I am looking to replace my 1960s looking Luan hollow core doors with something more solid and better looking. Possibly going with a shaker-flat panel look or something a little different than the standard 6 panel colonial. The existing jambs are all in very good shape, level, plumb and well-shimmed.
I was originally going to do this myself, but upon talking to the guy that is going to build my kitchen cabs, he recommended staying away from the composite-type doors (I had planned on going with a solid core masonite type door) and go with a solid pine door and then sand / paint it myself. He also offered me a fairly good price to hang all the new doors – 50 bucks each for ~17 doors including bi-fold closet doors.
Can anyone comment? Any good recs for brand of door?
Thanks,
TB
Replies
If you put heavy doors on the exisitng door jamb you might find that it will not be supported very well because the original door was light and the jamb was installed to suppoort that door.
When I install jambs to support heavy doors I use heavier stock for the jamb. You should finish the doors before they are hung. You will have far less problems if you do. Do not finish them outside. That is the way I learned and have never had one problem until a customer insisted I install them first. I told them I would not guarantee them because of that. The next day I ended up replacing every door that was installled the day before. The sun had gotten on them and cooked the front causing them to warp.
Why did he say to stay away from the molded masonite doors?
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
He said in his experience that they tended to expand and contract even more than a solid wood, which did seem counterintuitive. This movement caused sticking etc later on. Also, said that the heavy solid core doors still only have that little inch of solid wood to screw the hinges into, and if it fails, longer screws don't grab as well.
I was thinking of the Masonite brand MDF doors (Crown series), but they are pretty pricey.
Another issue is that the existing jambs only have 2 hinges - am I going to need 3? I think all of the bedroom doors are 30 or 32".
TIA
We had molded doos in our house, and they were decent. Yeah, real wood is nicer, but more expensive. The doors are 12+ years old, and we have not had any problems with movement. The only problem was with one door used as a slider in a closet, and they split the face panel off the top rail when they atytached the hanger plate.
You might need a third hinge, but a decent carpenter can add that easily.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Anyone have a brand they can recommend?
Anyone ever use the Masonite Crown MDF series?
I've installed a lot of the composite doors, both hollow and solid. I think I may have had 1 or 2 callbacks, and that was in a basement where it was a little damp. If you are going to paint, I think it's a waste of money to get a pine door.
The important trick is to seal the top and bottom edges with several coats of paint. Unless I specifically tell the customer and/or painter, it's usually not done. But the manufacturers say it should be.
$50 per door is a good price.
Nothing wrong with masonite doors. you cant tell the difference unless you knock on them. That said think about putting solid core masonite doors where you use them the most and hollow core where the doors are not used frequently. that will save you the extra expense of upgrading jambs and adding hinges where you dont need to.
Also any carpenter worth his salt knows to leave a bigger gap if the doors are installed during the dry season and vise-versa for the damp season.
The last batch of Masonite doors I installed (hollow core, for sure, can't remember about the solid core) did not have wood top and bottom rails, but used fiberboard instead, something I wasn't happy with. Same with the bifolds, fiberboard rails. The solid core ThermaTru stiles were about one inch stiles, as you were told. If you have to rip them down more than a half an inch, you're just about making the door useless, regardless what size hinge screw you use.
I haven't heard about movement on molded hardboard doors. They will swell if wetted, but so does just about everything else.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
Most of the doors we put in our new houses are hollow core, however last year I had a buyer who wanted solid. Instructions from my boss who has been a builder for 30+ years - talk 'em out of the solid pine doors - tell him we won't warrant them against warpage or cracking for even 3 months. The client got the solid core masonite style doors - can't remember the brand but I think it was Jeldwen. Not a call back yet, and believe me - if there were an issue - this guy WOULD let me know. That's what they put in the million dollar houses that my company builds.
Part of the problem with solid wood doors is that you have to be very careful with the way they are painted because the panels, etc still need to move around. Paint, varnish, etc, can 'glue' the door together which isn't good...
If the doors are to be painted, (as opposed to stained) I see no reason to get solid wood doors.
You will find guys who are hung up on the romance of solid wood doors. Romance doesn't fix problematic doors though... :-) Personally, I like building new stuff - not fixing what I built last month, last year, etc.
BTW - *exactly* how big are your old doors. Modern doors are often sized slightly differently than 40 YO doors.
Edited 8/7/2006 8:31 pm ET by Matt
Tb
I've hung a few of the solid masonite doors and I'd get them over the solid wood if paint was going to be my choice of finish.
Pretty much what everybody else says.
Doug
Thanks for all the comments. I think I will go with a composite. I don't know specifically which one. Hoping someone will chim in on the MDF doors still...
$50 to replace 17 doors in 17 existing jambs? That's a darn good rate...I'd be hard-pressed to compete with that one.
Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
50 per door. I think it is a good rate, but the fact that he had bad experience with composite doors suggests that I might be better off with someone else...
Well, to be fair. Those hollow composite doors aren't very forgiving if you need to do excessive trimming. Shave off too much, and you will end up exposing the hollow center - not good.Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
Justin
I think he's replacing them with solid doors.
Yup, glued up sawdust makes great doors....geez, let's just do everything in plastic, wood's such a pain to deal with....
I must be getting old!
You gotta drag yerself into the 21st century
<G>
So, can someone give me a brand recommendation for replacement slab doors, or are they all about the same? I would think with all of the custom builders (would love to hear from Mike Smith...), someone could chime in an opinion on interior doors. Please? :-)
Kicking & screaming all the way, thank you very much!!!
could ya get jr to quit screaming so loudly he's scaring the fish and the foursome out on the fairway are really beginning to complain...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!