# Room doors



## Wilson (Oct 20, 2015)

Hi all mothers, I am about to make some renovation to my home. No I am not a mother, I am father in case you're wondering. Extremely concern with safety. 

My current doors are those plywood, hollow core doors. If anyone here doesn't know what that means, it means, lighter, less dense door. Still wood. But the middle isn't as compact, supported by only a few planks of wood. 

I want to change them to solid wooden doors, heavier, more compact. 

My MIL raised the issue of if the doors slammed or get clipped on the toddler's finger, it'll be horrible, the solid wooden doors that is. 

Would there be any difference actually? Using the hollow core OR the solid doors. I thought every door if slammed onto the fingers, it's going to be horrible or possibly crush those little toddler fingers anyways.. Her thought, raised my worries and I have been thinking and thinking about this whole day long for days. 

Anyone have any experience with lighter and heavier door and some door accidents? Thanks.

Any kind of input at all.


----------



## LTurtle (Aug 7, 2012)

I grew up in a Victorian house with the original solid wood doors. Pretty much every house I've lived in since has standard hollow core interior doors. Firstly - I have never seen, or even heard about first hand, a small child get their fingers smashed in a house door. Car doors yes, but not in a house. The exception is that I did break my own finger by putting it in the gap by the hinges while my toddler was trying to shut the door. Oops. (It was hollow core)

Honestly though, it don't think it makes a substantial difference. If an accident occurs the damage is likely to come from the force being exerted on the door by a person, not the weight of the door itself. And unless the kids are playing unsupervised with the doors a lot, I think any injury is really unlikely.

Go ahead and get the solid doors if you want. And don't let your MIL freak you out over "what ifs".


----------



## Wilson (Oct 20, 2015)

LTurtle said:


> I grew up in a Victorian house with the original solid wood doors. Pretty much every house I've lived in since has standard hollow core interior doors. Firstly - I have never seen, or even heard about first hand, a small child get their fingers smashed in a house door. Car doors yes, but not in a house. The exception is that I did break my own finger by putting it in the gap by the hinges while my toddler was trying to shut the door. Oops. (It was hollow core)
> 
> Honestly though, it don't think it makes a substantial difference. If an accident occurs the damage is likely to come from the force being exerted on the door by a person, not the weight of the door itself. And unless the kids are playing unsupervised with the doors a lot, I think any injury is really unlikely.
> 
> Go ahead and get the solid doors if you want. And don't let your MIL freak you out over "what ifs".


Thanks Turtle. That's somewhat comforting as you share experiences and your reasoning, and it make sense. I am in some ways, looking for validation. Or some sort of approval. I myself, a very paranoia parent/father....I fear everything. I have had my fingers slammed on my car door before, hurts for a whole week, even painkillers don't work. Am lucky, no bones broken, finger nail went off in two weeks, etc. I think I am going to seriously consider the door changing thing. Of course, on top of any sort of safety steps I may take, educating my boy about door safety, no fingers or hands near the frame, etc is important. But kids..you can tell them one thing and at the right mood, they'll do another without understanding the consequences.

Thanks again Turtle. Great answer. Of course, if anyone else could input your experiences, please do. The more input I get, the better judgement I get onto how or what I should do to reduce that risk.


----------



## farmermomma (Oct 30, 2012)

I had solid doors as a kid and wouldn't hesitate to use solid doors again.


----------



## TheBugsMomma (Mar 24, 2015)

IKEA has little door stoppers that we keep on our doors. They are little white rubber things you stick on the edge. It keeps the door from being able to shut. I know someone who had a door slam on her finger as a child and it cut it off. They stitched it back on and all you can see now is a faint line, but I still worry and our doors are hollow. These things come in a pack of 3 for $3. Called patrull finger guards

http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/90200486/


----------



## Nemi27 (Mar 11, 2015)

When my Aunt was a toddler she had her pinky finger nearly cut off (it was only hanging by a thread) because of a slamming door. I have no idea if it was a solid door or one of the weaker ones. As no surprise my dad and grandpa would freak out anytime we kids would shut the doors with too much force. My point is that it can happen. I'm sure it's extremely rare though. However, I would probably get the doors if I were you and find some cool door stops to prevent them from slamming. Though the kids might play with them defeating the purpose (what our daughter does with our horse door stops) though only in the morning when she first gets up. Not sure how helpful this was, but good luck!


----------



## Wilson (Oct 20, 2015)

Yes, I agree. My wife was having a debate with me that, no matter what, one is heavier and the other one is lighter. However I compute it, she claims that heavier doors will definitely have harder impact. It is impossible to say they would be the same. Now I am kinda back to square one on this. :crying:

I really want to change them, but on the other hand I know if I don't do so, I'd look at the doors thinking why didn't I. Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......can't breathe....


----------



## hhd265 (Dec 29, 2015)

Using door latches and heavier do help!! But if you are really concerned, install a sensor or say a home security alarm system. None other that could probably give you unparalleled peace of mind!!


----------



## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

There are things you can do to rig the doors so they don't slam. I know this is kind of late, but if you happen to check in, maybe you'll see this. There's something called a Door Mouse Finger Guard, there's a door Slam Stopper. I think even Etsy has something to offer. When my daughter was little, someone used to make these little fabric covered pads with elastics on each end. You would hook them to the door knobs on either side of the door so the door could't slam shut.

You have options. If I were getting new doors (and ever thinking about selling my house), I'd want real wood doors and not hollow core. There's no need to give up on home improvements for what is going to a short time in your child's life.


----------



## emitchell (Sep 27, 2016)

I am using glass door knobs and these are very helpful.


----------

