How Long Do Doors Usually Last?

How Long Do Doors Usually Last?

Feb 12th 2025

Unfortunately, just about everything eventually wears out and needs to be replaced–including the different components of your home. From your carpets to your HVAC system to your roof, you’ll eventually have to replace almost everything.

On the plus side, most of these things last a pretty long time. Your carpets may last for a decade, while your HVAC will probably last about 15 years. Your roof may even outlast your mortgage, according to U.S. News & World Report. 

But what about your doors? Do they ever require replacement?

We’ll dive into the issue and explain everything you need to know below.   

Do Doors Ever Require Replacement?

Though many people don’t realize it, doors do have a finite lifespan. Eventually, they all require replacement. 

And that includes just about every door in your home, from the conventional swinging doors used in your bedrooms, bathrooms, and closets to the sliding glass door on your patio to the bi-fold (“accordion”) door for your laundry room. Even your front door will eventually start to show its age and need to be replaced. 

Fortunately, most of these doors last a pretty long time–often longer than things like your carpet or tile floors will. 

The Typical Lifespans of Different Types of Doors

Of course, doors vary in nearly countless ways. Some are designed to be used indoors, while others are built to endure the elements. Some are made with hollow cores, others are completely solid. And then there are scads of different materials used to make them, from MDF to fiberglass to steel. 

These differences all influence the typical lifespan of a given door, as do environmental factors, such as the temperature and amount of sunlight the door is exposed to. 

Humidity also factors into the lifespan of a door. As explained by the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energey’s Building America Solution Center, moisture – especially moisture caused by condensation during cool weather – can cause door frames to rot over time. 

This means two identical wooden doors may last for very different lengths of time if they’re installed in different places. 

Nevertheless, we’ll share some of the average lifespans of different kinds of doors below:

  • Interior Wooden Doors: 30 to 60 years

  • Exterior Wooden Doors: 20 to 40 years

  • Sliding Glass Doors: 20 to 30 years

  • Steel Doors: 30 to 50 years

  • Bi-Fold Doors: 20 to 30 years

  • Fiberglass Doors: 30 to 50 years

  • Screen Doors: 5 to 15 years

  • Barn Doors: 20 to 40 years

  • Pocket Doors: 30 to 50 years

In terms of front doors, this means that you’ll likely only get about 20 years of use out of a cheap model made from wood. On the other hand, a well-constructed fiberglass door–such as many of the models in the Knockety lineup – may last for 50 years or more. 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/UN2mRyD4dBM

Maximizing Your Doors’ Lifespan

No matter what kind of doors you have or where they’re installed, you can do a few things to help ensure they last as long as possible. Some of the most important maintenance steps to carryout include:

  • Clean your doors regularly. Simply removing dust, dirt, and grime from your doors on a monthly basis will do wonders for keeping your doors looking better, but it can also help extend their lifespan, by preventing these contaminants from entering the hinges, handles, and locks. Just wipe down the surfaces with a mild soap-and-water mixture and then dry everything thoroughly.  

  • Lubricate the hardware and hinges. It’s important to maintain a very thin layer of lubricant on these moving components to keep friction at a minimum and promote proper function. This means you’ll want to apply a silicone-based spray or oil to these areas periodically. Four times a year is generally sufficient, so consider doing so on the first day of each new season. 

  • Inspect rails and tracks regularly. Rails and tracks are essentially the moving parts of sliding doors, so you’ll want to care for them as you would hinges, handles, and locks. Start by vacuuming the tracks if necessary, and then wiping tracks and rails down with a slightly damp rag. Finish up by applying a lubricant if the manufacturer recommends doing so. 

  • Ensure wooden doors are properly finished and sealed. Moisture will make wood fibers swell, eventually leading to warping or splitting. So, always ensure that wooden doors are finished with a moisture-resistant paint or sealant of some kind. 

  • Protect them from excessive moisture. As mentioned, moisture will cause big problems for wooden doors. So, in addition to ensuring that they’re properly sealed, try to keep the overall moisture level low around your doors. For example, be sure to use bath fans to vent the damp air from humid bathrooms, and aim your sprinklers away from exterior doors. 

  • Avoid slamming your doors. Slamming doors often damages the frame, and it can also cause screws to loosen over time. Just try to close doors with reasonable force to keep them in the best shape possible. 

  • Address problems promptly. Doors get a lot of use, so small problems can quickly cause a lot of damage. This means you’ll want to address things like squeaky hinges as soon as possible. You’ll also want to deal with doors that stick or don’t close smoothly as soon as you notice the problem. Sticking doors can cause damage to the door and frame if not repaired in a timely fashion.  

Additionally, it is always important to ensure that all doors are properly installed, as improper installation can put additional stress on hinges and hardware, as well as the frame itself in some cases. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHDTdglMA2I

Choose Knockety for Your Next Front Door

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3STBRQpg_RM

Even with good care, your existing doors will eventually wear out and require replacement. 

When that time comes, consider selecting a high-quality, Knockety door. Unlike the mass-produced doors offered by many other manufacturers, ours are hand-crafted right in our Houston, Texas production facility using only the finest materials available. 

From beautiful solid wood doors to contemporary fiberglass doors, we offer a range of doors that are not only stylish but also built to last. Browse our entire selection or contact us to learn more about Knockety Doors.