Both door types contain lead and meet radiation shielding requirements. The differences between them determine which one belongs in a specific facility and opening.
- Base Construction: Wood lead lined doors use a wood core with lead bonded internally; metal doors use a steel construction with lead lining inside the assembly.
- Starting Price Point: Wood doors start at $2,483; metal doors start at $6,433 at Lead Glass Pro.
- Typical Application Environments: Wood doors are common in medical, dental, and outpatient facilities; metal doors are specified for CT, PET, hot labs, and industrial environments.
- Weight & Hardware Demands: Metal doors with higher lead equivalencies are heavier assemblies that require hardware rated for greater door weight.
- Finish & Appearance: Wood doors integrate with standard interior finishes; metal doors present an industrial aesthetic suited to higher-demand environments.
- Fire Rating Availability: Both types are available with fire-rated options where the surrounding wall assembly requires a rated door.
How Each Door Is Constructed And What That Means For Shielding
The construction method determines how lead is held within the door and how consistently it performs across the full surface. Both types deliver reliable shielding when correctly specified.
Wood Door Construction
A lead-lined wood door is built around a wood core with a sheet of lead bonded internally between the faces. The lead is fully enclosed and does not affect the door's external appearance or finish.
Metal Door Construction
Metal lead lined doors use a steel shell construction with lead lining contained within the metal assembly. The steel outer faces provide structural rigidity and impact resistance that exceed those of wood construction. This makes metal doors appropriate for environments with heavier use patterns, higher lead equivalency requirements, and greater physical demands on the door assembly.
Lead Time Considerations
Wood Doors
- Many standard configurations available with short lead times, typically 3 business days.
- Pre-hung assemblies available.
Metal Doors
- Typically longer fabrication timelines due to fabrication requirements.
Complete Door Packages
Many suppliers only provide the lead-lined door slab, leaving contractors responsible for sourcing:
- Lead-lined frames
- Lead-lined hardware
- Door lite kits
- Shielding overlaps
- Installation details
Lead Glass Pro can provide complete pre-engineered door assemblies designed to work together as a system.
Feature: Typical Environment
- Wood Lead-Lined Door: Medical, Dental, Outpatient
- Metal Lead-Lined Door: CT, PET, Industrial
Feature: Appearance
- Wood Lead-Lined Door: Architectural Finish
- Metal Lead-Lined Door: Commercial/Industrial
Feature: Weight
- Wood Lead-Lined Door: Lighter
- Metal Lead-Lined Door: Heavier
Feature: Cost
- Wood Lead-Lined Door: Lower
- Metal Lead-Lined Door: Higher
Feature: Fire-Rated Options
- Wood Lead-Lined Door: Available
- Metal Lead-Lined Door: Available
Feature: Custom Lead Thickness
- Wood Lead-Lined Door: Yes
- Metal Lead-Lined Door: Yes
Feature: Pre-Hung Assemblies
- Wood Lead-Lined Door: Yes
- Metal Lead-Lined Door: Yes
How Shielding Continuity Is Maintained In Both
In both construction types, the lead lining must extend consistently across the full door surface to maintain shielding performance. The door assembly must also be paired with a lead-lined frame carrying the same equivalency, since the frame perimeter is part of the complete shielding opening. Lead lined door materials used across both types must meet the physicist's specified equivalency without compromise.
Custom Lead Thickness Across Both Types
At Lead Glass Pro, we supply both wood and metal lead lined doors with custom lead thicknesses to match whatever the physicist specifies. Neither door type limits the available lead equivalency range. The physicist's report drives the specification, and the door construction type is selected based on facility requirements.
Weight, Hardware, And Installation Differences
Radiation shielding doors are heavier than standard doors, regardless of construction type. Weight differences between wood and metal become significant at higher lead equivalencies.
- Base Weight Comparison: Metal doors are heavier than wood doors at equivalent lead thicknesses due to the steel shell construction.
- Hinge Requirements: Both door types require hinges rated for the assembled door weight; higher lead equivalencies require heavier-rated hinges.
- Lockset Compatibility: We supply lead-lined cylindrical locksets compatible with lead-lined assemblies for both wood and metal doors.
- Closer Requirements: Where door closers are required, they must be rated for the actual assembled weight of the door. Crews managing X ray door installation s can confirm rough opening dimensions and hardware specifications before the door ships.
- Installation Crew Considerations: Metal doors at higher lead equivalencies may require mechanical assistance for hanging due to the assembled weight.
- Rough Opening Preparation: Both door types require the rough opening to be confirmed against the frame assembly dimensions before delivery, as lead lining adds to the overall frame thickness.
Pricing Differences And What Drives Them
Price differences between wood and metal doors reflect construction complexity, material weight, and the environments each type is designed to serve.
- Base Price Gap: Our wood doors start at $2,483, and metal doors start at $6,433, which reflects the difference in construction complexity and material.
- Lead Equivalency Impact: Higher lead thickness increases cost across both types as more raw lead material is required; this effect is proportional regardless of door construction.
- Fire Rating Addition: Fire-rated assemblies require additional testing, labeling, and compatible hardware for both wood and metal doors, adding to the total assembly cost.
- Custom Sizing: Non-standard door dimensions require individual fabrication assessment for both types and affect the final price accordingly.
- Hardware & Accessories: Frame lead lining kits, door lite kits, locksets, and closers add to the total assembly cost beyond the door panel price for both construction types. Sourcing the full assembly from Lead Glass Pro as a direct manufacturer removes the markup that multi-tier distribution adds to the final cost.
- Single-Source Advantage: Sourcing the full assembly from Lead Glass Pro as a direct manufacturer removes markup layers that multi-tier distribution adds to the final cost.
Wood vs Metal Lead-Lined Door: What's The Right Fit For You
The lead lined wood door vs metal door decision comes down to facility type, usage demands, lead equivalency, and budget. Doors are one component of a complete radiation shielding system, and our post, Lead Shielding for Radiation Imaging, covers how door selection fits alongside wall, window, and ceiling specifications.
Medical, Dental, And Outpatient Facilities
Wood doors are the standard specification for general medical imaging rooms, dental operatories, chiropractic offices, and outpatient facilities. The wood construction integrates with the interior finish standards of these environments, and the lead equivalency range covers the shielding requirements typical of the equipment used in these settings.
CT, PET, Hot Labs, And Industrial Environments
Lead Glass Pro's metal lead lined doors are specified for CT suites, PET rooms, hot labs, uptake rooms, and industrial settings where durability requirements and usage intensity exceed what wood construction is designed to handle. These environments often involve higher lead equivalencies and heavier daily use patterns that metal construction is better suited to sustain.
When The Physicist's Specification Points Toward Metal
If the radiation physicist specifies a lead equivalency that results in a very heavy door assembly, metal construction may be the more structurally appropriate choice regardless of facility type. The door must support the weight of the specified lead content over the operational life of the room, and construction type affects long-term performance under that load.
When Budget And Timeline Are Primary Factors
Wood doors carry a lower starting price and are the most common specification across general imaging facility types. For projects where the physicist's specification aligns with standard X-ray room requirements and the facility does not require industrial-grade construction, wood doors deliver a cost-effective, fully compliant option with the same custom lead thickness range as metal.
Need Help Selecting the Right Lead-Lined Door?
Whether you're specifying a single dental operatory or a large CT suite, our team can help determine the right wood or metal lead-lined door assembly for your project.
Lead Glass Pro offers:
- Custom lead equivalencies
- Pre-hung door packages
- Lead-lined frames
- Lead-lined hardware
- Door lite kits
- Fast fabrication
- Nationwide shipping
- 10-Year Shielding Warranty
- Compliance Guarantee
Request a quote today and we'll help you identify the best solution for your application.
