Interior doors on the Costa Blanca

When changing an interior door pays off

A modern, properly installed interior door noticeably changes how a room feels. The old painted solid-wood door from the 80s, with worn hinges dragging on the floor and a loose handle, immediately drops the perceived quality of the space. Replacing it with a modern lacquered MDF or laminated door with concealed adjustable hinges and a quality handle costs a reasonable amount and lasts another 30-40 years without seasonal movement or periodic varnishing.

The other very common case is sliding doors for small apartments. A conventional door needs 80 cm of free space in front to swing open. That space in a 60 m² apartment is a serious limitation, especially in bathrooms and kitchens. A wall-pocket sliding door saves that space entirely, lets you arrange furniture where it wasn’t possible, and adds modern aesthetics. Install requires minor building work (opening the wall to house the pocket cassette) but the result is worth it.

Solid wood, MDF or laminated

Solid wood is the traditional option, robust, restorable, durable. Drawback is seasonal movement with humidity: in humid summer it absorbs water and swells, in dry winter it shrinks. So some doors drag the frame in July-August and have visible gaps in January-February. For year-round occupied homes in stable-humidity areas, not a problem. For holiday rentals with long closed periods or intermittent heating, the movement is more noticeable.

Lacquered MDF (medium-density fibreboard with baked paint finish) is the modern standard. No seasonal movement, available in colours from classic white to dark tones, light and economical. Drawback: can’t be restored (knock and you replace the whole door). For standard domestic use it’s perfectly fine and what we sell most.

Laminated is the middle option. Composite core with natural wood veneer outside, varnished or lacquered. Combines dimensional stability with natural-wood appearance. Pricier than pure MDF but more durable and partially restorable.

Adjusting existing doors

For doors that drag or don’t close properly without needing replacement, we offer adjustment. If hinges are modern adjustable, we tune three axes (up-down, in-out, left-right) with screwdriver in 5-10 minutes per door. If they’re old non-adjustable and the door drags seasonally, we can plane 1-2 mm off the dragging area with electric planer, sand and apply varnish to seal the cut. Operation takes 30-45 minutes per door.

Handles and locks

Handle replacement is the most cost-effective aesthetic upgrade. A new mid-range handle (chromed or lacquered steel) changes perception and lasts 20-30 years problem-free. For bathrooms and bedrooms, handles with simple internal lock. For exterior doors to courtyards or terraces, we recommend a quality cylinder lock if there’s break-in risk.