What are the different types of louvre doors available?

If you have followed us for a while, you will know exactly what a louvre door is. But for our new readers, louvre doors are internal wooden doors with an outer frame that encases thin slats (louvre blades) that are set in an angled, open position. To see our full in-depth article on what louvre doors are see here.

Why do people use louvre doors?

Louvre doors are the go-to door for spaces where a stylish door solution and ventilation is required. If you have a wardrobe that needs new doors but you don’t want your clothes to get musty – think louvre doors. You might have an airing cupboard door that needs a facelift – then louvre doors are the doors for you. You may even have a shoe cupboard that needs a bit of air – search no more you have found a louvre door. To sum up, what we’re saying is louvre doors are an extremely versatile and elegant interior door option and suitable to use in many different applications.

So, what are the different variations of louvre doors available?

The most popular construction of louvre door is described above. But this isn’t the only type of louvre door out there. In fact, there are a number of other variations that are available to you. Here are a few we’ve found:

1. White painted wooden louvre doors

The most found louvre doors on the market are clear pine louvre doors because they are an excellent choice for those requiring a stained or waxed finish. However, white painted louvre doors have exploded into the market in recent years and are becoming the number one choice for a great many people. Modern and sleek, white louvre doors can really enhance your décor scheme and because they are painted, adding your own topcoat is easy as you won’t need to prime the doors first, so they are a great time saver too.

2. Saloon style louvre doors

If you have ever watched a western movie, you’ll notice the louvre style swinging doors on the front of the saloons. Creating this look in your own home is easy with saloon style louvre doors, with straight top and curved top rail options readily available.    Saloon style doors can be created using a double action spring hinge. This way the door opens both inwards and outwards and recreates the saloon style perfectly.

3. Part louvre part panel louvre doors

Part panel, part louvre doors are becoming increasingly popular with the most common style seen featuring a louvre style on the top half of the door and a panel style on the bottom. By incorporating two styles into one door you are getting the benefits of the ventilation louvre doors provide and the added style of a panel door.

4. Aluminium/ steel louvre doors

Aluminium or steel louvre doors are generally used externally and are more commonly found on commercial buildings. They are ideal for rooms that have externally facing doorways that still require ventilation, so think warehouse areas, plant rooms or boiler rooms. The strong material makes these doors ideal for external use as they weather well against the elements and provide a level of security that standard wooden doors do not provide.

5. Closed louvre doors

There are closed louvre door variations on the market that are louvre style doors but with no gap between each louvre blade. These doors are perfect for those who want the look of a louvre door but don’t necessarily require the ventilation it provides. A simple Google search will provide a list of retailers who sell this type of louvre door.  

6. Sliding louvre doors

Try installing the doors on a slider to create a sliding doors effect. This is especially popular in homes with less space as you don’t have the inconvenience of the doors opening out in the small space available to you.

7. Bi-fold louvre doors

Add a bi-fold hinge to create bifold louvre doors that fold back onto themselves when opened. This works very nicely with wardrobe door installations. This type of hinge also works well when using louvre doors as free standing room dividers.

Click here to see Simply Shutters range of high-quality interior louvre doors.