Panel doors. Features and specifications

The panel door is the most common type of door structure. Its popularity is due to the low price of production. Such doors are quite reliable. Nevertheless, there are a few nuances that you should know about before buying a panel door.

Door panel panel construction

The traditional panel door consists of three elements:

• frame,
• filler,
• lining.

The frame is a rectangle assembled from solid or set wooden beams. A set is called a bar, glued from individual boards. This option is more reliable, as it is not subject to change in geometry due to temperature changes or changes in air humidity.

Additional stiffeners are installed between the top and bottom crossbeams. The more of them, the stronger the door. The optimal distance is 10 cm. With this arrangement, the ribs will provide sufficient strength even for a very thin lining.

If we talk about the material, then most often the frame is made of pine, less often from birch. Given the design of the panel door, there is no fundamental difference between the tree species, since the frame does not directly interact with the environment.

A filler is a material that is installed between the stiffeners. The following types are applied:

• edged board,
• minvata,
• polystyrene,
• expanded polystyrene,
• assembly foam.

Unprocessed wooden board is very cheap. Therefore, in the simplest versions, it is used as a filler. Of the disadvantages - a large weight of the finished structure, weak sound and heat insulation properties. The remaining materials are approximately the same in terms of properties and price, so they do not significantly affect the characteristics of the door.

Basically, frame-panel doors are installed as interroom, so their decorative value comes to the fore. For this answer lining.

Cover plates for panel doors

The panel door has its name because its front and back sides were a flat panel without any frills. Nevertheless, designers stepped far ahead and created quite a few variations for any taste queries. Therefore, the panel doors are divided:

• patterned,
• flat.

Patterned shields consist of a base on which special decorative elements are glued. This door looks much richer. On the performance characteristics, it is no different from a door with a flat cloth, but it costs a little more. On the other hand, any glue has the property of cracking, so the use of patterned linings in rooms with an aggressive external environment is not allowed. We are talking about:

• bathrooms,
• kitchens,
• cellars,
• balconies,
• children's rooms.

The last item has a slightly different nature. Since the patches are glued, they do not tolerate mechanical damage. This loosens the structure and leads to its failure. Children, especially at a small age, often like throwing toys. Regular hit on the door, even soft plush products in a few years will lead to the fact that the lining is unstuck.

It is quite simple to repair it:

• it is necessary to completely clean the surface of the shield and the cover itself from the adhesive,
• remove the door from the hinges,
• degrease the place of gluing,
• apply glue to the inner surface of the lining,
• to glue and press the overlay with a load of at least 10 kg.

But, it's much easier to use flat panel interior doors. Since they are in need of repair will not. In addition, their cost allows you to make a regular replacement of the door, if the canvas is hopelessly damaged.

Material for lining on wooden panel doors

This is perhaps the most important moment when choosing panel doors. The following variants are used in production:

• chipboard,
• fiberboard,
• MDF,
• Plywood.

Wood particle board is one of the most popular materials for linings. Especially in budget models. To speak about its merits is not necessary, and disadvantages should be noted:

• the presence of formaldehyde and other volatile toxins,
• strongly absorbs moisture, which leads to irreversible damage to the canvas, the
• has a fairly large weight and thickness of the canvas.

Wood fiber board is more reliable. Although it produces harmful chemicals for human beings, in a finished product their level rarely exceeds the permissible standards. Since the wood fibers are much deeper than sawdust, the moisture of the fiberboard is practically not afraid. In addition, a more viscous structure makes it possible to reduce the weight and thickness of the web. Another indisputable advantage - on sale there are hardly flammable species, which are effectively used in refractory doors. The fiberboard is more perfect, but also has its drawbacks. First of all, this is related to the structure of the plate. If the shield is damaged, it will gradually begin to crumble and crumble. The putty will solve the problem, but it will ruin the appearance of the door.

MDF is a modified version of fiberboard. It has the same features, but compared to a wood-fiber board it is much lighter and thinner. In addition, the evaporation of chemicals hazardous to humans is minimized. This is the best choice for lining the panel door.

Plywood - to put it mildly, a controversial material. On the one hand, it consists of wood, light enough and thin. But it is important to understand that plywood is highly susceptible to changing geometry, it sags, crumbles, is demanding of operating conditions and can not be repaired, be it mechanical, chemical or atmospheric damage. Naturally, if you do not intend to use the door, or it is put in a rented office, an apartment for rent, at a dacha, then the choice will be fully justified at the price. For everyday use in your home or apartment, these pads are not suitable.

Face cover plate for panel doors

Each of the listed materials has an extremely unsightly appearance. In order to make it attractive, decorative materials are used:

• veneer,
• melamine foil,
• vinyl film.

Veneer imitates noble sorts of wood. Often, quality veneer is made directly from red, iron and other rare tree species. Technologically glued to the door panel, it is able to turn any door into an icon of style and luxury. Nevertheless, the requirements for gluing assume the availability of quite expensive and powerful equipment. Most small manufacturers can not afford it, so veneer products quickly begin to lose attractiveness.

Larger companies prefer to use melamine coating, as it is much cheaper than veneer. Melamine is a thin film from 200 to 4000 microns.which allows you to create on the surface of the shield, almost any pattern. Most often, manufacturers imitate a tree or use a pastel color scheme.

The compromise between the conveyor and the originality is a vinyl film. Unlike melamine coatings, vinyl allows to use absolutely any color combinations from gloomy black, to a dazzling ultramarine. Although most doors are made in one, maximum - two colors, using vinyl it's easy to make a door in the style of a mosaic or decorate it with some drawing. To do this, you will have to make an individual order for the manufacturing plant.

Not so long ago, the so-called Canadian panel doors appeared on the market, the price of which starts from 600 rubles. As a lining they use plywood, and there is no internal filler at all. Nevertheless, they have one highlight - the white color of the coating. Designers use this effectively to create unique drawings on the doors. There are a lot of technologies, from ordinary drawing to graffiti. As a result, very original products are obtained. Naturally, their quality leaves much to be desired. Therefore, the finished painting is covered with several layers of colorless varnish. This simple solution allows you to protect the door from most of the negative factors. The only thing she will be afraid of is mechanical damage.

If there is no desire and time to experiment with art objects, then it's better to turn to the proven manufacturers.

Overview of panel door manufacturers

Consider the manufacturers of wooden panel doors in order of increasing prices:

• BELWOODDOORS is a Belarusian company, founded in 1999.It exports goods not only to the CIS countries, but also to Europe. Offers very high quality products, at a price of 1800 rubles.for simple models and from 2500 rubles.for more refined options. The model range includes more than 1000 variations.
• "Krasnoderevschik" is a domestic company founded in 1993.Before the beginning of the two thousandth the factory was engaged in the production of doors to order. From 2000 to 2005, every year won the contest "One hundred best goods of Russia".Now the company has reached a fundamentally new level of quality, fully compliant with European standards. Price of products from 2700 rub.
• "Europeans" - the history of the company began in 1999.Originally she was engaged in the production of materials for the manufacture of furniture. Starting in 2006, the development of the production of interior panel doors is actively developing. The peculiarity of the products is that all the components of the doors, apart from the fittings, are manufactured at the factory. This avoids marriage. Products meet all domestic and European standards. The model range starts from 5500 rubles. The price is accompanied by a seven-year warranty, which is an absolute record for Russian manufacturers.
• "Framir" is a narrow-profile enterprise that produces veneer products. A rich lineup and the highest quality provided the company with popularity. Of the disadvantages of a bad distribution, is represented mainly in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The price starts from 7000 rub.

The specified manufacturers concern to budgetary models. If we talk about the ratio of price and quality, then the choice should be stopped at BELWOODDOORS.But the choice of a door depends more on taste preferences.

Models of the middle and VIP classes are presented:

• RADADOORS is a Russian manufacturer, which has been active since 2005.Already by 2008 the products entered the market of CIS countries, monthly more than 30,000 m2 of door leaf are produced. At the same time, the quality of products remains at the highest level. The price is from 11 000 rub.
• Dariano - the main factory is located in Khabarovsk. This company began work in 1998 and completely and turned the creation of doors into art. The rich lineup and excellent performance provided the doors with popularity. In production, rather expensive wood is used, so the doors are really reliable and durable. The price is from 14 000 rub. In the assortment there are doors with a complex geometric design. A real tree is used as overlays. The price of such products starts from 30,000 rubles.

Various distributors, whether private sellers or building hypermarkets, offer products of Italian, French, less often Spanish manufacturers. Of course, their quality and appearance do not cause any questions, but the cost is unreasonably high.