CDF Distributors offers seven factory-applied stain colors and two base finish options for commercial wood doors. Stain options include Autumn Oak, Mahogany, Traditional Cherry, Golden Hickory, Dark Walnut, Ebony, and Dark Oak. Base door options are Unfinished (Rotary Natural Birch) and Clear Pre-Finished (Rotary White Birch). All stain and finish selections are available on solid core and mineral core wood doors, including fire-rated configurations up to 90 minutes for solid core and 90 minutes for mineral core construction.
You can select wood species, stain color, and core type during configuration in CDF’s ProBuilder tool at cdfdistributors.com. For assistance specifying wood doors for your project, call (855) 769-9895 or email sales@cdfdoors.com.
About This Guide
This reference guide is published by CDF Distributors, a commercial door and frame supplier based in Nashville, Tennessee. CDF fabricates and ships complete door, frame, and hardware assemblies to commercial contractors, facility managers, and building owners nationwide. The stain and finish specifications in this guide reflect CDF’s current factory-applied options as offered through the ProBuilder configuration tool and the CDF sales team.
CDF’s product specialists work directly with contractors and architects to specify wood door assemblies for offices, healthcare facilities, educational buildings, hospitality properties, and other commercial interiors. For project-specific guidance, contact CDF at (855) 769-9895 or sales@cdfdoors.com.
Wood Door Stain Color Options
CDF offers seven stain colors that are factory-applied to wood veneer doors before shipping. Factory-applied stains provide a consistent finish across all doors in a project and eliminate the need for on-site finishing. The following table lists each available stain color and its general appearance characteristics.
Stain Color | Tone | Description |
Autumn Oak | Warm golden-brown | A warm, honey-toned oak stain with visible wood grain texture. Suitable for traditional and transitional commercial interiors. |
Mahogany | Deep reddish-brown | A rich, deep reddish-brown stain that replicates the appearance of natural mahogany. Common in executive offices and conference rooms. |
Traditional Cherry | Medium reddish-brown | A medium cherry tone with warm red undertones. Provides a classic wood appearance for professional environments. |
Golden Hickory | Light amber-brown | A lighter amber-brown stain with natural grain variation. Works well in spaces requiring a warm but not overly dark wood appearance. |
Dark Walnut | Deep brown | A deep, cool-toned brown stain that closely matches natural walnut. Appropriate for modern and contemporary commercial spaces. |
Ebony | Dark greyish black | A naturally very dark stain, it is used to create dramatic, sophisticated looks in all settings. |
Dark Oak | Medium-dark brown | A medium-dark brown stain with prominent oak grain texture. Provides a traditional wood door appearance. |
Visual grid showing all seven stain color swatches (Autumn Oak, Mahogany, Traditional Cherry, Golden Hickory, Dark Walnut, Clear Prefinished, Dark Oak) with labeled names beneath each swatch. Source images available in the CDF Sales OneNote. This diagram requires CDF approval before inclusion.
Base Door Finish Options
Before stain is applied, CDF wood doors are available in two base configurations. The base finish determines the underlying wood veneer species and whether the door ships ready for on-site finishing or with a factory-applied clear coat. The following table compares the two base options.
Base Option | Wood Veneer | Finish | Notes |
Unfinished | Rotary Natural Birch | No factory finish applied | Ships raw for on-site staining or painting. Most popular base option. Contractors can apply custom stain colors not available in CDF’s standard palette. |
Clear Pre-Finished | Rotary White Birch | Factory-applied clear protective coat | Ships with a sealed, ready-to-install clear finish. No additional on-site finishing required. Shows the natural light tone of white birch veneer. |
The Unfinished (Rotary Natural Birch) option is the most frequently ordered base configuration. It provides flexibility for projects that require a custom stain color or painted finish applied on site. The Clear Pre-Finished option is appropriate when a natural light wood appearance is desired without additional finishing work.
Side-by-side images showing the Unfinished (Rotary Natural Birch) door and the Clear Pre-Finished (Rotary White Birch) door in hollow metal frames. Source images available in the CDF Sales OneNote. This diagram requires CDF approval before inclusion.
Wood Door Core Construction Types
CDF wood doors are available in two core construction types: solid core and mineral core. The core type determines the door’s weight, sound attenuation properties, and fire rating capability. Both core types accept all seven stain colors and both base finish options. The following table compares the two construction types.
Core Type | Construction | Fire Rating Capability | Common Applications |
Solid Core | Particleboard or mineral core with wood veneer faces | Up to 20-min, 45-min, 60-min, or 90-min depending on assembly configuration | Standard commercial interiors, offices, healthcare, education, hospitality |
Mineral Core | Non-combustible mineral fiberboard core with wood veneer faces | Up to 20-min, 45-min, 60-min, or 90-min depending on assembly configuration | Fire-rated openings, stairwell doors, corridor separation, high-fire-risk areas |
Mineral core doors are required for many fire-rated assemblies. While solid core doors can achieve fire ratings in certain assembly configurations, mineral core is the standard choice when fire rating is the primary specification requirement. Both core types use 1-3/4” door thickness, which is the commercial standard.
Fire-Rated Wood Door Options
CDF supplies fire-rated wood door assemblies at all five standard rating levels. A fire-rated wood door assembly includes the door, frame, and all hardware, each carrying matching fire labels. The following table summarizes the available fire rating levels for wood door assemblies.
Fire Rating | Duration | Typical Wall Rating | Common Locations |
20-Minute | 20 min | 1-hour wall | Corridor doors, room separations, smoke partitions |
45-Minute | 45 min | 1-hour wall | Corridor doors, office separations, exit access corridors |
60-Minute | 60 min | 1-hour or 2-hour wall | Stairwell doors, corridor separations, rated partitions |
90-Minute | 90 min | 2-hour wall | Stairwell enclosures, exit passageways, high-hazard separations |
All fire-rated assemblies must include matching fire labels on the door, frame, and hardware. CDF rivets fire labels onto every fire-rated door and frame before shipping. The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) may require additional documentation or inspection for fire-rated openings. Verify all fire rating requirements with your project’s design professional and the AHJ before ordering.
How to Specify Wood Doors for Commercial Projects
Specifying a wood door assembly for a commercial project requires selecting the wood species or veneer, stain color or finish, core construction type, fire rating (if applicable), door size, and compatible hardware. The following checklist outlines the key specification decisions.
- Base finish: Choose Unfinished (Rotary Natural Birch) for on-site staining or painting, or Clear Pre-Finished (Rotary White Birch) for a ready-to-install natural appearance.
- Stain color: Select from seven factory-applied options (Autumn Oak, Mahogany, Traditional Cherry, Golden Hickory, Dark Walnut, Ebony, Dark Oak) or specify Unfinished for custom on-site finishing.
- Core type: Solid core for standard commercial applications, mineral core for fire-rated assemblies or enhanced sound attenuation requirements.
- Fire rating: Determine whether the opening requires a 20-minute, 45-minute, 60-minute, 90-minute, or 3-hour (180-minute) fire-rated assembly based on project drawings and code requirements.
- Door size: Standard commercial sizes range from 2’0” x 6’8” to 4’0” x 8’0”. Custom sizes are available. All wood doors use 1-3/4” thickness (commercial standard).
- Frame type: Wood doors paired with hollow metal frames (drywall wrap, masonry, or welded). The frame type depends on wall construction and fire rating requirements.
- Hardware: Hinges, locksets, closers, and other hardware must be specified to match the door preparation and fire rating. CDF ships complete assemblies with hardware pre-ordered and matched to the door and frame.
CDF’s ProBuilder tool walks through each of these specification decisions during the online configuration process, displaying compatible options at each step and providing instant pricing for the complete assembly.
Stain and Finish Selection Considerations
Several factors influence the choice of stain color and finish type for commercial wood door projects. The following considerations apply to most commercial applications.
- Consistency across openings: Factory-applied stains ensure uniform color across all doors in a project. On-site staining can introduce variation between doors, especially when applied by different crews or across multiple days.
- Veneer grain variation: Rotary-cut birch veneer has natural grain variation. Stain colors interact differently with the grain pattern on each door. Darker stains tend to minimize visible grain differences, while lighter stains and clear finishes allow more natural variation to show.
- Durability and maintenance: Factory-applied finishes are cured under controlled conditions and generally provide more durable results than field-applied finishes. Clear Pre-Finished doors ship sealed and ready to install with no additional coats required.
- Project timeline: Factory-finished doors arrive ready to install, eliminating on-site drying and curing time. Unfinished doors require scheduling additional finishing time after delivery.
- Custom colors: Projects requiring stain colors outside CDF’s seven standard options should specify Unfinished doors and coordinate on-site staining with the finishing contractor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stain colors are available for CDF wood doors?
CDF offers seven factory-applied stain colors: Autumn Oak, Mahogany, Traditional Cherry, Golden Hickory, Dark Walnut, Ebony, and Dark Oak. These stains are applied at CDF’s facility before shipping to ensure consistent color across all doors in a project.
What is the difference between Unfinished and Clear Pre-Finished wood doors?
Unfinished doors use Rotary Natural Birch veneer and ship without any factory finish, allowing on-site staining or painting. Clear Pre-Finished doors use Rotary White Birch veneer with a factory-applied clear protective coat and are ready to install without additional finishing. The Unfinished option is the most popular choice.
Can fire-rated wood doors be stained?
Yes. All seven factory-applied stain colors and both base finish options are available on fire-rated wood door assemblies. Fire-rated wood doors are available at 20-minute, 45-minute, 60-minute, and 90-minute rating levels. The stain or finish does not affect the fire rating, which is determined by the core construction, frame, and hardware assembly.
What is the difference between solid core and mineral core wood doors?
Solid core doors have a particleboard and are used for standard commercial interiors. Mineral core doors have a non-combustible mineral fiberboard core and are the standard choice for fire-rated openings. Both core types accept all stain colors and finishes. Both are available in 1-3/4” thickness, which is the commercial standard.
What wood species are used for CDF wood doors?
CDF wood doors use birch veneer faces. The Unfinished option uses Rotary Natural Birch, and the Clear Pre-Finished option uses Rotary White Birch. Birch is a standard commercial veneer species that accepts stain evenly and provides a consistent appearance across production runs.
How do I order a stained wood door from CDF?
Use CDF’s ProBuilder tool at cdfdistributors.com to configure your wood door assembly online. ProBuilder guides you through selecting the base finish, stain color, core type, fire rating, door size, frame, and hardware. For assistance, call (855) 769-9895 or email sales@cdfdoors.com.
Can I use a custom stain color not in CDF’s standard options?
Yes. Order your doors in the Unfinished (Rotary Natural Birch) base option and coordinate custom stain application with your on-site finishing contractor. CDF’s seven factory-applied stain colors cover the most commonly specified commercial wood tones, but any stain can be applied on site to Unfinished doors.
Are wood door stain samples available?
Contact CDF’s sales team at (855) 769-9895 or sales@cdfdoors.com to request stain color samples or to discuss color matching for your project. Stain appearance can vary based on lighting conditions and the natural grain variation of the birch veneer.
Configure Your Wood Door Assembly
CDF’s ProBuilder tool allows contractors, architects, and facility managers to configure complete wood door assemblies online. During configuration, you select the base finish, stain color, core type, fire rating, door size, frame type, and hardware as a complete assembly. ProBuilder displays compatible options at each step and provides instant pricing.
For assistance specifying wood doors for your project, call (855) 769-9895 or email sales@cdfdoors.com. CDF’s sales team is available Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM CT.
