What are the different types of doors?

It is the most common door: it turns on hinges fixed to one side of the frame. It is easy to install, costs less than the other types and comes in almost every finish: wood veneer, solid wood or lacquered MDF, in any colour. With a well-sealed frame, it insulates best against sound and light.

The thing to watch is space: the door leaf needs a clear area to open, and when open it takes up wall and floor. Before choosing, check which way it opens and that it does not hit a piece of furniture.

A pivot door turns on an axis, with pins at the top and bottom, instead of side hinges. Because the weight rests on the floor and the ceiling, it allows wider, taller and heavier doors, and makes a striking entrance. It has no visible hinges and opens with little effort.

Points to watch: the leaf turns on both sides of the axis, so it needs space on both sides of the wall. Sealing is harder than on a hinged door, so it insulates less against sound and light.

A sliding door runs on a track, in front of the wall. It takes up no space in front when it opens, and it is the most practical way to connect or separate 2 rooms: the living room and the kitchen, the bedroom and the walk-in wardrobe. To use one as a divider, see the guide 7 ways to divide a space without a wall.

The thing to watch: when open, the door sits against the wall beside the opening. That wall must be clear, with no pictures, switches or furniture, for a width equal to the door. It insulates less against sound and cold than a hinged door.

A pocket door slides into the wall, inside its own cassette, and disappears completely when open. You gain the space in front and the wall beside it stays free to use.

The thing to watch is the building work: the cassette takes up the inside of the wall beside the opening, for a width equal to the door. In that section, a standard cassette does not allow sockets, switches or pipes; there are purpose-made cassettes that do. Plan it before the wall is closed.

A bifold door has 2 or more leaves joined by hinges, which fold over one another and stack to one side of the opening. It opens fully or partly, and takes up much less space than a hinged door of the same width. It works well to separate 2 rooms, for wardrobes and pantries, or between inside and outside. It insulates less against sound than a hinged door.

An accordion door works like its namesake: many narrow leaves that fold and gather on one side of the opening. It takes up very little space when open and adapts to very wide openings. It is a low-cost solution, used mostly in pantries and utility rooms. Visually, it is the least refined of the 6.

The most common interior doors in Portugal are 70 to 90 cm wide and about 200 cm tall. For an 80 cm door:

• Hinged: needs a clear area in front with an 80 cm radius, on the side it opens towards.
• Sliding: needs 80 cm of clear wall beside the opening.
• Pocket: needs 80 cm of wall beside the opening, with no sockets or switches.
• Bifold and accordion: need only the space of the folded leaves, to one side of the opening.

In a small bedroom, the wardrobe door counts as much as the bedroom door: see the guide How to decorate a small bedroom. And to gain space in other rooms, the guide Small spaces.