Front door finishing

After the renovation, many owners say that it is necessary to update some interior elements. Front doors often require renovation. Some structures should simply be replaced, and some can be successfully given a new life. Thus, you will not only hide all existing surface defects, but also decorate your interior.

A wide variety of materials are used for the interior decoration of doors.

MDF board has become widespread due to its good performance, pleasant appearance and affordable price. This material is presented today in several versions:

• Painted. It is used for interior decoration of doors.
• Veneered. Differs in increased resistance to atmospheric phenomena. For decoration, wood species such as oak, birch and more expensive options (beech, red wood, ash) are used.
• Laminated. Differs in good moisture resistance and durability. The material is characterized by an inhomogeneous multilayer structure, where the upper layer is decorative, and the lower one is a substrate.

MDF has the following positive qualities:

• easily mounted on the door;
• has an environmentally friendly composition;
• has good strength;
• enhances thermal insulation;
• improves noise insulation;
• has a wide selection of different textures and colors of the front surface;
• easy to clean.

The negative aspects of the material include:

• easily damaged by abrasive processing;
• weak moisture resistance;
• the price is above average.

To independently finish the MDF door with panels, you first need to:

• make accurate measurements of the dimensions of the door;
• buy a panel and immediately cut it out in the store to the size of the door, if the company provides such a service, or take it to a workshop specializing in such work.

The process of finishing doors with MDF panels consists of the following steps:

• The door is removed from the hinges, the fittings are removed.
• Cleaning the working surface from the previous finish, removing dust and small pieces of cloth, degreasing.
• A primer is applied to increase the adhesion between the door, adhesive and finishing sheet.
• The glue is applied along the edge of the entire door and in the middle.
• The panel is overlaid and pressed evenly. You can fix the sheet so that it does not slide out using masking tape that does not leave marks. The door is left for a while to dry the glue.
• With double-sided MDF panels, the operation is repeated in the same way for the second side.
• After the glue has dried, the door is put back on the hinges, the fittings are returned to their place.

Ordinary laminate flooring is used for door finishing. Such a coating is similar in its qualities to MDF, but it is produced using a different technology and has a different composition.

The structure of the laminate board is as follows:

• wood base;
• wood fiber board;
• several layers of special paper with a printed pattern;
• protective film.

The positive qualities of the laminate include:

• resistance to temperature changes;
• durability;
• ease of use;
• aesthetic appearance.

The disadvantages include high cost.

The laminate cladding process takes place in this order:

• All fittings are removed from the removed door.
• A frame is made of wooden slats with a section of 20x20 or 30x30 mm, the structure is attached to the door leaf by means of "liquid nails".
• The slats around the perimeter will be visible, so it is better to choose them to match the color of the laminate or paint them in the same color.
• The laminate is connected to each other so as to create a single plane that will be attached to the door.
• A frame made of strips is superimposed on the laminate board, the places of contact with the strips are marked.
• The surplus of the shield protruding beyond the dimensions of the door is sawn off, holes for the peephole, the handle and the key slot are cut.
• A rack frame is mounted on the door, the voids can be filled with heat and / or sound insulating materials, for example, foam or mineral wool.
• The laminate board is smeared with glue according to the markings and pressed against the lath frame, while the glue dries, a pressing weight must lie on top, distributed over the width so as not to push the laminate.
• After the glue dries, the fittings are mounted in place, the door is hung on the hinges.

Finishing material, made from various types of wood or plastic, is produced in the form of lamellas. Lining is similar in quality to wood, but more affordable financially.

The positive qualities of the lining include:

• good appearance;
• excellent heat and sound insulation;
• durability, especially for dies made of oak, larch and other hardwoods.

The negative aspects include:

• low moisture resistance, can be improved by impregnation with special additives;
• good flammability, can also be reduced by impregnation.

Facing with clapboard occurs according to the same plan as with laminate. There is an option of drawing up a decorative pattern from a lining of a small size and different colors. In this case, the assembled shield is attached to a thin OSB sheet, and the sheet is attached to a frame made of strips.

A material called "vinyl leather" is used, which has replaced leatherette in this niche, due to its higher performance and protective properties. Differs in improved appearance, very similar to natural leather.

The positive aspects of vinyl leather include the following characteristics:

• relatively inexpensive material;
• high moisture resistance;
• resistance to temperature fluctuations;
• pleasant, aesthetic appearance of the texture;
• high elasticity;
• convenient and undemanding material to use;
• good wear resistance;
• improves noise and heat insulation of the door;
• a large selection of textures and colors.

The negative aspects include low strength; due to its visual appeal for pets, it gives a quick loss of aesthetic qualities.

Vinyl leather door finishing consists of the following stages:

• The previous finish is removed, for example, with a spatula or other tool, the surface is cleaned.
• The glue is applied along the perimeter and in separate, evenly distributed areas over the entire plane.
• Insulation is applied (almost necessarily if the door is iron), fixed until the glue dries, after which the excess insulation is cut off.
• Vinyl leather is cut with a margin: 12 cm wider than the dimensions of the door.
• The glue is applied around the perimeter, but from the inside, so that the outside of the door is completely covered with vinyl leather, and the elongated edges in width (+12 cm) are wrapped inward.
• When applying the material, you need to start from the top from the center of the door and move down and to the edges, smoothing out the emerging "waves".
• The bottom of the door is glued at the end.
• After the glue dries, the excess vinyl leather is cut off, holes for the peephole, the handle and the key slot are cut in the canvas.

A good option for quick and inexpensive door decoration. Improves appearance and does not require special skills. The following types of paint are used to paint doors:

• Nitroenamel. The positive aspects of this paint are corrosion protection and aesthetic glossy color.The disadvantages include fragility, poor resistance to temperature fluctuations, strong odor. Poorly suitable for painting doors directly on the street, for example, in a private house.
• Alkyd enamel. Excellent paint based on alkyd resins with a lot of positive qualities, such as high resistance to aggressive environments, resistance to mechanical stress. About 4 years lifespan, dries quickly, resistant to fading.
• Acrylic paint. It has the same positive properties as alkyd enamel, in addition, it does not contain toxic substances. Very resistant to aggressive environments.
• Powder paint. The premium version with excellent operational and aesthetic qualities, the only drawback: painting is done only in special workshops. High resistance to any sources of negative impact.

The positive aspects of staining include:

• ease of finishing work;
• low price;
• any colors and shades of finishing.

The relative disadvantages include:

• do not enhance sound insulation in comparison with MDF, laminate, clapboard, vinyl leather;
• do not increase thermal insulation;
• some types of paints contain toxic substances.

The negative aspects include:

• high price, varies greatly from wood species, especially its rarity;
• good flammability, can be reduced by special impregnation;
• significant weight increase, replacement of loops is possible;
• poor moisture resistance, can be increased by appropriate impregnation.

To paint a door with high quality, you need to do the following:

• thoroughly clean the surface of the door from the old finish with a spatula or other suitable tool;
• wipe off dust, remove any pieces of matter, degrease;
• apply a primer;
• gently and in small portions apply paint with a roller or brush, layer by layer, do not paint everything in one go;
• it is possible to overlay a decorative template or stencil to create a unique pattern using different colors.

The easiest way to freshen up a door is with a self-adhesive foil. Doesn't add any operational pros or cons to the door. Before gluing, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned and degreased. If there are dents, chips, bumps, then they need to be sanded or putty. It is more convenient and better to glue from top to bottom, not in a hurry, so as not to get "waves".

This type of finishing materials belongs to the premium class. Able to create a unique, exclusive appearance of the front door. Possesses a large number of advantages.

The positive qualities of wood include:

• the naturalness of the raw material determines its hypoallergenicity;
• a wide range of patterns (textures) and colors;
• good noise and heat insulation;
• gorgeous and elegant appearance;
• strength and durability, varies from wood species;
• additional qualities can be imparted with the help of various impregnations.

The door paneling of the apartment can be made with metal. You can also paste over the door with veneer, sheathe it with laminate, and glue it with leatherette. Padding with leatherette, as a design technique, has been known for a very long time, as well as finishing with carpet, linoleum or iron sheet.

You can update the look of old wood or wood-framed doors by various means, including upholstery, the choice is yours.

Metal doors are made according to the frame-ribbed scheme. Inside, they have cavities that are well suited for filling with insulating special materials.

For this purpose, the following materials can be used:

• Styrofoam;
• mineral wool;
• Isolone of sufficient thickness;
• polyurethane foam and other insulation.

The foam insulation scheme consists in the phased filling of cavities, namely:

• we prepare the material by cutting it into pieces corresponding to the size of the intercostal cells;
• mounting foam is applied to the metal ribs at the joints with the insulation around the entire perimeter and to the inner plane of the door in 2-3 strips;
• a piece of foam is gently inserted into the cavity and pressed down;
• the process is repeated with all cells in the same way, except for the one where the door lock is installed, for it you need to cut the corresponding opening in the sheet, you should not completely skip the cell, this will create a large bridge of cold.

For outdoor applications, the most important criterion is weather resistance if the door faces directly outside. If this is an internal access door, then in most cases moisture resistance and resistance to temperature fluctuations are important. Thus, good options for exterior door cashing are:

• Steel sheet. It can have different levels of resistance, depending on the specific alloy. The appearance is improved by various decorative means, for example, coloring. When applying a sheet, a cork or other material gasket must be used. This will improve the heat and sound insulation of the door. The material is highly resistant to mechanical damage, vibration, weather conditions.
• Lining, siding. This material can be used subject to impregnation with special additives that enhance moisture resistance and resistance to temperature fluctuations.

• Coloring. Only types of paints are used that are resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations.
• Viniplast. Material based on PVC or fiberboard. It has excellent performance, the only drawback is instability to ultraviolet light, it can be leveled by opening the surface with a special varnish.
• Ship plywood. Visually similar to solid wood. Easy to handle, has good aesthetic and performance properties.
• Artificial leather. Good choice for a reasonable price. Due to its positive performance, it is used for interior and exterior decoration.

The decoration of a paneled or smooth entrance door can be very different. For example, in order to restore an old door and give it an original look, you can use the decoupage technique. The essence of the method is the application of an image to the surface of the door on a paper or fabric base by gluing.

In order to decorate the door with decoupage, the following materials are used:

• Textile. Variations using different fabrics will give your door a unique look and can be created from the material you already have.
• Images on paper. The drawing is limited only by imagination and the time of searching on the Internet or creating in a graphic editor. Ornaments are printed using a printer, it is important to use thin paper, this will simplify further application work.
• Paper napkins. It has become widespread, there is a large selection of different patterns on sale that will become the face of the door surface.
• Special decoupage cards. Sold ready-made with various patterns and themes. Convenient during application.

In decoupage, there are several basic options for tiling a canvas with a pattern (pattern):

• patterns located at a certain distance from each other, fantasy plays an important role here;
• centralized composition with a void around the perimeter;
• uniform continuous application to the canvas;
• framing panels;
• complex compositional drawings.

A mirror door is not only a beautiful, but also a functional option. The easiest design idea to execute. Visually increases the space, and also frees up space near the wall. A special option would be to install a second mirror opposite the door if it is a short distance away.

Inset of frosted glass with the imposition of forging in the role of a lattice. This option will increase the visual appeal of the door, increase the access of light to the room and the view of the street from the inside for the presence of people near the exit. Forging on the door has been used for a long time and is always at the peak of popularity.

Painting with mirror paint. The use of high quality paint such as Fine Paints will create an irresistible look to the entrance to the cottage. This is an innovative material that has proven itself on the good side and has proven its durability.

For tips on painting the door, see the video below.