Features of solid wood doors

We all want doors in our home to be reliable and durable, but it is equally important that they also look beautiful, since the doors are always in sight. Undoubtedly, solid wood doors are in the first place in the rating of beauty and reliability.

Traditionally, wood has been the main material for making doors. Its main advantage was its ubiquitous availability and the ease with which this material could be processed by any local carpenter. In the modern world, simple, strong and reliable solid wood doors have also found their place, despite the abundance of substitutes made of metal, plastic and "hybrid" materials like MDF. Both internal and external doors are made of natural solid wood.

Traditionally, it is customary to call a bar and a plank as solid wood, that is, one hundred percent natural wood. Such material, which is free from knots and defects, is usually carefully sorted, is classified as "extra" and therefore is quite expensive. Solid wood cannot be considered a beam glued from veneer interlayers, like LVL, or a board pressed from wood dust, like MDF board. The loud name of the solid wood allows the presence of glued parts, but only if they are large enough, such as the lamellas that make up the eurobeam, or furniture timber. A similar material is referred to as an array, but is considered less environmentally friendly due to the presence of a significant amount of glue in its composition.

The design of the door can have a different device, in addition, according to the type of opening, they can be either swing or sliding. It can be a smooth solid wood canvas, which makes sense to use as a reliable front door. This type of door is commonly called blind doors. Such a monumental door, made from the thickest board and properly processed, will last a long time, but it will not look old and out of fashion, since natural wood is always in trend. Another type is a curly door, which has a variety of panel-panels as inserts. Such doors are good in the form of interior swing structures, for example, a double-leaf paneled door will decorate the entrance to the hall or living room.

Another type is the side door, in which the same type of wood plates with a transverse arrangement of fibers are used in the form of inserts. Such doors look great both in the form of swing or double-sided interior doors, and as the folds of a folding door-book. An unusual and unfamiliar type of construction to the domestic buyer, which is called a pendulum door system, also looks beautiful if it is made of solid wood. Usually, the frame of this design is made of a material of standard thickness, and a lightweight board is used to reduce the weight of the middle part.

The consumer qualities of a solid wood door depend on the wood from which it is made. First of all, wood is usually divided into coniferous and deciduous species. Among conifers, cedar is in first place in terms of price-quality ratio, followed by larch, then pine and spruce.

Cedar does not stand out for its particularly beautiful fiber pattern and may seem somewhat "fresh" in appearance, but cedar wood is distinguished by a valuable set of consumer characteristics that compensate for the absence of noble veins.

Larch can differ significantly in its characteristics due to the place of growth. This tree is stronger and stronger, the more severe the weather conditions in its homeland, which is why Siberian and Canadian larch wood is at the top of popularity. Larch is a fairly expensive material, but judging by consumer reviews, it is worth its money.

This tree is characterized by the following qualities:

• It becomes stronger on contact with a humid environment;
• Withstands temperature imbalance;
• Not afraid of woodworms. Larch is a rather expensive material, but, according to consumer reviews, it is worth the money.

Pine and spruce are very similar in their working qualities, doors made of them cost about the same and it is the products made of these materials that are the most on the market. High-quality dried, sorted and treated with protective impregnations pine and spruce wood has good resistance to moisture changes.

Hardwoods are the undisputed leaders among the suppliers of ornamental wood. Solid oak and beech doors have been an obligatory attribute of the mansions of noble persons at all times. An attractive moire pattern of walnut adorned the boudoirs of court coquettes, and the soft, sunny color of ash delighted the little ones.

Oak, which is deservedly considered the most prestigious among domestic varieties, can be either freshly sawn or stained. If in the first case we are talking about an ordinary tree that not so long ago grew in the forest, then bog is a tree that has lain in the ground for several thousand years, therefore bog oak is considered a diamond among the varieties of wood. The cost of one cubic meter of such an oak can reach 3-4 thousand euros, therefore, this variety is used extremely rarely as an array for making door panels.

Oak has excellent custom properties. The reliability of oak doors deservedly ranks first among solid wood structures, and in the case when oak entrance doors are hand-forged, their strength, according to experts, is many times higher than metal ones. The cost of oak doors is extremely high, but their appearance is an indicator of the status and prestige of their owner, and the texture of this wood cannot be confused with anything. Brushed oak doors look especially attractive.

Beech, which appears in large quantities on the market for doors and solid wood furniture, is a "relative" of oak, since both of these trees belong to the same biological family - beech, so the characteristics of these types of wood are similar. The cost of beech is significantly lower than that of oak.

Ash, which can be called the leader among materials for solid wood doors, occupies this position due to the balance of consumer characteristics, appearance and an acceptable price. This type of tree belongs to the middle price category.

Linden is rarely used to create solid wood doors; it is usually used as a glue bar that is collected through a tenon.

The reason for this lies in the structure of the tree and the small diameter of its trunk, so that the percentage of output of a quality board that does not have knots and other defects is quite low. Also, this type of wood is used in combination with more common ones, for example, as inserts in ash doors.

Karelian birch has an incredibly beautiful wood pattern that, after processing, looks like a marble pattern. It is highly durable and durable and could be an excellent raw material for making solid wood doors. Unfortunately, recently there has been an acute shortage of this type of wood, so it is used only for the production of veneer and small inserts. The cost of Karelian birch is quite high, since this wood belongs to the premium class.

Walnut is not often used for making solid wood doors. This is due to the fact that its wood is soft and hygroscopic, moreover, this type of wood is sensitive to humidity in rooms, and this deficiency is almost impossible to correct using impregnation treatment. Since the walnut has a magnificent pattern, called "moire", and a wonderful natural shade, it is used for veneering products, especially since the price tag of this material is very affordable.

The dimensions of solid wood doors depend on the size of the openings in which they are going to be installed. In typical apartments with a ceiling height of 2400 or 2500 mm, the doorway allows the installation of a door with a height of not more than 2000 mm. It is at this height that GOST is oriented, which exists for manufacturers of door panels. Eurostandard provides for a slightly higher height - 2100 mm, therefore, when buying, for example, Italian solid wood doors, it is worth clarifying the dimensions of the door leaf and frame and make sure that they "fit" into the existing doorway. An important point to remember when purchasing European-made doors is that the size on them will be indicated in the modules. In this case, 1M (module) is equal to 100 mm, respectively, if the size M 21 is indicated on the package, this means a dimension of 2100 mm.

The width of the door leaves is also standard. It starts from 550 mm for the RF and 600 mm for the EU, then 600 mm, 700 mm, 800 mm, 900 mm. When installing double-leaf doors, most often either two identical leaves, for example, each of 700 mm, or two different ones are mounted. One of them can be one and a half, and the other half, while the size is 600 mm and 800 mm, respectively. Most domestic manufacturers adhere to GOST and EU standards in the production of door panels, but if desired, the buyer can order non-standard sizes.

Each of the types of wood used to make doors has its own unique color.

• The natural color of cedar wood can be delicate golden, beige and even chocolate.
• Unpainted larch doors have a warm honey color that ranges from brown to golden.
• Pine color ranges from light yellow to brownish.
• Bog oak has an incredibly beautiful black color, often with a purple tint.

• The natural color of oak is straw yellow, a very cheerful and warm shade.
• The natural color of beech is light pink, sometimes reddish.
• Ash has a rare color, the gradation of which is carried out from an almost white shade ("gray ash") to dark brown.
• Linden wood does not differ in particular beauty of the pattern, but it has a pleasant yellowish-beige color.
• The color of natural Karelian birch is light straw.
• The nut color can range from dark gray to dark brown.

Today there are several thousand shades of enamels, the most popular are white varieties, such as "pearl", "atlas", "vanilla", "ivory", "snow" and many others. Recently, it has become especially popular to paint solid wood doors in various colors with patina. It creates the effect of aged wood and looks beautiful when done with taste and a sense of proportion.

A feature of solid wood doors is the fact that they will fit into almost any design, only the sense of taste and the level of performance are important. There are design directions that seem to have been created for the use of such doors - these are classics, baroque, rococo, empire and vintage. It is in these interiors that heavy and luxurious doors made of natural wood can show all their splendor and, decorated with gilding, expensive fittings and stained-glass windows, will sparkle with all shades of noble wood. Doors in such interiors are often casted with intricately shaped carved platbands, they are decorated with cornices or semicircular arches, the corners of the cornices often imitate pilasters.

Multicolored stained glass or shining crystal glass used for inserts looks especially advantageous in combination with noble natural wood. For such openwork designs, luxurious oak or beech is suitable.

A light, almost white door made of "gray" ash will be appropriate in the modern interior style, made in gray and metallic shades. Golden larch, almost without a pattern, will be very successfully combined with a minimalist interior, especially if a compartment door or a folding door is made of it.

In most cases, the pros and cons of solid wood doors depend on the material from which they are made. Density, soundproofing and resistance to external influences differ markedly in different types of wood, and this point should be taken into account when choosing.

The cedar is distinguished by the following qualities:

• Strength. According to the generally accepted opinion, cedar can even be compared in strength to steel;
• Antiseptic qualities. Thanks to them, cedar doors are not susceptible to fungus and mold, respectively, they will be an excellent choice as doors for a bath or sauna;
• High noise insulation;
• Immunity to temperature changes (especially useful when used as an entrance door).

Larch has the following advantages:

• High resistance to moisture, respectively, to fungus and mold (there is an opinion that larch "loves water", that is, doors made of this tree will most successfully serve in rooms with high humidity);
• The strength of wood, which is comparable to that of oak;
• Immunity to wood-boring pests due to the high content of phytoncides.

Of the pluses of pine and spruce, the following can be noted:

• The fiber pattern looks interesting and attractive;
• The weight of the products is relatively light, since this wood has a loose structure.

Oak wood belongs to the elite class, its advantages are listed below:

• Durability is one of the main advantages of oak, because over time, its wood only benefits in terms of external indicators, passing into the category of antiques;
• Soundproofing, which is one of the highest for this type of wood.
• Attractive pattern and texture that allows you to create solid board products with minimal inserts.

However, buyers should remember that an oak door is whimsical about excessive moisture and requires careful treatment with moisture-proof impregnations, otherwise it will "lead". Accordingly, it is better to entrust the manufacture of such doors to a trusted professional. Since oak is a very heavy tree, it requires fastening on very solid hinges and constant monitoring of the condition of the fittings.

Correctly processed beech allows you to create door designs that differ in many factors:

• Strength slightly inferior to that of oak;
• Durability (subject to refusal to use them in saunas and bathrooms);
• Soundproof;
• Excellent appearance, as it has a beautiful texture in all slices.

The "weak point" of beech, like oak, is the reaction to moisture, and in beech this property is much more pronounced: according to the reviews of the masters, beech doors not treated with protective impregnation do not just "lead", they give significant cracks and can completely come into disrepair. Therefore, the most important stage in the production of doors from solid beech is its proper drying and subsequent processing, which is possible only in conditions of well-established industrial production.

Ash wood has the following qualities:

• Moisture resistance, allowing it to be used in rooms with temperature changes;
• Hardness and resistance to mechanical damage, which is especially high in light ash wood varieties;
• Durability, because, being properly processed, ash can last up to a hundred years, regardless of the type of room;
• Refined appearance and attractiveness of patterned design.

The characteristics of linden wood are also quite good:

• Resistance to humidity and temperature extremes, which allows you to put linden doors even in a steam room;
• Medium density, which is higher than that of pine or cedar;
• The presence of a pleasant natural aroma that a linden door emits during operation.

It is believed that solid wood doors are the most whimsical to care for, and this is true, however, with the right attitude, they can last for several decades, so it makes sense to take this process seriously.

To clean the lacquered door from dirt, do not use ordinary detergent. To do this, you need to use either one of the special products (Emsal, Pronto, Oricont Luxus, Mebelux), or a weak soap solution. You can make a 1/10 solution of alcohol and water at home, which can also wash away dirt from a varnished door.

After washing, the door must be wiped dry. For preventive maintenance, you can purchase wax or polish, as well as an antistatic agent. It is necessary to process the surface of the door at least once every two months, while small scratches are erased and a protective layer is created that protects the wood from moisture.

In a private house, solid wood doors often coexist with such natural materials as natural stone. A high foundation faced with rough stone looks monumental, which primarily performs a protective function, protecting the structure from the effects of moisture.The terracotta pattern of the stone is repeated both on the steps of the porch and in the facing of the load-bearing structures of the veranda. In this case, a heavy and durable door made of honey-colored solid wood, decorated with glass inserts, looks a harmonious continuation. Window frames made of such wood fulfill not only a functional role, but are also the finishing touch of the picture, confirming the taste of the owners of this cozy nest.

The massive entrance doors made of solid wood look interesting as a decoration for the entrance to a country house. In this case, monolithic wood is used, tinted in various shades of chocolate. The doors themselves are made in the color of milk chocolate, and the ceilings and pillars of the veranda are decorated with a bar painted in the tone of dark chocolate.

This play of color emphasizes the natural majesty of the material from which the doors are made, and, at the same time, does not let the eye get tired of the abundance of a monotonous dark shade. The entrance doors have a paneled structure, two thirds of the leaf are covered with wood inserts, the upper third has glazed fragments. The side transoms and the transom above the door are decorated with the same glass inserts. In addition to solid wood, natural stone was used in the design of the veranda, which emphasizes the impression of the solidity of the entire structure.

There is also a place for solid wood doors in city apartments. Classic doors made of noble wood will be appropriate in a room with high ceilings, massive solid walls and elegant furniture. In the interior of luxury and prosperity, a patterned door frame looks absolutely natural, covering a wide wall opening and being the basis for an elegant door. The double-leaf design has glass inserts with a gilded ornament, the color of which is repeated in the design of the door handles and the lock. The overhead carved patterns that decorate the door leaf are made with delicate taste and a sense of proportion, turning this beautiful door into a piece of art.

In a modern interior, a beautiful and durable room door made of natural wood can decorate the entrance to a children's room, while at the same time reliably protecting the rest of the residents from noisy children's games. To save space, it will be convenient to equip such a door in the form of a sliding structure suspended on powerful metal fasteners. Such a door looks especially good when there are other interior elements made of wood of a similar color in the room, for example, durable wooden children's beds or a chandelier with a fan, the blades of which are painted in the color of the wood.

Do not think that solid wood doors are always only serious and majestic designs, appropriate only in classic style solutions. This material will also find a place in the energetic design presentation of the apartment's decoration, the main thing is that the wooden structure is not the only option for the interior. A suspended interior door made from a pair of "raw" oak planks looks stunning. Of course, such a door leaf must be covered with all the necessary impregnations, antiseptics and varnish, otherwise it simply will not withstand the operating conditions and will quickly lose its attractiveness, but the external impression of a rough, not sanded tree does not lose in the least from the use of modern protective equipment. On such a deliberately rough door, decorative elements are completely absent, since all of it is a striking element in the design of the room.

For information on how doors are made of solid wood, see this video.