How easy is it to recognise a quality door? It's not as simple as you think. A door's appearance doesn't always give many clues about durability and strength.
If you’re struggling to see the wood from the trees about buying a quality door, we’ve some guidance to help.
Know more about your door
There are many doors on the market but which one is best? A solid wooden door is robust but so is a solid-timber engineered door consisting of multiple blocks of wood pressed together. A hardwood veneer applied on top of the door makes it incredibly sturdy.
Solid wood doors are susceptible to environmental changes, but engineered doors aren’t affected by humidity and won’t warp meaning they’ll outperform a solid option.
There are two other types of doors - hollow-core and solid-core. The clue between the difference is in the name. Core type signifies the strength and durability of the door.
Solid-core doors are sturdier with MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) inside while
hollow-core doors have a thin timber veneer over a honeycombed cardboard or plastic core.
How can you tell the difference?
- Test the door’s weight. Solid wooden and engineered-core doors are heavier and harder to lift.
- Check the panelling. Hollow-core doors usually have faux panels, whereas panels that appear detailed are likely to be wood, engineered or solid-core.
- Painted doors are more likely to be hollow-core.
- Wooden, engineered and solid-core doors are more expensive because of material costs.
The thick (and thin of it)
The thickness of your door can indicate the quality - the greater the width, the more substantial and secure.
Any good manufacturer will list the width measurement of a door. Entrance doors should be 40 to 45mm thick. A wider door has more resistance against warping or getting damaged around the jambs.
Manufactured to perfection
The way the door is manufactured will tell you a great detail about its strength. Before you make a purchase ask whether it’s made in Australia or from overseas and the assembly process. Learn about the type of timber used. Little details about the construction give valuable insights - even down to glue and stains.
Enquire as to whether the doors meet certain specifications. Many Australian ones carry the British Standard Kitemark which means the door is of superior quality and matches specific standards.
A high-quality door will have undergone extensive cycle testing - a measurement of how well the door performs after being repeatedly opened and closed.
Strength and security
Security takes priority when choosing a new door. Entrance doors should incorporate multi-point locks, high-strength security hinges and a robust locking barrel to prevent a burglar from gaining entry.
Reputation and warranty
Always investigate warranties – a good quality door should come with a lengthy one.
It's always wise to do some research. Check how long the business has been in operation and the level of experience and knowledge in carpentry and joinery. Trawl through online reviews to find out about customer feedback.
Don’t feel stumped over door quality! Door Stop has 35 years of experience manufacturing and selling quality doors, making us one of Perth's largest door suppliers. Our engineered doors feature meranti wood and all come with the British Standard Kitemark and a seven-year guarantee. Visit either our Joondalup or Osborne Park showroom to find out more.
