends itself well to a number of room designs where the desire is to highlight other elements in the space. Doors of this type may have a solid or hollow core.

The typical flush door is manufactured by using two sections of plywood that are attached to each side of a frame. While the interior of the door is hollow, it is not unusual for some sort of support to be built into the frame, such as a honeycomb support system. The plywood can be finished to accentuate the wood grain or covered with paint. Once the door construction is completed, the finish is treated with a sealant to protect the color or the stain from any type of damage.

Flush doors may be a good option for closets.
Flush doors may be a good option for closets.

It is also possible to construct a flush door using a solid core piece that is augmented with some type of laminate or plywood on each side. As with the hollow door design, the solid model is then painted or stained, then treated to a sealant. While heavier than the hollow versions, the solid flush door is often a better option when installing a flush sliding door at a passage between two rooms.

Flush door hardware is usually kept very simple. If the doors are intended for mounting on tracks, then the hardware will be recessed, making it possible for the doors to pass over one another. This design is common when the doors are used for accessing a closet. Handles for these doors may be used when the door is mounted in a position to swing back and forth, rather than glide along on tracks.

While the flush door is usually considered to be more utilitarian than other types of doors, that does not mean the door cannot be an attractive element in the room design. Flush doors can be painted with interesting patterns to appear to be wall art when closed. A door of this type can also be a means of picking up a secondary color in the fabrics used in the space, helping to draw that color out into the general look of the room.

Along with the traditional flush wood door, it is also possible to purchase a flush door that is constructed with metal. This type of flush interior door is often used in higher security settings. An exterior version of the metal door is often used in motel construction where each of the guestrooms are accessed from an open-air catwalk.

Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including HomeQuestionsAnswered, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

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Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum

After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including HomeQuestionsAnswered, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon227950

There are no special type of hinges in simple flush door without a frame. Only adhesives are used to hold together the components of flush doors(like wooden battens and ply). In other types of flush doors with a frame, there is a mortise and tenon joint between the stile and rails, and also stub tenons between the stile and intermediary rails. There are various types of flush doors, like hollow core, solid core, etc. and the appearance of the door depends on need, functionality, weather conditions and placement of the door.

jholcomb

Does a flush door take special hinges? It seems like without the frame around it, the hinges would really stick out.

MrsWinslow

The most famous flush door is the one in the Oval Office! I am a total POTUS freak, so I know way too much about the White House and Oval Office (as you can probably tell).

In fact, the producers of the show The West Wing actually changed the design, putting framing around the door. With a flush door the knob is almost the only thing you can see, and I guess they thought it didn't look good on TV.

Ecupirate06

A flush door can be many types of doors. Most people may instantly just think of the basic door to enter bedrooms or other simplistic house door designs, but there's a good variety. A flush door can be a glass door, an elaborate entry door with a nice design in the middle, or even basic closet doors. More secure metal doors such as an exterior door to a garage is also another example of a flush door. The kind of door, exposure the door will have in terms of temperature and weather, and purpose for the door all affects the make of the doors though so it's hard to make a general description in terms of appearances.

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    • Flush doors may be a good option for closets.
      By: Paul Flint & Company
      Flush doors may be a good option for closets.