Understanding the Different Types of Wood

At Sans Soucie, our beautiful frosted glass designs can be purchased as a door glass insert that you install into your frame, OR you can purchase and customize a slab or prehung door. We offer eight wood species and two fiberglass options. Whether you’re shopping for new glass entry doors, a new pantry door, or a new wine cellar door, besides deciding on the glass effect, style and design, you’ll also need to select the right wood type that best compliments and coordinates with your decor. These wood species vary in appearance, durability and turnaround time.

Below are the eight types of wood and two fiberglass options to consider when searching for the best wood for exterior doors and interior doors.

About Each Wood

African Mahogany

Mahogany is one of the best types of wood to use for entry doors thanks to its thickness and hardness. Especially if you live in a more humid or wet climate, this wood has high durability and can withstand harsh environmental conditions. Additionally, this reddish-brown heartwood stains and polishes to an excellent finish — which is great especially if you want to recolor the door in the future. African Mahogany is low in cost compared to other wood and has wide availability.

Turnaround time: 6-8 weeks

Douglas Fir

Renowned for its beauty and performance, Douglas Fir has a light rosy color along with straight and handsome grain patterns. Douglas Fir is also very durable and decay resistant, as it’s primarily used in building and construction. Paint works well when looking to recolor the door, but staining will be uneven on Douglas Fir. Douglas Fir is low in cost and has wide availability.

Turnaround time: Quickest turnaround time of all wood options at Sans Soucie

Alder

At Sans Soucie, we offer two types of Adler, Alder Clear, and Alder Knotty. Both types are almost white when freshly cut but quickly change to light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge due to air exposure. They also have a fairly uniform texture and can be painted or stained for a good finish. When you stain Alder Clear and Alder Knotty, it blends with walnut, mahogany or cherry. Alder is more common on the West Coast than other parts of the country and is growing in demand.

Alder Clear

Alder is the leading hardwood of the Pacific Northwest. Alder, a relative of birch, is almost white when freshly cut but quickly changes on exposure to air, becoming light brown with a yellow or reddish tinge. Heartwood is formed only in trees of advanced age and there is no visible boundary between sap and heartwood. The wood is fairly straight-grained with a uniform texture. Alder machines well and is excellent for turning. It can be painted or stained to a good finish. When stained, it blends with walnut, mahogany or cherry. Turnaround time: 6-8 weeks

Knotty Alder

Knotty Alder is a lower grade that will contain knots and is commonly used for the southwest look.

Cherry

Ranging from light to dark reddish tones, Cherry wood darkens over time, especially the more exposed to sunlight it has. Cherry is also unique in that the wood sometimes contains blonde streaks. Cherry has a fine uniform, straight-grain, satiny, smooth texture and may naturally contain brown pith flecks and small gum pockets. Because of this, Cherry wood often goes unstained. Cherry is very durable, as it resists knocks and other forms of abuse. Cherry is widely available and is higher in cost.

Turnaround time: 6-8 weeks

Hickory

Of all the types of American wood, Hickory is the hardest, heaviest and strongest. Hickory color varies from tan to brownish-red. Hickory is generally straight-grained and coarse-textured — which can be sanded to a good finish. This grain pattern also welcomes a full range of medium-to-dark finishes and bleaching treatments. Best of all, Hickory is low in cost compared to other wood and has a wide availability.

Turnaround time: 6-8 weeks

Maple

If you’re looking for a unique look for your door, consider using Maple. Known for its longevity, Maple is one of the most useful domestic hardwood. The sapwood is creamy white with a slight reddish brown tinge. In addition, Maple has a uniform texture and is generally straight-grained. Furthermore, Maple can be stained for an outstanding finish and polishes well. Maple doors work best for the interior of your home, as it can be more brittle with the harsh outdoor environment. Maple is relatively inexpensive and widely available, but different variations of Maple — bird’s eye, burl, flame and quilt — can be more expensive. Turnaround time: 6-8 weeks

(Red) Oak

This highly stable wood has been key in America’s industrial transformation — from railroad ties to furniture and doors. The sapwood of Red Oak is white to light brown and the heartwood is a pinkish reddish brown. Red Oak is mostly straight-grained with a coarse texture. Red Oak can be stained to a good finish with a wide range of tones. Especially when picking Oak for a door, be sure to choose the right type that can withstand your climate and environmental elements in your area. Oak is widely available and average in cost.

Turnaround time: 6-8 weeks

Fiberglass Options

These options both contain a 100% CFC-Free Polyurethane core that is environmentally friendly and provides a high R-value for maximum thermal protection.

Fiberglass Smooth Surface

Our smooth skin Fiberglass Door features a pre-pigmented white skin that is scratch resistant and unaffected by moisture and humidity. This door will not rot, splinter or warp like wood and will not dent or delaminate like steel. Best of all, Fiberglass Smooth Surface door(s) are energy efficient, making it a great option for an entry door.

Turnaround time: Quickest turnaround time at Sans Soucie

Fiberglass Grain Texture

This type of fiberglass door features a beautiful oak pattern that can be stained or painted in the shade of your choice. Using Hydroshield Technology, this door is moisture resistant and energy efficient. This door will not rot, splinter or warp like wood and will not dent or delaminate like steel. Best of all, Fiberglass Grain Texture door(s) are energy efficient, making it a great option for an entry door.

Turnaround time: Quickest turnaround time at Sans Soucie