JELD-WEN EXPERT ANSWERS FAQS ABOUT DOORS
Chris Miller, Product Manager at JELD-WEN, answers some frequently asked questions relating to door finishes and offers advice when buying a door.
What is a veneered door?
A veneered door is one that has a thin layer of wood that forms its surface, which is bonded to a substrate then pressed onto a timber frame to make the face of the door. Many buyers choose real wood veneered doors, as they have the aesthetic benefits of traditional solid timber doors, but without the risk of warping and splitting, as well as being more affordable. JELD-WEN’s real wood veneered doors are fully finished, which means they have a multi-coat lacquer applied to both faces, for improved aesthetics and longevity. They also come with durable hardwood stiles, which are the vertical structural elements to the door. The edges of the door are finished with timber lippings that match the veneered faces.
What is a full faced or over-veneer door?
This simply means that the veneer is pressed over the timber frame and you cannot see the lippings or edges of the door from the face of the door. Veneer faces are then multi coat lacquered giving the final product a high quality finish with door edges seamlessly matching the face veneer. This frameless effect is a popular look in modern homes and JELD-WEN offers a wide range of veneers – ranging from African maple to white oak and ash.
What is a foil veneer door?
A foil veneer door is one that replicates the look of a real wood veneer door, but instead of using a veneer made from wood, the face of the door is produced from a synthetic foil facing. This makes the door more affordable, but still retains an authentic appearance. This type of door is often chosen for contemporary homes or apartments, as it has a sleek, modern appearance. Foil faced doors are popular as they provide a very consistent finish so there’s no need to spend time colour matching. JELD-WEN offers three attractive Foil Veneer finishes including ash, oak and beech.
What is the difference between pre-finished and fully finished?
When buying a new door, if the manufacturer labels it as part-finished this means it has been preservative treated or primed (base coat painted), but has not had a top layer coating applied. This is perfect for homeowners looking to customise a door to suit their own unique tastes. Fully finishing or sometimes described as pre-finished is a process offered by manufacturers such as JELD-WEN, where a paint or varnish is added at the end in factory quality controlled conditions.
This means you receive a superior finish that will last for longer and manufacturers like JELD-WEN offer six year guarantee on stained finishes and 10 years on painted.
What is a boarded door?
A boarded door is an external door that has a traditional “cottage look”, as it is constructed in a tongue and groove style with interlocking vertical boards. Boarded doors and gates must be finished with a high quality paint system to promote longevity. JELD-WEN offers a range of boarded doors and gates available in a variety of styles and sizes.
What is a moulded door?
This is a type of door that has a single piece moulded face that looks like a traditional timber panel door, but is much more affordable. It is manufactured with various core types including lightweight hollow core and heavy solid core to fill the space between the two door faces. The front and back faces of the door are covered with wood fibre skins and the door is made rigid by timber stiles and rails that run around the edges of the door internally. Moulded doors are available in contemporary and traditional styles in either smooth or woodgrain finishes. JELD-WEN’s moulded doors can be supplied fully-finished in white and an attractive range of glazed options are also available.
What is a stile and rail door?
Stile and rail doors are those with both vertical (stiles) and horizontal (rails) timber components that run the full height or width of the door to provide its structure. Rails can run horizontally at the top and bottom, but also optionally in the middle of the door to split the door into two or more rows of panels. This is a very popular design of door and includes JELD-WEN’s Real Oak Veneer doors, such as the Oregon Oak range. This range is available in four or six panel designs, with fire doors also an option.
Other stile and rail doors from JELD-WEN include the Shaker Oak Veneer Feature doors, which have clean, minimalist lines and are suitable for use in both modern and traditional interiors. JELD-WEN’s stile and rail doors are also available in attractive pre-finished and primed designs, with many styles with glazed options too, offering an extensive choice to the homeowner. These doors are a more premium products, because of their solid, robust properties and aesthetically pleasing design.
What is a flush door?
Flush doors are best described as doors which have no panel details and are completed smooth to touch. They feature an internal stile and rail construction that forms the outside edges of the door. The front and back faces of the door are then covered with wood veneer or plywood. There is an internal core material which is used simply to fill space and provide rigidity, such as honeycomb.
Solid core flush doors are available that consist of low-density particle board or foam used to completely fill the space within the door. Solid-core flush doors are commonly used as exterior doors in blocks of apartments because they provide more insulation and strength.
How can you recognise a fire door and what should you look for?
When choosing a fire door, you should always buy from a stockist that is registered to the BWF-CERTIFIRE scheme (visit website for your nearest stockist www.bwf.org.uk), so you can be sure that the door has been fully accredited and tested to meet the British Standards. Most fire doors are available as FD30 and FD60 (30/60 minute fire protection), this relates to how long the door will withstand smoke ingress and flame and protect the occupant, if it is being used properly. A BWF-CERTIFIRE approved fire door will carry a metallic identification label that is placed to the top edge, this identification is recorded with the manufacturer to allow full traceability.
What is a composite door?
A composite door is made from a material called glass reinforced plastic (GRP) or some may know it as fibreglass. These doors are popular as they are very robust and JELD-WEN’s composite doorsets meet with Secured by Design standards, which are approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers. Composite doors are very thermally efficient, as much as six times more energy efficient than some other materials. They are available in a wide choice of door styles and colours, with either a smooth face or wood-effect finish. Another benefit is that composite doors are through coloured, which means that minor damage will not reveal a different colour underneath and spoil the look of the door.
For more information on internal or external doors from JELD-WEN visit the website www.jeld-wen.co.uk or telephone 0845 122 2890.
