To the layman most of the timber doors you can purchase for your home look the same, however, nothing could be further from the truth.
Many of the doors you can purchase share a couple of issues of which you must be aware to ensure your doors last and look their best throughout their lifespan….
Expansion and Contraction
Expansion and contraction is a normal process for timber, even after it has become a part of your door.
With a solid timber door the lengths of timber and the timber grain that comprise the components of the door are expanding and contracting together which ensures a structure that is solid, weather resistant and long-lasting.
When different pieces of timber are used to construct the door they may have their grains running in different directions so the individual length of timber will likely expand in different directions up the door potentially causing cracking and subsequent water penetration.
Are you purchasing real timber or engineered timber?
A lot of customers think they are buying or have a genuine timber door when in fact it is an engineered timber door.
An engineered timber door consists of multiple bits of timber glued together then wrapped in a thin timber veneer, approximately 0.6mm thick.
Engineered timber is mostly manufactured overseas (as are the doors that are manufactured using engineered timber) and the potential savings in cost to the manufacturer are huge whilst the savings passed on to you, the customer, are minimal.
To add to the problem the glue used to join the timber is often PVA which is water soluble thus has the potential of making the door fail sooner.
At Fremantle Door & Window Company we purchase the timber ourselves then manufacture our doors and windows locally here in Perth.
How Do I tell if the timber is laminated?
When you look at a door side-on it is not obvious that the sample you are being shown is laminated.
As you look along the top edge, though, the quality is obvious. As an example the small cross-section in the image here has 16 separate pieces of timber laminated together.
Once again, a professional joiner would not commonly be using engineered timber to construct wooden doors. They are aware of the issues involved with longevity and susceptibility to moisture. A joiner will also be using the correct glue to ensure the product you purchase will last along with your property.
Summary
These are two very important issues to consider when making a purchase of timber doors or windows for your biggest investment, your home.
Purchasing your timber doors from a company that sources product internationally or manufactures in Australia for the lowest cost rather than the highest quality can be a poor substitute for having doors and windows made locally and measured, designed and fitted by a qualified, professional joinery.
Quality is enjoyed long after the pain of price has been forgotten.