Unfinished Internal Doors

An unfinished door is supplied raw, with no lacquer, oil or paint applied. You finish it on site, which is the only way to match a new door exactly to existing joinery, an unusual stain or a bespoke paint colour, and it is normally the cheaper starting point.

Finishing the door on site

Seal all six faces, including the top and bottom edges, or the leaf will take on moisture unevenly and twist. Allow two or three coats with drying time between them, and finish the door before hanging it wherever possible. If you would rather skip that work entirely, fully finished internal doors arrive ready to hang.

Unfinished leaves are available in oak, pine and walnut, in glazed and unglazed forms. Note that a fire door may only be finished with a coating the manufacturer approves.

Why choose an unfinished door

An unfinished internal door arrives as bare timber or bare veneer so that you control the final colour. That is the right choice in two situations: when you are matching an existing stain, paint or floor colour that no factory finish reproduces, and when you want a specific sheen level. Everything else usually points to a fully finished internal door, because the factory finish is more even and there is nothing to do on site.

Finishing it properly is not optional

An unfinished leaf must be sealed on all six faces, including the top edge, the bottom edge and any cut-outs for the latch and hinges, before it goes into service. Sealing only the two faces is the single most common cause of a door that sticks in winter and shrinks in summer, because moisture then enters and leaves through the unsealed edges. Read how to stop doors swelling and sticking and prefinished, unfinished and primed doors before you start.

Primed is not the same as unfinished

A primed door has a factory base coat and needs top coats only. A truly unfinished door needs the full system: sealer or primer, then the finish coats. If your plan is to paint the doors white, a white primed leaf from internal white primed doors saves a whole stage.

Popular unfinished choices

Unfinished oak is the most requested because it takes stain and oil evenly: see internal oak doors, and our internal oak door buying guide. Pine is the budget route and is normally painted rather than stained. Glazed versions are in glazed doors, and if you are planning to paint the frame and trim at the same time, see internal frames, architraves and skirting.

How long should I leave a door before finishing it?

Let it acclimatise flat in the room where it will hang, away from direct heat, before finishing and hanging. A door finished straight off a cold delivery vehicle will move.

Can I paint an unfinished oak door?

You can, but it is an expensive way to get a painted door. A white primed leaf is cheaper and gives a better paint surface.

Do unfinished fire doors need special treatment?

Yes. Only use finishes compatible with the tested doorset, keep intumescent seals clear of paint, and check the trim allowance before cutting. See fire doors and fire door materials.

Is there an unfinished bi-fold?

Yes. The Mexicano oak leaf and the glazed Pattern 10 are both supplied unfinished, so they can be stained or lacquered to match the doors around them. See bi-fold doors.