A finely crafted door can extend a friendly welcome to your home, serve to stand off harsh weather or simply serve as privacy to keep intruders out.
Wooden doors can be crafted to any size. Modern day doors can incorporate different types of panel configurations, glazing or handcrafted carvings.
Lets look at what makes a wooden door aesthetically pleasing and built to its correct application.
Anatomy Wood Door
Central Core components
Stiles, vertical components
Rails, top and bottom edges
Face or outer materials
No. of Ply
The term ‘Ply’ is used to identify the no. of components or layers of materials which are used in door construction. The no. of ply may be 3,5,7,9 or 11 this may be determined by the technology used to manufacture the particular door.
Three-ply doors consist of a core assembly and face materials attached on either site. Generally not considered very stable or durable. Used in high-pressure decorative laminate doors.
Mainly used in – Office Doors, Residential Internal doors
Five-ply & seven-ply doors are the most commonly used in door construction. They provide increased stability using cross bands and a thick face veneer.
Mainly used in – Hospital Doors, Hotel Doors, and other architectural applications
Nine-ply & eleven-ply doors are used in residential door in main entrances
Duty Performance Levels
As doors have varying application across industries it is important to use the right specification to ensure the correct performance of architectural wood doors.
The Windows and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) provides the the industry standards for wood doors covering all aspects from aesthetics, construction to finishing expectations.
Extra Heavy-Duty Levels – Application is frequent and heavy usage. Eg. Classroom Doors, Patient rooms, public bathrooms, gyms, hospitals.
Heavy Duty Levels – Application is moderate and requires intermediate performance standards. Office Doors, Hotel Doors, Villa Main Door, Apartment Main Door.
Standard Duty Levels – Application is relatively low and infrequent. This could include home offices, residential internal doors, private bathroom doors.
Core Options
Next we look at the main component of a door its Core. Depending on its application the core material must provide durability, meet fire requirement standards, acoustical and environment expectations.
Hollow-Core Doors
These doors are mainly used in internal doors in residential homes. Its uses a honey comb core which makes it economical and lightweight. The core is placed in solid wood outer frame giving the door some rigidity.
Solid-Core Doors
Relatively sturdy and affordable these doors are good alternatives to the solid wood doors. They can be constructed using high/medium density engineered wood (HDF/MDF). Difficult to install as they are heavy, however they are excellent for blocking out sound and also offer fire rating options.
Solid Wood Doors
Solid wood doors were earlier built as single slabs, however all modern day wood doors are constructed using frame-and-panel construction. When stained or painted it looks like a single piece of solid wood however this is not the case. The aesthetic value of solid wood doors increase the resale value of any home. However they are prone to expansion and warping they require periodic maintenance in areas of high humidity and extreme climates.
Other cores include specialized fire resistant cores, acoustic cores, structural composite lumber (SCL).