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Are Bathroom Doors Hollow?

Are Bathroom Doors Hollow?

We spend very little time thinking about the quality of the design of our bathroom door. The only time we really notice the quality or lack thereof is when we have roommates or guests.

Depending on the quality and structure of our bathroom door, we might hear every little noise in the bathroom from our living room, or we could hear nothing at all.

Some bathroom doors are hollow. This can be a problem for privacy’s sake, especially when you have guests over, as hollow doors allow for sound to easily travel through them. Investing in a solid-core door will muffle the noises from either side of the door, allowing for more privacy.

People who have their own homes may want to think about replacing their hollow-core doors with solid-core doors, as doing so will allow their guests to have privacy when they’re in the bathroom. But beware of the humidity!

Should Bathroom Doors Be Hollow?

Because of its soundproofing qualities, you may think solid-core doors are the perfect door for bathrooms. But solid-core doors are prone to warping and swelling if their environment is overly humid.

Obviously, a bathroom with a shower or bathtub will become humid multiple times a week, but as this humidity isn’t constant, it shouldn’t be a problem.

So, should the bathroom door be hollow?

If the surrounding area outside of the bathroom is not ventilated and the bathroom does not have a window, then the humidity and moisture will negatively affect the solid core door.

Prolonged exposure to a humid environment will damage a solid-core door but not a hollow one.

Bathroom doors

What Type of Door Should Be Used for a Bathroom?

It depends on the amount of care you can dedicate to your bathroom door. If you don’t want to worry about humidity damage, then choose a hollow-core door.

Sounds from other areas of the house still will come through, but this type of door is not prone to humidity damage.

If you have the time and money to care for your bathroom doors, then choose a solid-core door. You will have a luxurious soundproof bathroom, but it will need to be protected to stop humidity damage.

Hollow vs. Solid Bathroom Doors

Each type of door has its pros and cons. When selecting between doors, choose between two primary factors: the current price and the quality of the door’s structure and longevity.

Hollow-Core Doors

Hollow-core doors are much cheaper than solid-core doors. Depending on the wood, several hollow-core doors can be purchased for the same price as one solid-core door.

If you don’t want to hear any noise coming from the kitchen or living room while you bathe in a luxurious rose bath, then tell your roommate to move out. Hollow-core doors allow every little noise to pass through the wood.

Since hollow-core doors do not have wood in the middle of their structure, they are lightweight and easy to move. If the maintenance worker needs to take the door off of the hinges, the door is light enough to move around and it won’t hurt anyone if it accidentally falls.

Lastly, hollow-core doors are not known for their longevity. They won’t stand up to small nicks or dings that appear when several people live inside a space for years at a time.

Solid-Core Doors

This type of door is significantly more expensive than its hollow counterpart. The price of a this door is the most notable factor for why more people don’t have them.

Solid-core doors have more wood as part of their structure, so it will take a little more effort to open and close the door. Taking a solid-core door off of its hinges may require a second person’s help.

And don’t allow any small animals to run around near the door when it is unbalanced. This type of door is much heavier and, if it falls, it could hurt your pet.

Hollow-core doors need to be replaced often, but they will last decades.

How Do You To Know If a Door is Hollow?

To know if a door is hollow or solid, you just have to perform one simple test: close the door and knock firmly on the wood. If you hear an echo sound from inside the door, then that door is a hollow-core door.

If the knock sounds solid and has no echo, then it’s solid.

Conclusion to Bathroom Doors Being Hollow

There are two types of interior bathroom doors: solid-core doors and hollow-core doors. Hollow-core doors are much cheaper, but they don’t last as long and they’re not soundproof.

Solid-core doors are much more expensive, but they block out nearly all the noise from outside the bathroom and they last much longer than hollow doors.

To test if a door is hollow or solid, put your ear to the door and knock. If you hear an echo, it is a hollow-core door.

Lindsay Reed

Hi, I'm the founder of ProjectPerfectHome.com! I created this website to be a resource for everyone who wants to make the best home possible.