What is the difference between solid wood doors and engineered wood doors?

Solid wood doors and engineered wood doors are both common terms in modern society. Another name for solid wood doors is "raw wood door," which, as the name suggests, is made entirely of real wood without any non-solid wood components. Engineered wood doors, on the other hand, use a wooden frame with other filler materials and decorative panels. These are the key differences between the two. Below are five aspects highlighting these differences:

Difference 1: Different materials and processes

Solid wood doors are made entirely of high-quality natural wood, without any impurities or veneers. Common wood types include ash, red oak, teak, cedar, and pine.

The characteristic of solid wood composite doors is that they combine and utilize the properties of various boards, and there are a variety of boards available. Common boards are often used, such as the core board in the door leaf, which is mostly made of pine, fir, and MDF, combined with a high-quality veneer. This characteristic also determines that solid wood composite doors are relatively lightweight.

Solid wood doors: These are doors made primarily from natural logs from forests, processed through a series of complex techniques such as drying, cutting, planing, tenoning, drilling, high-speed milling, assembly, sanding, and painting.

Solid wood doors: These are doors made primarily from natural logs sourced from forests.

Solid wood composite doors: Mostly use pine or fir as the core, with MDF or solid wood veneer on the outside, and then pressed at high temperature, and sealed with solid wood strips.

Difference 2: Different decorative appearance

Solid wood doors: Because they are made of natural solid wood, they have natural wood grain and very pure and natural colors. In addition, their appearance is not only exquisitely carved, but also comes in a variety of styles, making their designs even more beautiful.

Solid wood composite doors: While they may not have the natural grandeur of solid wood doors, they offer a variety of styles, from exquisite European carvings to various classic Chinese inlay designs, catering to the personalized decoration preferences of different homeowners.

Solid wood composite doors are known as stylish doors, with a variety of styles to suit all kinds of decoration styles, avoiding the awkwardness of mismatch with the style.

Solid wood doors are mainly decorated by their paint finish and the grain of the wood, with features like grooves, wood veneers, and moldings. However, this often limits their styles, and you may find that after looking through several pages of a catalog, you haven't decided which one you like before it's gone.

Despite its limited design and styles, the quality is undeniable. When placed side-by-side, the solid wood door exudes a more upscale and sophisticated feel. It's just that exceptional, making it both loved and hated.

Difference 3: Different performance characteristics

Solid wood doors are made primarily from high-quality raw materials, resulting in a heavier and more substantial feel, and they offer excellent sound insulation. However, engineered wood doors have similar sound insulation to solid wood doors, and they also offer thermal insulation, impact resistance, and flame retardancy. In terms of performance, engineered wood doors are superior.

Solid wood doors are heavier than composite doors; I couldn't carry them by myself! The installers really worked hard. A word of advice: be careful to protect floor tiles, especially marble, when installing solid wood doors, as they are very easy to break.

Another key difference is that solid wood doors are prone to cracking, warping, and heat damage. Solid wood composite doors, on the other hand, avoid these drawbacks effectively. This also contributes to their superior durability. However, it's important to note that composite doors are susceptible to water damage.

Difference 4: Price difference

Solid wood doors and engineered wood doors are both wooden doors, but their prices differ drastically. That's right, the difference that everyone cares about is the price.

Solid wood doors are made with high-quality materials, so their prices are relatively expensive, which is closely related to the time it takes for the logs to mature and their scarcity. Generally, the price ranges from two to three thousand. Solid wood composite doors are different, and their prices are generally between one thousand two and two thousand three.

For a standard 2000mm*800mm solid red oak door and a solid wood composite door, a solid red oak door costs three to four thousand yuan, while a solid wood composite door costs only a thousand yuan. Obviously, solid wood doors are more expensive because of their superior material.

Difference 5: Different environmental performance

Solid wood doors are made from whole pieces of solid wood, and are all-natural, making them more environmentally friendly than engineered wood doors.

When it comes to home furnishings, safety and environmental friendliness are paramount. The safety of solid wood doors mainly depends on the paint finish, which typically produces a strong paint odor after installation. For engineered wood doors, the primary concern is the use of adhesives, to prevent the release of harmful gases like formaldehyde.