Metal door trim - create your style

The front door is one of those elements of the room that is especially striking, this is what you look at every day, and what guests will pay attention to. Therefore, the finish of the doors, their aesthetics, is no less important than its technical characteristics.

In the not so distant past, at the moment when the metal doors just began to spread, they did not have a particularly elegant finish. Most often, they were simply enameled. Over time, approaches to finishing began to change, however, as well as production technology.

Front door trim options

In this article we look at the most common options for finishing.

Artificial leather

Finishing a metal door in this way is the most economical option. The main element of the vinyl leather is a high-strength fabric, which is coated with a layer of PVC and embossed pattern.

In this case, vinyl artificial leather, or artificial leather, which is sheathed in a low price segment, is used to finish the doors. However, cheapness does not always mean low quality and lack of consumer properties.

Being a very inexpensive material, artificial leather is quite dense, elastic and has several advantages:

• substantial fire resistance (this material burns, but high-quality materials slowly smolder than erupt;
• good tolerance of temperature differences;
• resistance to the harmful effects of moisture: the material does not absorb it, and besides it does not exfoliate from the high level of humidity;
• artificial leather is not subject to fading due to direct sunlight;
• the material itself is hygienic and environmentally friendly;
• caring for him is not difficult: it is enough to wash vinyl artificial leather with usual water with soap;

The disadvantages of the material can be easily attributed to low resistance to vandalism, since the vinyl leather can be cut with a knife without any problems. For this reason, doors with a similar finish are rarely installed in public areas, in particular on the street.

To give additional properties of noise and heat insulation (see. Noise insulation of the entrance door), satin and foam rubber is laid in the door of the trimmed vinyl leather, which gives additional volume to the door leaf. However, pet owners are unlikely to approach this option, as living animals often like to sharpen claws or fangs about such material.

Laminate

Laminated panels for doors are now one of the most common materials used in exterior and interior decoration of doors. One of the most powerful arguments in favor of this type of material is, of course, price.

Among other things, the laminate is very attractive in appearance. At its core, laminate is a multi-layer high-strength orgalit coated with a decorative film. It has a smooth surface with drawings that imitate the structure and colors of wood of different species.

Finishing metal laminate doors can be a good choice for those who want to see something similar to natural material, but not ready to spend serious money on natural wood trim.

The advantages of finishing the door laminate include:

• laminated coating is electrostatic, therefore the door will not be a dust collector;
• the laminate can be easily cleaned from almost any contamination;
• high-quality decorative films have a high class of resistance to temperature effects (for example, from a spark) and scratching;
• the material is strong enough and to some extent can withstand shock loads.

Metal doors with laminate finish have one, but a very serious drawback: during a period of high humidity (see Why the front door sweats), for example, during heavy rain or snowfall, the material stratifies and warps.

The problem of interaction with humidity is solved by purchasing doors from a higher price segment that have an additional protective film layer. Such a film completely protects the door from the harmful effects of water. In addition, the foil-covered door is easy to clean.

Powder spraying

Этот вид отделки относится также к числу наиболее распространенных. Powder spraying применяется для квартирных, подъездных, тамбурных, офисных, а также дверей технических помещений.

The fact is that the doors coated with powder spraying are considered anti-vandal. Such doors are not afraid of scratches and chips.

The advantages of this type of coating include:

• resistance to moisture;
• resistance to high and low temperature conditions, external weather conditions;
• powder-coated coating, easily resists corrosion and is not afraid of destruction by chemical reagents.

The door is covered with this material as follows: first of all, the door is covered with metal and polymer powder, and then heated using a high-temperature mode in a special chamber.

During the process, the powder melts, thus creating a protective coating. Another of the undoubted advantages of such coatings are the minimum requirements for their care during their operation.

To care for a coating made by powder spraying, it is enough to wipe them periodically with a damp sponge moistened with detergent. The coating does not collect dust, which reduces the time needed for maintenance.

Doors coated with powder spraying can be matte and glossy, as well as rough or smooth.

MDF

Finishing a metal door with this material is very expensive, but the canvas has a classic and rich look. Finishing plates from MDF imitates natural wood. Catalogs offer the opportunity to choose a drawing for the door of several hundred options - the range of colors is really very wide.

MDF is a wood-fiber pressed plate, which is made by pressing wood chips in a high-temperature mode and pressure. The bonding material during this process is a natural natural element - lignin, released from wood texture during strong heating, and having properties similar to reinforced concrete.

MDF panels are treated with polymeric compounds that create imitation of wood species on their surfaces, and also give MDF panels enhanced strength properties. Polymeric compositions can be matte and glossy.

The advantages of this material:

• in addition to the noble appearance, finishing MDF panels can significantly improve the heat and sound insulation;
• doors finished with this material are resistant to mechanical damage, as well as temperature changes and moisture;
• MDF doors are environmentally safe, it is a natural material that is produced under pressure from wood.

Tree

Such metal door trim is considered to be elite. This is a great option for those who would like to make their homes prestigious, in which behind the doors is a rich decoration.

The doors are finished with wood and will fit well into the interior, as its irreplaceable element. The thickness of the used coating from the array is usually sixteen millimeters. On the surface of wood can be applied to drawings or carved.

Since orders for such decoration options are exclusive, their cost is no less than one thousand euros. The upper limit is practically non-existent due to the presence of a significant number of variations of decorative coatings.

For example, some manual work with materials from expensive wood can cost from five hundred dollars. You need to understand that in order to fold the original composition, you need a special technology that allows you to properly fasten parts into a single structure, which also affects the final price.

In addition to the above door trim options, there are others:

• forging
• glass decoration (see. Decorative glass for doors: how to choose the right one)

However, such variations are less common. Also used a combined door trim. There is no limit to fantasy!