Ply facings on timber doors
Spence Doors issues the following as inclusive to its terms and conditions of tender and supply of items, in relation to plywood door facings, and provides stipulations and recommendations of importance to the specifier, and purchaser (– builder / end user)
Quality (coarseness of grain)
Due to the world shortage of good quality plywood, additional face preparation to the door face may be required before painting.
Spence Doors will not take responsibility for any grain considered too coarse on doors when requested with ply facings.
Required Preparation
The preparation of the door, and between coats, is a fundamental and integral part of the painter’s scope.
Spence Doors will not take responsibility for any grain showing through the paint finish due to absence of proper and required preparation by painting contractor(s).
Alternative Facing Options
Spence can offer alternatives to ply facings on timber doors.
MDF can be provided as suitable for (protected) areas - internal environment to buildings. Tempered Hardboard (generally pre-prime-coated) can be provided as suitable for both internal environments including ‘wet areas’ (bathrooms, laundries, etc), semi-external, and external environments (see additional information below about medium to highly exposed areas)
Both these alternative facings can be offered as cost effective options, with Spence Pre-prime- coated Tempered Hardboard at no additional cost to that of traditional ply faced doors.
Note 1: When MDF or Tempered Hardboard faced doors are provided and Vision Panels are required as inclusive; then the VP beading will be defaulted as a ‘2mm proud’ projection to avoid any finishing inconsistencies between the beading and the hardboard facing, that may occur when alternative ‘flush set’ beading would otherwise be opted
Note 2: Dark coloured paints are recommended against and in congruence with AS1909 Section 9.2 where it is advised to finish doors (particularly external doors exposed to sunlight) in light reflective colors; Spence further advises that dark coloured paint finishes, and / or high gloss finish paints, will further exaggerate any inconsistencies in door face texture. Alternative facing options as above will assist with such issues.
Exposure & Additional Protection
In medium to high exposed areas, Spence always recommend using fully encapsulated, metal- clad doors This offers the extra protection the door needs; regardless of natural timber or man- made timber products on the original (sub)facings.
This is advised as necessary to not only prevent moisture ingress, but to assist against distortion that can occur in such medium to highly exposed environments
Particularly in regard to a ply faced door, the additional (metal) cladding protects against any opening of the grain that inevitably occurs with ply, when exposed to weather extremes.