What is a midrail on a door?

Until now you may not have given much thought to midrails on doors. You might not actually know what a midrail is or what function it performs.

If, on the other hand, you were to consider enhancing the appearance of your home with a beautiful entrance door of your very own design from the new Residence Flush Entrance Door Collection, then a midrail could well play a central role in your design.

So, what is a midrail?

Simply put, this is a horizontal piece within a door, typically separating the larger panel of a top or bottom section. However, the midrail can be placed vertically to create different door styles and designs.

Often found in uPVC doors, a midrail is usually positioned at a specific height, often around 655mm from the bottom edge of the door to the centre of the rail. This can vary depending on the door’s design and manufacture, and can accommodate a letterbox or other hardware.

What’s the difference between a midrail and a panel?

Whereas a midrail on a door is a horizontal structural member positioned between the top and bottom rails of a door, a panel can refer to the entire door itself or a section within a door.

Panel doors, also known as slab doors, contain patterns of square or oblong panels. A door may contain two large panels, six small ones or some other configuration to create a decorative design.

What are the benefits of having a midrail?

First of all, a mid-rail will provide structural support, adding strength and stability to the door. Midrails also prevent the door from warping or bending, particularly in taller doors, helping to distribute the weight of the door and reduce stress on the stiles (vertical frame members).

While midrails can be plain and featureless, they can incorporate some element of decorative detailing or moulding. And as noted earlier, they are in an ideal position to accommodate letter-plates, centre pulls and knockers.

Designing your new door with Residence Door Designer.

Now you know a little about midrails, panels, and the difference between them, it may help you design your very own Residence Flush Entrance Door exactly the way you want it with The Residence Collection’s all new door designer.

Choose from a truly stunning range of styles, colours and details that let you personalise every detail of your beautiful new front door – it couldn’t be easier!

Try our door designer tool today! Once you’ve designed your very own beautiful front door, find a trusted Residence Collection installer near you and send your design directly to them.