Eco-veneer doors: advantages and disadvantages

Wood is a unique raw material, it is perfect for both construction and furniture production. Today it is used in various fields of industry as the main and auxiliary material. One of the directions is furniture production, where everything is obtained from wood and its derivatives: from cabinets to partitions. And doors made of eco-veneer are one of the most promising products that are environmentally friendly. The modern market is filled with many models that have different technical parameters and workmanship.

Many industrial processes generate a certain amount of wood waste, from which quite high quality secondary materials can be obtained. Eco-veneer is a product of just such a production. It is obtained from natural wood fibers and special synthetic resin binders.

Eco-veneer production technology consists of the following sequential operations:

• Initially, wood raw material lends itself to preliminary cleaning. This allows you to give the substance the necessary characteristics, allowing you to obtain a high-quality and durable structure. If the waste has significant dimensions, then it is subjected to grinding in order to obtain a homogeneous mass.
• The next step is to dye the wood fibers. It should be noted that such processes are well controlled. This allows you to obtain materials of the same color and shade in a specific batch. Sometimes several color shades can be combined in one sheet, which allows you to get an original and unique drawing.

• The process ends by pressing the fibers. To do this, resins are added to the resulting raw materials, which are mixed with wood to obtain a homogeneous consistency. As binding components, several types of artificial mixtures are used, which make it possible to glue wood fibers at the proper level. The production of eco-veneer takes place in special presses, where the raw materials are heated to high temperatures and pressed under enormous pressure. A feature of this process is the use of vacuum technology. This approach makes it possible to remove almost all of the gas component from the feedstock.

The material is very flexible, so manufacturers produce it in special rolls. The thickness of the sheet depends on the pressing technology and the required qualities of the resulting product.

Veneered materials of this type are often used for the production of interior doors, where they are applied as a top protective layer. Externally, the products imitate the structure of wood, and the production technology allows you to give it the desired shades.

Eco-veneer is an artificial film that is applied to the door in order to protect it and give it a unique decorative look. This product is an alternative to natural veneer.

The difference between these materials lies in several characteristics:

• Veneer is a thin cut of natural wood. After special preparation, these sheets can be pasted over door blanks. Eco-veneer is obtained by pressing wood fibers.

• Veneer is a completely natural material. It has not only the texture of a specific wood species, but is also absolutely safe for human health. In turn, eco-veneer is a synthetic product that contains natural wood fibers. Outwardly, it is an ordinary plastic that repeats the texture of wood. At the same time, the production technology allows you to imitate almost any type of wood.
• Eco-veneer perfectly withstands moisture and physical influences. In this, natural veneer loses a little, although natural products do not exfoliate and serve for a long time with proper care.
• The main difference between eco-veneer is its low price. The high cost of natural veneer is due to its natural origin, as well as the type of wood from which it is obtained.

In turn, these differences are also possessed by doors that are trimmed with these types of sheets.

Eco-veneer door designs are quite popular today, as they have many advantages:

• Environmental friendliness. This factor primarily concerns the eco-veneer itself. But it is applied to the workpiece, which can be made of low-quality materials. Therefore, this feature is relative.
• Hypoallergenic. The substance is not a causative agent of allergies, and also does not emit unpleasant and harmful odors into the air. Perfect for all living spaces.

• Moisture resistance. Eco-veneer in its structure resembles plastic, so it is practically not affected by water. The material retains its shape for a long time, and also does not swell or crack, like MDF doors or laminated products.
• Low weight. This makes it possible to install door leaves in almost any frame, as well as on wall surfaces of various materials.
• Strength. Eco-veneer perfectly tolerates temperature changes, as well as minimal physical stress. This allows you to maintain the structure of the door leaf for a long time.

• Wear resistance and durability. The structure of the material assumes the presence of a special protective film, which not only prevents cracking, but also retains the structure and color for a long time, which is not always relevant for solid wood products.
• Low price. This is especially noticeable when compared with door leaves made of solid wood or metal.

But still, such products are not universal, since they have such disadvantages:

• Eco-veneer transmits sounds very well. Therefore, doors from it will not provide the required soundproofing parameters. It is not always practical to use such constructions.
• The minimum level of moisture transmission. Therefore, rooms with such doors must be constantly ventilated to reduce the concentration of water in the air. This is especially true for the kitchen and bathroom, where its saturation is significant.

• Minimum strength compared to solid wood doors. If you wish, it will not be difficult to damage such a product. Therefore, they are used only as interroom, and not entrance.
• Complex restoration. If the structure of such doors is damaged, then it is almost impossible to repair them. To exclude these phenomena, you need to use these constructions very carefully.

Eco-veneer door leaves are made using wood, which acts as frame elements. It should be understood that the artificial veneer is here only a decorative protection that is applied to the top layer of the structure.Depending on the external features, eco-veneer door leaves can be divided into several types:

• Deaf. The door leaf is a solid shield, which is covered with an eco-veneer. The simplest and most common door models, which are notable for their low cost.

• Glazed. To decorate structures, experts add several glass inserts to the frame. This allows you to give them a unique and beautiful appearance. The eco-veneer itself is applied directly to the wooden structural elements. Doors with glass can fit into a more sophisticated interior, adding a peculiar twist to it.

• Paneled. Door leaves of this type are complemented by special inserts that decorate its surface. There are many design solutions of this type, which allows you to select products for the desired interior.

Many types can also be used in the bathroom or kitchen.

Technically, the door leaf of such a door consists of several structural elements:

• Frame. In most cases, it is made from bars of cheap wood species (pine and others like that).
• Facing. This is the middle layer that directly covers the frame itself. For this, special MDF boards are used.
• Decorative coating. It is an eco-veneer that gives the door leaf beauty and practicality. The material bends very well, which allows it to be wrapped around almost all structural parts, getting a better coating.

Eco-veneer doors are a kind of classic structures made of MDF or wood. The shape of these products is practically no different from other models. Often it is rectangular with various decorative inserts. But if the buyer wishes, the manufacturer can supplement the product with several types of arches.

As for the dimensions, there is also a great variety.

Classic modifications have several standard sizes:

• Height. Standard designs are produced with this parameter no more than 2 m.But if the buyer wishes, the height of the door leaf can be increased by 20-30 cm.
• The width of the door is often at least 60 cm. This size can reach a maximum of 90 cm. If the doorway has non-standard dimensions, then the products are adjusted for them only by special order.
• Thickness. Technically, this value can also vary over a wide range. But the standard models are 44mm thick.

Eco-veneered doors have an excellent design, which is practically indistinguishable from natural products. At the same time, manufacturers can piecewise change the color and texture properties of the upper protective layer.

Today on the market you can buy products in several colors:

• brown;
• pearl;
• white;
• cappuccino;
• black and many others.

Eco-veneer production technology allows you to change not only the color, but also the structure of the top layer. This is achieved due to the fact that the material has a distinctive feature of reflecting light, giving it a three-dimensional structure. Manufacturers produce eco-veneer for many types of wood species.

Several types of structures are considered the most popular:

• wenge;
• white ash;
• smoky oak;
• larch;
• Italian walnut and much more.

Particularly popular today are products with a light coating, which is perfect for both modern and classic room styles.

Eco-veneer doors are a great alternative to solid wood structures, which are much more expensive.Therefore, many people prefer to install such products in their apartments.

When choosing such products, you should consider a few simple recommendations:

• Pay attention to the quality of the door leaf. To do this, you need to assess it for damage. If you find at least minimal flaws, you should refuse such a purchase. It is also important to evaluate the quality of the fittings. She must be not only beautiful, but also reliable.
• Check the fire hazard class of the door leaf. Safety depends on this during a fire, in which doors can cause the spread of fire. If the product contains glass, you should find out how strong it is. Pay attention to the fact that there are no chips or sharp corners on the ends of this element, which can be damaged.
• The design is selected depending only on personal preferences. Here it is important to select doors to match the style of the interior and furniture.

• Assess the condition of the top layer. There should be no scratches on the surface of the eco-veneer, even the smallest. Many sellers hide such flaws under price tags or other elements (stickers, packaging, etc.). These places should be checked especially carefully. Similar attention should be paid to the structure of the lacquer coating, if present.
• Geometry. Doors of this type are framed, which does not always allow you to get high-quality products. Please note that the door leaf should be an even rectangle with minimal deviations (only 1 mm error is allowed).
• Pay attention to the package bundle. This is important if you want complete doors with locks, handles and trims.

• To purchase reliable and durable products, you should also pay attention to customer reviews. This will allow you to select a product with an optimal price-quality ratio. Experts recommend buying door leaves only from well-known manufacturers who use mainly natural materials that are safe for humans.

Despite the claims of manufacturers that eco-veneer is resistant to scratches and damage, this is not always the case. It all depends mainly on the quality of the material and its application to the door frame. Therefore, in order to prolong the life of these structures, they should be properly looked after. First of all, you need to follow all the recommendations of the manufacturer, who should advise everything: from the method to the means of cleaning these surfaces.

The best option for the care of eco-veneer is special detergents, which can be purchased in specialized stores. Perfectly washes away dirt with a solution of alcohol and water in a ratio of 1 to 9, respectively. After you have wiped the door tightly with them, you just need to wipe off excess moisture with a dry cloth.

It is not recommended to use several products and materials for cleaning such surfaces:

• Washing powders and dish detergents. They are not intended to care for the tree and can destroy its structure. As for the powder, its particles can simply physically damage the top layer of the eco-veneer. This will lead to scratches, through which moisture will already penetrate under the sticker. If this happens, then the top layer will simply peel off.
• Scrapers and sponges. Their surface is very hard, which can also lead to scratches.
• Aggressive solutions. Often this group includes all mixtures containing acids, alkalis and abrasive components. All of them easily corrode the top layer of the eco-veneer and reduce the decorative characteristics of the door leaf.

Therefore, to prolong the life of the doors, periodically wipe them with a dry or slightly damp cloth. It is also not advisable to install them in the bathroom or outdoors. Changes in humidity and temperature will lead to rapid peeling of the top decorative coat.

Veneered doors in the classic style will perfectly complement the strict, but very chic design of the room. The combination of blue wallpaper, white flooring, doors and matching wall veneers really makes the interior look great. Stylized as an old banquet, it also fits well into it.

Splendid, finished doors accentuate the opulence of an ivory-toned space. An elegant armchair and a table complement the interior.

The dark bathroom door goes well with the graphite tiles on the walls and floors. The white decor is the first to resonate with the color of the seams of the coatings, furniture and sanitary ware.

A beige double swing door with frosted glass inserts and a similarly styled product with one leaf look beautiful against the background of dark parquet boards, light and dark walls, respectively.

What is the advantage of eco-veneer doors, see the next video.