Any big differences between lumberyard and big box store six panel doors?

[Brian Elfert]

I am buying a home that will be remodeled almost top to bottom before I move in. The contractor gave me a very high price to replace all of the interior doors and trim. He is proposing oak six panel solid core doors. He said each door would be $300. One can buy oak six panel solid core doors at a big box store for less than half the price. I thought the doors at Menards look real nice.

What would be the differences between the doors at a big box store and a lumberyard?

Also, has anyone used the pre-finished doors they sell now? They are still real wood veneer. They are just finished at the factory. My contractor said he prefers not to use the pre-finished doors as he thinks the finish is too thin on the factory finished doors. I like the fact that there is no dust contamination on the factory finished doors and the finish is very smooth. I have finished a whole pile of doors and trim in past and they turned out good, but not as nice as the factory can do.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I have the Menards Mastercraft 6 panel pre-hung oak doors.
I bought them unfinished for $99.00 each about 4 years ago.

I looked at some of the prefinished ones the last time I was in Menards.
I didn't feel they were finished all that well.

IMHO - if you have the time and the room to finish the doors your self, you're better off doing it that way.

What would be the differences between the doors at a big box store and a lumberyard?

About $300.00....

[Brian Elfert]

I looked at some of the prefinished ones the last time I was in Menards.
I didn't feel they were finished all that well.

What don't you like about the factory finished doors at Menards? I see Home Depot has them too.

IMHO - if you have the time and the room to finish the doors your self, you're better off doing it that way.

I certainly have the room to finish the doors and trim. I just don't know that I want to spend a solid week or more of every non-working hour sanding and applying stain and poly. I did it once before for doors and trim for 1200+ square feet of area and it was a LOT of work. I think it will be at least double the work to finish six panel doors as the hollow core doors I did before. The factory finish looks better to me at least, but if it is too thin to last it isn't a bargain.

[Brian Elfert]

The contractor claims the $300 lumberyard six panel oak doors are better than the six panel oak doors from a big box store, but he couldn't quantify why they are better. His bid for installation of six panel doors and all new trim in a 1,300 square foot house was almost $7,000! The thing is his price doesn't include finishing the wood. This price is only for hanging raw wood doors and trim. This is about double what I figured the job might cost.

He said the preferred method for finishing wood is to install everything raw and then finish the wood once installed. It seems a lot easier to me to paint the walls and then install the trim already finished. Painting is way easier with no trim in the way.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I wasn't all that keen on the actual appearance of the oak prefinished doors.
I can't really explain it other than saying it looked - artificial. (not really fake as in looking like a cheap oak laminate floor fake - just "artificial" as in real oak isn't that color or tone artificial).
It looked to me to be exactly what it is - a factory applied finish applied with speed and uniform appearance being the two most important things.
It' hard to explain - but - it looks "too perfect" - if that makes sense.

I just don't know that I want to spend a solid week or more of every non-working hour sanding and applying stain and poly. I did it once before for doors and trim for 1200+ square feet of area and it was a LOT of work. I think it will be at least double the work to finish six panel doors as the hollow core doors I did before. The factory finish looks better to me at least, but if it is too thin to last it isn't a bargain

I understand that 100% and agree with you 100%.
I just installed a butcher block top on a roll around kitchen cart I'm making for my wife.
I could have made the top from scratch out of maple, but, the more I thought about it the more attractive the pre-made birch butcher block top from Menards looked!

I'd never install unfinished doors again my self - despite what I mentioned above about not being all that crazy about the way they look.
If/when the time ever comes for us to sell one particular rental house we own, that house is going to get prefinished pre-hung doors in it.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about the quality or durability of the factory finish. It's probably more durable than you'd ever need for normal use.

[Brian Elfert]

I wasn't all that keen on the actual appearance of the oak prefinished doors.
I can't really explain it other than saying it looked - artificial. (not really fake as in looking like a cheap oak laminate floor fake - just "artificial" as in real oak isn't that color or tone artificial).
It looked to me to be exactly what it is - a factory applied finish applied with speed and uniform appearance being the two most important things.
It' hard to explain - but - it looks "too perfect" - if that makes sense.

Do you feel the same way about kitchen cabinets with factory applied finish? I did notice with the Golden Oak finish that the color didn't seem quite right to me. Menards also sells some plastic "oak" six panel doors with fake wood grain. They look exactly like what they are: A photograph of oak wood printed on plastic and adhered to a door.

The pricing to get factory finish on doors isn't too bad. Where the pricing gets bad is with factory finished trim. They charge about 50% more for factory finished trim. Price alone might make me do the finishing myself.

[Rich Engelhardt]

On some factory cabinets - yeah - I don't care for the "perfect" look some have.
On others, a "perfect or near perfect" look is something I expect to see and even somewhat demand it.

I don't know if that makes sense or not.

There's just something incongruous about a $150.00 prefinished oak door with a perfect appearance that just doesn't feel right.

I did notice with the Golden Oak finish that the color didn't seem quite right to me.

Yeah - that's what I mean. It's not anything you can really pinpoint, it just looks "off" somehow.

Also - getting the unfinished trim the same color & tone as the prefinished doors may be a real job.
I gave up trying to get the stuff I make to look like the factory finished oak stuff (dining rook furniture/bedroom furniture)my wife and I bought years ago.
Any more it's just it is what it is - take it or leave it.

[Brian Elfert]

I'm either going with all factory finished doors and trim, or everything finished myself including the doors. I am not going to mix the two.

I don't know that the finish is bad on the factory finished stuff. I think their choice of stain for the Golden Oak is just a little bit darker than what I think looks good. I'm really undecided on color for the trim and doors anyhow. I think oak will be more timeless. I don't want the color choice to end up like the dark brown of the 1970s where everybody hates it in 10 or 15 years. There is a bit of a trend to do darker trim, but not as dark as the 1970s.

Anything is better than what is there now. The trim is the 1970s dark brown, but for some reason half the trim is really faded and the previous owners started to replace some of the trim with new oak, but they never put any finish on it. Most of the doors have big holes in them.

[David Weaver]

The contractor claims the $300 lumberyard six panel oak doors are better than the six panel oak doors from a big box store, but he couldn't quantify why they are better. His bid for installation of six panel doors and all new trim in a 1,300 square foot house was almost $7,000! The thing is his price doesn't include finishing the wood. This price is only for hanging raw wood doors and trim. This is about double what I figured the job might cost.

He said the preferred method for finishing wood is to install everything raw and then finish the wood once installed. It seems a lot easier to me to paint the walls and then install the trim already finished. Painting is way easier with no trim in the way.

There's probably something small that's better about them, or technically better, but you as a house buyer and owner who may be forced to sell your house at some point in the future will never get the cost difference back.

My contractor went over everything they did for me that was above and beyond box score cost, and in most cases, it was stuff like ordering stain grade trim even though we were painting (to avoid telegraphed finger joints). Don't know if your contractor does better to buy doors from the lumberyard and mark them up, who knows? You're the buyer, though. If we can't see the significant difference (and we're woodworkers) what is the next buyer going to think?

[eugene thomas]

I am not sure about the doors contractor pricing but I know menards quality in 6 panel doors. If ya go with menards doors be VERY careful when ya sand or be good at veneer repair.

[Rich Engelhardt]

yeah - that too.
I heard about or read about the thin veneer & thankfully didn't have to put it to the test.

Other than a very light scuff sanding w/220 grit by hand, I didn't have to sand my doors.

[David Weaver]

yeah - that too.
I heard about or read about the thin veneer & thankfully didn't have to put it to the test.

Other than a very light scuff sanding w/220 grit by hand, I didn't have to sand my doors.

That was my policy with my addition doors and trim - nobody is going to appreciate a perfect finish on trim and doors like they might on furniture (and let's be honest, in 10 years two people have made comments on a furniture finish I've done other than "I thought cherry was dark")

[Brian Elfert]

The Sherwin-Williams stain I used when I last finished some doors had to be sanded after it dried because it raised the grain horribly. I used the Sherwin-Williams stain because it was the same stain used in the rest of the house by the builder.

[David Weaver]

Same with the sherwin williams primer - anything that can raise will, but it dries fast so you can get on with business quickly. Another reason not to go too nuts with surface prep, because you may be sanding a lot after the first coat of stain or prime.

My 1950s house that has decent quality solid trim still has planer chatter in it, and nobody notices it except for me. I keep that in mind when I'm working on stuff in my house. Without a doubt, people are more concerned about the color of the stain that was put on the trim.