Interior Door Construction, Frames and Trims: What to Specify

A door schedule needs more than a picture of the leaf. The door, core, visible surface, frame, trim and hardware meet at a specific wall opening. Record those interfaces before choosing the final appearance.

Separate the parts of the door set

Part	Decision to record
Door leaf	Model or profile, opening size, handing and intended use
Core and facing	The construction applicable to the selected system and its approved surface
Frame or jamb	Wall thickness, frame construction and how it meets the leaf
Architrave or casing	Profile, visible width, finish and the wall junction
Edge and stop details	The specified edge, stop or strip for that frame assembly
Skirting and floor junction	Skirting profile, finished floor level and how the trim terminates
Hardware	Hinges, lock, handle, closer or track where relevant

The SNEJ trim training material shows stop strips, frame or casing profiles and skirting. Those profile illustrations are useful for asking the right questions, but a label such as 40, 45, 60, 75 or 80 must not be treated as a millimetre dimension without checking the original drawing and units. Agree a dimensioned detail for the chosen assembly.

Match construction to the door system

The website presents composite wood, invisible, aluminium-framed glass and aluminium-edge wood doors. They do not share one universal frame, core or edge construction. Choose the system first, then review its applicable model and technical details.

Some documented wood-door constructions show a 46 mm leaf and an air-exchange chamber. These details belong only to the models mapped to that technical material. The stated leaf thickness is not a default for every wood door, and an air-exchange patent is not an acoustic or purification test report. If performance matters, specify the requirement for the exact door assembly and request relevant evidence.

Material families such as solid wood, finger-jointed timber, plywood, MDF, particle board, OSB and honeycomb construction can play different roles in door manufacture. A material name alone does not establish a complete door’s sound insulation, fire rating, stability or destination-country compliance. Specify the chosen model and construction, then discuss any required testing.

Solid-core, hollow-core or solid wood: compare the build

These descriptions concern the inside of the leaf, not just its visible finish. A wood-grain surface does not tell you which construction is behind it.

• Solid wood describes a timber construction. It is not another name for every wood-look door.
• Solid-core does not necessarily mean solid timber throughout. A manufacturer may use an engineered core with separate facing layers.
• Hollow-core describes a different internal build. Confirm its infill and the reinforcement provided where hinges and locks will be fitted.

For a Canadian manufacturer example, JELD-WEN lists both hollow-core and solid particleboard-core options for its moulded interior doors. Similar designs can therefore have different internal constructions. These are that manufacturer’s options, not a statement of SNEJ’s available range.

For SNEJ, use the composite-door construction diagram and the catalogue references below to discuss the selected assembly. The diagram identifies a multilayer solid-wood skeleton, with facing and surface options listed separately; it does not establish that the whole leaf is solid timber.

When comparing quotations, ask each supplier to identify the internal build, facing and finish for the same leaf dimensions, thickness and hardware preparation. Review the proposed section drawing with the door schedule rather than accepting “wood door” or a finish photograph as the complete specification.

Read the A-to-E door construction

The SNEJ Interior Doors & Custom Cabinetry catalogue illustrates five parts of a composite door leaf. Use the labels to discuss the proposed construction before approving a door schedule.

Label	Component in the illustrated assembly
A	PP decorative film: the woodgrain decorative surface
B	LVL and solid timber: laminated veneer lumber combined with solid timber blocks
C	Diatom nano-polymer blocks: arranged through the core to support its internal air-guiding structure
D	Diatom-infused board: approximately 30 kg of diatom raw material per cubic metre, as described in the catalogue
E	Air exchange chamber: connected internal channels and a side vent

Record the selected construction separately from the door style and surface colour. Confirm the leaf, frame, edge and hardware together. Internal air channels describe the construction; any required acoustic, fire or other project performance needs its own applicable documentation.

The composite wood door page shows the layers alongside design references. The earlier catalogue dimensions below remain specific to their illustrated assemblies.

SNEJ catalogue construction references

The undated SNEJ Catalog — Interior Door describes different assemblies for composite wood, aluminium-wood and aluminium-glass doors. The dimensions below belong to the illustrated catalogue versions, not every model in the door library. Confirm the current model, section drawing and hardware set before ordering.

Catalogue assembly	Leaf thickness	Construction shown	Catalogue page
Composite wood door	46 mm; customisation noted	Multilayer solid-wood skeleton; facing and surface options are listed separately	6
Aluminium-wood door	45 mm	Aluminium frame and honeycomb core, HDF/MDF facing, PVC film and aluminium edge sealing	27
Sliding aluminium-glass door	40 mm	2.0 mm aluminium profile and 8 mm tempered glass	29
Swing aluminium-glass door	40 mm	3.0 mm aluminium profile and 8 mm tempered glass	30

Sliding and swing glass doors need separate specifications. Although both catalogue examples list 40 mm leaves and 8 mm glass, their aluminium profile thicknesses differ. Specify the operation, panel arrangement, track or hinge system and selected glass together; do not transfer the sliding-door specification to a swing door.

For the composite wood assembly on page 6, the catalogue also labels 60 mm and 75 mm architrave options and a 22 mm solid-wood composite frame-board option. Frame-board thickness, architrave width and door-leaf thickness describe different parts. They do not determine the finished wall opening by themselves.

These are construction references, not evidence of acoustic, fire, moisture or destination-market performance. For a project in Australia or Canada, include the required documentation in the enquiry so the proposed assembly and supporting evidence can be reviewed together.

Catalogue lock references and hinge selection

The archived SNEJ interior-door catalogue groups the following references under “Magnetic Locks” on page 38. Include the selected code and finish in your wood-door hardware schedule so the quotation identifies more than a handle photograph.

Catalogue reference	Finish label shown
SN204	Black
SN211	Gray
SN401	Chrome nickel brushed

Confirm the lock function, matching lock body and strike, door preparation and hinge selection for the proposed assembly. The finish label describes the catalogue appearance; it does not establish the metal grade, coating specification or compatibility with every door system. Ask for the current fitting drawing before approving the machining.

Use the original lock and handle board to identify the reference, then review the separate hinge and stopper board. A matching colour alone does not specify the hinge, its fixing dimensions or its permitted leaf weight. Current availability and the complete hardware set are confirmed with the quotation.

Source: archived SNEJ interior-door catalogue, undated edition, pages 38 and 41. These are catalogue references, not a universal hardware package or a performance rating.

Door leaf only or a complete door set?

State whether the enquiry is for a replacement door leaf, a new leaf and frame, or a wider package including trims and hardware. The same description, “interior door”, can otherwise produce quotations covering different items.

For a wood-door replacement that keeps the existing frame, record the leaf’s width, height and thickness, the frame rebate, handing, hinge positions and lock preparation. Include photographs of the frame and hardware. Matching the old leaf’s overall size alone does not confirm that the hinge or latch locations will align. Ask the supplier and installer to confirm compatibility before ordering.

Proposed supply scope	Confirm in the quotation and drawing
Door leaf only	Selected construction, edge detail, permitted trimming, hinge and lock preparation, and which existing frame and hardware will be retained
Leaf with a new frame	Frame outside dimensions, finished wall thickness, casing, stops, hardware, assembly state for delivery and site fitting responsibilities

In North American terminology, a slab is the leaf; a prehung unit includes a leaf already hung in its frame, as explained in Masonite’s interior-door measuring guide. Agree the actual packing and assembly arrangement for your order rather than assuming that a door-set quotation means it arrives prehung.

For an initial door project brief, give the quantity of each type and mark retained components, required machining and unresolved dimensions. Confirm the available supply scope for the selected door model. These checks concern framed wood-door enquiries; invisible and aluminium systems need their own assembly details.

Copy this wood-door purchase enquiry

Use one entry for each door type, with a separate opening reference wherever site measurements differ. The reference D-01 below is an illustrative label, not a SNEJ model or a completed project. Replace the brackets with your information and mark unresolved fields as “to be confirmed”.

• Project and delivery: [project name], [delivery city and country]
• Door reference and quantity: D-01 / [room or opening references] / [quantity]
• Model and appearance: [selected wood-door model or reference image], [finish], [core and facing to confirm]
• Supply scope: [leaf only / leaf and new frame]; [trims and hardware to include]; [existing parts to retain]
• Site record: [opening measurements and units], [finished wall thickness], [floor level], [finishes complete or still pending]
• Order dimensions: [leaf or frame assembly dimensions], [drawing revision]; [not yet agreed / confirmed by name and date]
• Operation and preparation: [handing sketch], [hinges, handle and lock], [machining required], [photos of retained frame or hardware, if applicable]
• Delivery and fitting: [assembly state to confirm], [who checks site dimensions], [who assembles and fits the doors]
• Please confirm: [included items], [excluded items], [outstanding decisions and any project-specific documents required]

You can use this record before final drawings are ready; leave unconfirmed order dimensions open for review. Repeat it for the other door types and include the entries in your project brief. Use the selected system’s technical details before production rather than copying dimensions from another door type.

Confirm the opening before production

Provide the opening width and height, wall thickness, finished floor level and opening direction. Mark changes between room types. Agree whether the frame is assembled before delivery, what site preparation is needed, and how adjacent wall panels and skirting meet the casing. For sliding systems, add the track position and clearance.

Use the interior door model library to identify a visual reference. Pair it with an opening schedule, hardware choices and finish samples when you send the project brief. Free samples are available, with shipping paid by the buyer.

Keep finished openings separate from order dimensions

SNEJ’s February 2023 minimalist metal swing-door booklet describes measuring after the floor and wall finishes are complete. Its three-point diagram records width at the top, middle and bottom, and height at the left, centre and right. Record all readings, wall thickness and any difference in level or plumb; a single opening size can hide an uneven opening.

The same booklet distinguishes the clear opening from the outside dimensions of the product to be ordered. Do not label both fields simply “door size”. Have the technical reviewer confirm the assembly dimensions and fitting allowance for the selected system before production.

Schedule field	What to record
Finished opening	Width and height readings in millimetres; identify whether finishes are complete
Wall and floor	Finished wall thickness, floor level and any raised sill or platform
Product dimensions	Agreed outside dimensions of the selected frame assembly, confirmed separately
Handing	Room-side labels and an agreed opening-direction sketch
Frame and glazing	Casing arrangement, model, colour, glass selection and hardware

The 2023 booklet gives a particular convention for viewing the door from outside the room. Include a labelled sketch in an export brief so “left” and “right” are not interpreted from opposite sides. These instructions belong to that metal swing-door edition; other systems need their own installation detail.

Source: SNEJ Minimalist Swing Door booklet, February 2023 edition, pages 17–19. Measurement guidance is a project-review reference, not a universal manufacturing deduction or installation tolerance.

Common specification questions

Can the same trim be used around every door?

Not automatically. Frame type, wall thickness, door operation and adjacent wall finish affect the profile. Confirm the exact junction for each door type.

Does a catalogue photo show the complete construction?

No. It shows appearance. The leaf build, frame, hardware and any performance requirement need their own written specification.

Are SNEJ interior doors all the same thickness?

No. The undated catalogue examples above list 46 mm composite wood, 45 mm aluminium-wood and 40 mm aluminium-glass leaves. Those are separate assemblies. The selected model and approved drawing determine the order specification.

Which documents should accompany a door enquiry?

Send the room-by-room opening schedule, wall thicknesses, finished floor levels, operation and handing, finish references and hardware requirements. Identify any performance evidence your project needs. The catalogue helps identify a construction to discuss; the approved project documents define what will be supplied.

Source note: SNEJ Catalog — Interior Door, undated edition, pages 6, 27, 29 and 30; reviewed on 16 October 2026. Current availability and model-specific details require confirmation.