What wood doors cost
Solid wood is a premium material, and its price reflects craftsmanship and material grade. A solid wood double door averages around $3,000 installed, ranging from about $2,400 for paint-grade options to $5,200 or more for stain-grade hardwoods and custom carriage designs.
Single wood doors run roughly $1,500 to $3,200. Because each wood door is often built to order, lead times are longer than for stock steel doors, so plan ahead if you have a completion deadline.
Solid wood versus composite versus faux
There are three tiers of the wood look:
- Solid wood: real cedar, redwood, mahogany, or hemlock, the most beautiful and most expensive, needing regular refinishing
- Wood composite: an engineered wood core with an overlay, more stable and lower maintenance than solid wood at a mid-range price
- Faux-wood steel: a steel door with a wood-grain finish that mimics carriage styling at a fraction of the cost and needs almost no upkeep
Many homeowners who want the look without the maintenance choose faux-wood steel.
Maintenance and lifespan
Wood's beauty comes with a maintenance commitment. A solid wood door needs refinishing every two to four years to protect against fading, cracking, and moisture, at $200 to $600 per service depending on size and finish. Neglecting this leads to rot and premature failure.
Properly maintained, a quality wood door can last twenty years or more. Composite doors need far less attention, and faux-wood steel is essentially maintenance-free beyond occasional cleaning, which is why total lifetime cost can favor the alternatives despite wood's charm.
Where wood shines
Wood is the right choice when it completes a home's architecture. It pairs beautifully with craftsman, Tudor, Spanish, ranch, and estate homes, and a real wood carriage door can be the defining feature of a front elevation.
Wood is also ideal when you want a specific stain, species, or custom design that stock materials cannot match. On high-end homes the material's authenticity and warmth justify both the price and the upkeep for many owners.
Wood in tough climates
Climate should shape your decision. In hot, dry, or humid regions and near the coast, solid wood expands, contracts, and can rot or warp without diligent care, which raises the effective cost of ownership.
In those environments a wood-composite or faux-wood steel door gives you the look with far better weather resistance. If you love real wood in a harsh climate, budget for more frequent refinishing and consider a species like cedar that naturally resists moisture and insects.
Wood garage door cost by type (installed)
| Wood door | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faux-wood steel double | $1,900 | $2,500 | $3,600 |
| Wood-composite double | $2,200 | $2,800 | $4,000 |
| Solid wood double | $2,400 | $3,000 | $5,200 |
| Solid wood single | $1,500 | $2,100 | $3,200 |
| Refinishing (per service) | $200 | $350 | $600 |