pre-hung vs. slab doors are our today topic. When buying doors, you will encounter two completely different types:
- pre-hanging doors
- slab doors
This contrast (Pre-hung vs. slab doors) mainly becomes apparent when you want to purchase and install the door yourself. Find the best doors in London on Antique Glass ltd. Website. If you buy the wrong kind of entry, it may not fit your door frame.
What is the pre-hung door?
The pre-hung door is a slab door that has been connected to the three-sided door frame by hinges. The manufacturer sells this type of door in almost complete packaging-although the buyer must add some features. The pre-hung door is often more expensive than the door. It is a mostly independent unit with a frame that can be installed in the prepared doorway. At the time of sale, the pre-hanging doors are firmly tied in their accompanying frame with polyester tension wrap tape and plastic gaskets to prevent them from moving or twisting during transportation. If you want to install a pre-hung door, we have provided useful information about door-frame-replacement before.
Installing pre-hanging doors is a strict process, especially for external pre-hanging doors. Because they need extreme weather tightness.
In addition, the pre-hung exterior doors are very heavy, so they are difficult to transfer and need to lift into the doorframe. Most of the exterior doors are pre-hung.

Pros and cons of pre-hung doors
pros
- installation
Installing the pre-hanging door is a quick and easy process. Since the door has all the necessary hardware installed in the right area, this option is perfect for everyone-from first-time homeowners to DIY veterans. By installing pre-hung doors, you can save time, effort, and money. - weather-resistance
The external pre-hanging door has weather strips and has been assembled to form a weatherproof seal on the door opening. You don’t need to do anything yourself to ensure that this door can block all elements and maintain the required temperature. - Customization
You can customize all sizes of pre-hung doors, from size and hardware to style and finish. At Antique Glass ltd. we have various options for size and hardware to style and finish. Your custom door is fully completed, so you don’t need to find the perfect handle or hinge on supplementing the paint or stains on the door panel. On the contrary, according to the many exquisite and unique choices provided by Rustica, the final product will arrive exactly as you imagine.
You don’t need to worry about building a new frame or keeping the old one with hanging doors.
Cons
- Heavy and hard to move
- Not a guarantee that the door will swing properly
What is a slab door?
The slab door is a flat door without frames, hinges, and hardware. It is made of rectangular wood, fibreglass or steel. It is a door itself, without frames, hinges and hardware.
The slab door has a wide range of materials, including general hollow-core doors, which are sold in large local stores and antique doors, which have restored their former glory.
The slab door installer needs to use the existing door frame or build a new door frame. This door type is most commonly used for decoration where frames exist or for custom door designs for brand new houses. Slab doors can be used in residential and commercial construction projects.
When there is no frame, rebuilders usually choose pre-hanging doors instead of slab doors. The pre-hung door has a frame and hinges, making installation faster and easier, especially for hanging inner doors.
The slab doors’ design varies widely, from incredibly unfinished and straightforward designs to incredibly complex pieces made of various types of hardwood.
wooden slab doors are also trendy, usually made of wood from old barns, sheds, or other similar structures. The wood has been repurposed and rebuilt and can be used in home renovation projects, such as new closet doors made of wooden door panels or exterior sliding doors.
The slab door’s functional design can be traditional, a slab door fixed in the door frame by a hinge, or a beautiful barn door hanging from the rail above the home’s opening.
French doors, sliding closet doors, patio doors, cabinet doors, and even windbreak doors can all be considered slab doors. Essentially, as long as it is a door without a frame or hinge, it is a slab door.

pros and cons of slab doors
Pros
- Cost
Slab doors are Cheaper than pre-hung doors. If you have an antique door or unique door that you want to reuse for your own house, you can use a slab door to complete it. Building rescue doors almost always appear in the form of flat panels, but they are rarely used as pre-suspended units. - Design flexibility
Slab door Provides greater design flexibility, even for old doors.
Cons - It requires extensive carpentry work.
- Difficult to produce smooth swing and tight body
- Installation
The installation of slab doors requires stable hands, good eyes and a lot of practice. If you want a precise one-to-one installation, where the size and configuration of the new door are the same as the old door, it will be easier to install the slab door. However, if there is any change in the size and configuration of the door, it will be difficult to make it hang correctly.
Choosing different doors can add a special touch and reliable functionality to your remodelling project and help take it to the next level.
You can contact us and order your favourite door. We ensure you receive the best possible door at an affordable price. So you can enjoy your investment for many decades to come.
Recent Comments