- Flush door = core (solid timber, particle board or honeycomb) + plywood + veneer or laminate face.
- Solid-core flush doors are flat, stable and cheap (₹6,000–22,000); hollow-core only for store rooms.
- Solid wood doors are stronger and repairable but cost more (₹25,000–1.5 lakh+) and need good seasoning.
- Ask for IS 2202-marked solid-core shutters, and BWP grade near water.
- Use solid-core flush inside, solid or engineered hardwood for the main door.
"Wooden door" in Indian quotations can mean three very different things: a solid hardwood door, a solid-core flush door with a wood veneer face, or a hollow-core door painted to look like wood. They differ in strength, stability and price by a factor of ten. This comparison, part of the doors guide, explains what is inside each.
How each door is built
Flush door
- Core: solid timber battens or blocks glued edge to edge (solid core); or particle board; or a frame with a paper honeycomb (hollow core).
- Stiles and rails: a hardwood frame around the core holds hinges and locks.
- Faces: plywood cross-bands both sides, then veneer, laminate or paint.
- Lipping: solid wood strips on the edges hide the core and protect it.
Solid wood door
- Stiles, rails and panels in hardwood (teak, sal, sheesham, mahogany), joined with mortise and tenon joints; or boards joined into a solid slab.
- Engineered "solid" doors use laminated timber cores with hardwood faces, more stable than a single solid slab.
Side by side
| Property | Solid-core flush door | Solid wood door |
|---|---|---|
| Stability (warping) | Very good; balanced construction | Depends on seasoning; can warp or crack |
| Strength and impact | Good | Very good |
| Sound insulation | Good (solid core); poor (hollow) | Very good |
| Water | Edges vulnerable unless BWP grade | Tolerates humidity if finished on all faces |
| Design | Flat; grooves, veneer, laminate, paint | Panels, carving, mouldings |
| Repair | Face damage is hard to repair invisibly | Can be sanded and refinished |
| Weight | Moderate | Heavy |
| Standard | IS 2202 (solid core) | Depends on timber species and grading |
| Indicative ₹ per shutter | ₹6,000–22,000 | ₹25,000–1.5L+ |
Indicative Bengaluru prices, October 2026, before GST, for a 900 × 2100 mm internal door (flush) and a 1050 × 2100 mm main door (solid). Frames and hardware are extra.
Face finishes for flush doors
- Laminate: toughest and cheapest to maintain; many wood and solid patterns.
- Veneer with PU or melamine polish: real wood look; needs care at edges.
- Membrane or paint: for routed designs; check heat and moisture resistance.
Finish options are compared in the veneer vs laminate guide and the PU finish guide.
Buying checklist
- Ask for the core type in writing: solid timber, particle board or honeycomb.
- Prefer IS 2202-marked solid-core shutters; BWP grade near water.
- Check the shutter thickness (30–35 mm internal, 35–45 mm main) and weight; a very light "solid" door is not solid.
- Hardwood lipping on all four edges, and all six faces sealed.
- For solid wood, ask for the species, moisture content after seasoning and the joinery method.
For entrance doors specifically, see main door design.
Flush door cores compared
| Core | Weight (900 × 2100 × 32 mm) | Strength and sound | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid timber block / batten core | About 25–35 kg | Strong, holds locks well, good sound reduction | All internal doors, apartment main doors (thicker) |
| Particle board core | About 25–30 kg | Flat but weaker at hinges and locks; dislikes water | Dry internal doors on a budget |
| Hollow (honeycomb) core | About 10–15 kg | Weak, dents easily, poor sound reduction | Store rooms, wardrobes |
| BWP (waterproof) solid core | About 25–35 kg | As solid core, boil-water-proof glue | Doors near bathrooms and balconies |
Approximate weights; they vary with timber species and face material.
Solid wood species for doors
| Timber | Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Teak | Golden-brown, oily, very stable | Benchmark for main doors; check origin and seasoning |
| Sal | Hard, heavy, strong | Common for frames; less decorative |
| Sheesham (Indian rosewood) | Dark, figured, dense | Handsome; heavy; must be well seasoned |
| Meranti / red hardwoods | Even grain, reddish | Imported; moderate cost |
| Pine and rubberwood | Light, soft | Low cost; for internal panel doors only |
Worked comparison: one bedroom door, two ways
| Solid-core flush, teak veneer | Solid teak panel door | |
|---|---|---|
| Shutter | 32 mm, 900 × 2100 mm, PU finish | 35 mm frame-and-panel, PU finish |
| Indicative shutter cost | ₹12,000–20,000 | ₹35,000–65,000 |
| Weight | About 28 kg | About 40–50 kg |
| Stability | Very good | Good if well seasoned |
| After 15 years | Edges may need touch-up; face repairs show | Can be sanded and refinished like new |
Indicative Bengaluru prices, October 2026, before GST, shutter only.
Why flush doors dominate Indian apartments
Three reasons: cost, stability and speed. A factory-made solid-core flush shutter is flat, consistent, accepts any face finish, and can be delivered in days. Solid timber of good quality has become expensive and is harder to verify, and poorly seasoned timber warps in humid months. Most designers therefore use engineered or flush doors for bedrooms and bathrooms, and keep solid or engineered hardwood for the main door, where appearance and security matter most.
Care for both types
- Keep doors finished on all six faces; touch up chipped edges quickly.
- Wipe with a dry or slightly damp cloth; avoid water pooling at the bottom edge.
- Oil hinges yearly and tighten screws; a sagging door strains the frame.
- Refinish solid wood when the finish dulls; laminate faces need only cleaning.
Other door types worth knowing
| Type | What it is | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Membrane-pressed doors | MDF or HDF shutter with a routed design wrapped in PVC foil | Dry bedrooms; budget designer looks |
| Moulded skin doors | Hollow or semi-solid core with pressed HDF skins showing panels | Low-cost internal doors |
| WPC doors | Solid wood-plastic composite | Bathrooms, utility |
| FRP doors | Fibre-reinforced plastic skin over a foam or frame core | Bathrooms, low budget |
| Engineered veneer doors | Laminated timber core with real-wood veneer faces | Main doors, premium bedrooms |
Before you decide
- Which doors are near water? Specify BWP cores or WPC there.
- Which door needs security? Main door: thicker, solid, better lock and frame.
- Do you want carving or panels? Only solid or engineered hardwood does it well.
- How will the finish be maintained? Laminate is lowest maintenance; veneer and solid wood need occasional care.
- Is the core type, thickness and standard written into the quote?
A sensible split for most apartments: solid-core flush doors with laminate or veneer for bedrooms, WPC for bathrooms, and an engineered or solid hardwood main door.
Terms explained
- Flush door
- A door with flat faces over a core, finished with veneer, laminate or paint.
- Frame-and-panel door
- A door of stiles and rails with panels set into grooves, allowing the wood to move without cracking.
- Stile and rail
- The vertical (stiles) and horizontal (rails) members of a door frame or shutter.
- Seasoning
- Drying timber to a stable moisture content before use, to prevent warping and cracking.
- BWP
- Boiling Water Proof: the highest water-resistance grade of glue and plywood.
The verdict
Choose a solid-core flush door if…
- It is an internal door: bedroom, study, kitchen
- You want a flat, stable shutter with veneer or laminate
- Budget matters and the door will not face weather
Choose a solid wood door if…
- It is the main door or a feature door
- You want carving, raised panels or a door that can be repaired and refinished for decades
- The timber is well seasoned and the supplier is reliable
Sources, standards and method
- Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 2202 (Part 1) — wooden flush door shutters (solid core type): construction and tests
- Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 4021 — timber door and window frames
- Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 1141 — seasoning of timber
Prices are indicative planning ranges for Bengaluru, reviewed October 2026, and exclude GST unless stated. Confirm them with current quotations; materials and rates change. Dimensions are typical good practice, not building-code requirements, unless a standard is named.
Frequently asked questions
What thickness of flush door is best for bedrooms?
A 32 mm solid-core flush door is the common standard for bedrooms; 35 mm feels more solid and suits taller doors. Bathroom doors are usually 30–32 mm in WPC or a BWP-core flush door.
Are laminated flush doors better than veneered ones?
Laminated doors are tougher, need no polishing and cost less. Veneered doors show real wood grain and can be refinished, but need more care at the edges and in sun.
How can I tell if a flush door is solid core?
Weigh it and knock on it. A solid-core 32 mm door of 900 × 2100 mm typically weighs 25 kg or more and sounds dull; a hollow door is much lighter and sounds hollow, especially in the centre. Ask for the core type in writing.
Can a flush door be used as a main door?
A 35–40 mm solid-core flush door with hardwood lipping and a good lock is a common main door in apartments. For more security, choose a steel-wood or engineered security door.
Do solid wood doors warp?
They can, if the timber is not properly seasoned or if one face gets more moisture or sun than the other. Seasoned timber, frame-and-panel construction and sealing all six faces greatly reduce the risk.
Are flush doors strong?
Solid-core flush doors are strong enough for every internal door and, at 35–40 mm, for many apartment main doors. Hollow-core flush doors are weak and dent easily; use them only for store rooms.
What is IS 2202?
The Indian Standard for wooden flush door shutters with a solid core. It covers construction, dimensions and tests such as impact, slamming and moisture. Asking for an IS 2202-marked door is a simple way to avoid weak cores.
Do flush doors swell in water?
Their faces and edges can, especially at the bottom edge near a wet floor. Choose a waterproof (BWP-grade) flush door, seal all edges, and use WPC or FRP doors in bathrooms.
Which is cheaper, flush door or wooden door?
Flush doors are much cheaper. A laminated solid-core flush shutter costs roughly ₹6,000–15,000 and a veneered one ₹9,000–22,000, against ₹25,000–1.5 lakh or more for engineered or solid teak doors (indicative Bengaluru prices, before GST).
Can a flush door be made to look like a wooden door?
Yes. A flush door with a teak or walnut veneer, grooves routed into the face and a PU finish looks very close to a solid wood door. Edge lipping in solid wood completes the effect.