Whether you’re installing a new interior door, or updating your home with more modern doors, it’s important to understand your options. In this blog, we will compare pre-hung doors to slab doors to help you make the right choice.

Pre-Hung Doors vs. Slab Doors

A pre-hung door is a ready-to-install option that comes already “hung” on a prefabricated door frame, complete with the hinges already in place. 

A slab door, on the other hand, is just the door itself. Both tend to have pre-cut holes for the door handle, although you can purchase slab doors sans the holes if, for some reason, you prefer it.

The Pros and Cons of Pre-Hung Doors

First, let’s look at why you might choose a pre-hung door, and a few reasons you might find them less appealing.

The Pros

  • You don’t have to spend time trying to decide what hinges you need, as they come with the door.
  • You avoid a lot of steps in the installation process, as the hinges are pre-attached to a completely built, ready-to-install frame.
  • Everything is pre-cut, including the hole for the doorknob and strike plate. 
  • You need basic tools to complete the installation.

The Cons

  • The door is heavier and can be harder to fit into smaller vehicles. 
  • It’s harder to find specialty sizes or designs, especially for heritage homes.

The Pros and Cons of Slab Doors

You will find fewer benefits to going the slab door route, although there are a few. 

The Pros

  • Slabs are less expensive than pre-hung doors. However, you have to invest in frame materials and hinges, so it’s not that much of a savings.
  • You can choose a vintage used door if you like, in which case you won’t be considering a slab or pre-hung door anyway!
  • Generally, they come in a wider range of sizes.

The Cons

  • Slab doors need far more skill to complete the installation, so they’re not the best option for DIYers.
  • They require more specialty tools and materials, which often means further investment in the project.
  • Extensive carpentry work calls for precision measurements, especially when notching out the hinges on the door and frame. 
  • It’s harder to create a smooth swing and tight fit for the door due to having to install the hinges.

Is there a difference in appearance?

In theory, no, as they are both brand-new doors. You might find they differ if you’re hanging a new slab door on an old, existing frame. You might find the frame looks dingy and poorly maintained once the new door is hung, so the pre-hung door tends to be the better option. 

Are slab doors really less expensive?

When looking at the face value of a slab door compared to a pre-hung door, the slab door is obviously much less expensive. So, if you’ve got an existing frame in good condition, this is the cheaper option, but heed our warnings above about the old dingy frame!

If you’re installing a new door in a new opening, when you add up all the other materials needed for the frame on top of the hinges (not to mention specialty tools), then you’ll likely find the pre-hung door is the better option.

Is it hard to hang a slab door from scratch?

Yes! If you’re doing this yourself, you will need some serious skills and patience to tackle all the steps required for door installation including: 

  • Knowing how to properly measure and then rout out an area for the hinges in the door as well as the frame.
  • Making sure your routing work aligns the door with the frame.
  • Installing the door to the hinges, and hinges to the frame. 
  • Getting everything plumb so the frame is level and the door swings properly. 

Basically, a pre-hung door just needs a few shims to get everything level and some screws to install the frame.

Is there a difference in resale value?

In most cases, no, you’re not going to see a difference in your resale value based on installing a slab or pre-hung door. However, buyers these days are pretty picky, which means they might spot the fact that you installed a new slab door on an old frame, especially if you didn’t take the time to repaint the frame. 

As already mentioned, the frame can stand out as being noticeably older than a brand-new slab door. Therefore, at least make some repairs to cover up dents and scratches, and then repaint the frame to avoid raising red flags that something is amok with your doors.

When to Choose a Pre-Hung Door

In most cases, you’ll probably want to choose a pre-hung door, including the following scenarios:

  • You’re installing the door on your own.
  • You’re installing a brand-new door in a brand-new opening.
  • You lack carpentry skills.
  • You hate math and measuring stuff.
  • You don’t have the proper tools for things like notching out wood for the hinges or drilling a hole for the door handle.
  • You want something that installs with minimum time and effort.
  • You’re looking for a basic off-the-shelf door design—nothing vintage or fancy. 
  • You aren’t sure what components are required to install a door.
  • The measurements of the existing opening are available in pre-hung door sizes.

When to Choose a Slab Door

While the pre-hung door tends to be the logical choice, there are a few instances where a slab door is best, such as the following:

  • Someone is installing the door for you.
  • You don’t need the frame, just the door.
  • You need a specialty door size or design is not available in pre-hung doors.

Contact the Experts at Cosmaroma

Although material costs often have us shopping for the lowest price items, it saves you money in the long run despite a pre-hung door’s higher costs. When you want a ready-to-install off-the-shelf option, there really isn’t a better way to go than the trusty pre-hung door. 

When everything hinges on choosing the right door, Cosmaroma offers an impressive selection of doors and a pre-hung door service to make door replacement and installation a breeze.

Click here to check out our selection or drop by one of our stores to shop our selection of barn doors, glass doors, solid core doors, and hollow core doors today. You can also call us at (855) 457-1039 or contact us online.