Primed Doors Comparison

When homeowners are seeking a classic, painted look, popular interior door choices include molded doors and primed stile and rail doors.

Primed Stile and Rail Door

Molded Door

Imitation vs Authenticity

Molded doors, made from stamped skins, are the economical choice and are available with layouts made to imitate traditional stile and rail door designs.

Primed stile and rail doors offer a level of detail and definition that cannot be matched, with crisp shadow lines and highly defined panel details, due to their authentic construction.

Durable and Architecturally Correct

Stile and rail doors are architecturally correct meaning the proportions of the door are always accurate. Stile and rail doors have a better aesthetic appeal coupled with the strength, durability, and feel of real wood.

Authentic Stile and Rail Construction

Primed stile and rail doors are wood components joined together with dowel pins. The panels between the stiles and rails are made of MDF adding stability to the door. The stiles and rails have an engineered wood core covered with an MDF veneer creating the best surface for painting. Constructing a door with different components creates a high quality definition. On the contrary, molded doors are two skins joined together with a core in between. This construction cannot replicate the same quality as a stile and rail door.

Sharp Details

The panel sticking in a stile and rail door creates a sharp shadow line providing greater definition. A common sticking type is shaker sticking which is flat. When molded doors attempt to create this, it is angled due to the stamping process. Stile and rail doors on the contrary create a true 90 degree shaker style sticking with a crisp shadow line.

Unlimited Options

Due to their construction method, stile and rail doors can have any number of panels but can also include glass to transfer natural light. Whether you choose the simplistic one panel or a craftsman three panel, there is a design to match your home.


Updated on May 14, 2021

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