What types of doors are made from solid core timber?
Solid core timber can be found in many household doors, and is one of the most common material for hinged doors. Its sturdiness, beauty and customisability all make this material a popular choice for front and rear entrances, as well as for interior doors. The wood may be painted, varnished or left bare, depending on the purpose and style of the door. Solid core timber doors are relatively easy to install too.
How are solid core timber doors constructed?
In some solid core doors, layers of various thicknesses and grades of plywood are glued together and cut to size to form a core for two sheets of the chosen wood, which are glued over the top with the edges finished in a matching wood.
In others, the core consists of solid particleboard over which the wood veneer is placed. Others still contain a core of solid pine, which is first laminated and then veneered.
How do solid core timber doors perform?
- Security – These doors are difficult to kick down, though the type of core that the door uses plays a large role in their strength.
- Weatherproofing – Solid core timber doors are able to be used externally, though they must be weatherproofed to prevent the wood from expanding.
- Soundproofing – This varies based on the core used, but wooden doors will generally carry quite a lot of sound no matter what sort of core is used.
- Cost – Wood is relatively inexpensive in comparison to other materials due to its popularity and abundance (it grows on trees, after all).
- Weight – Solid core timber doors don’t weigh a great deal, though again this depends a lot on the core filling.
- Thermal insulation – Wood is quite an effective insulator and will not translate heat or cold easily. It is flammable though.
