Solid wood doors vs Composite

Question

I am changing doors in the house and cannot decide what to replace them with. I love the feel and look of the solid wood doors, besides the styles you can get are unlimited - but my boyfriend says that they need a lot of maintenance and need to be sanded down and re-painted every couple of years and not as strong as composite. I don't know weather it's true or not, besides the styles of the composite doors available are very limited.

Does anyone have any comments?

Answer 1

I like real wood, too.  If you are going to paint them, they will need the same care as anything else you paint.  If you leave them with a natural finish, they just need dusting.  Occasionally they might need cleaning with a spray cleaner, like Formby's orange oil cleaner.  Just spray it on and wipe the grime off.  It works really well.  

I just redid a 60-year-old oak door that was exposed to the weather and hadn't been touched since the house was built.  I cleaned it with Formby's and then used a natural product made of orange oil and beeswax, wiped in on, let it soak in, then rubbed it off.  Looks brand new, and it's protected from the elements, too.  No reason it won't work on inside doors.

Answer 2

No matter what door you choose..or if you paint,stain and clear coat..make sure you do the top and bottom edges no matter what...if not moisture will absorb in the open grain/composite in these pplaces and either warp or rot your door out pretty eaasily..I am a 37 year experienced paint contractor and on all government jobs tyhey require that we do this on interior and exterior doors..My uncles taught me to paint starting at the age of 13 years old..we did this on all doors no matter if a government job,commercial or reasidential

Answer 3

If you want to add immediate style and value to your home, go with the solid wood.  Upkeep on them depends on how you finish them.  If you decide to paint them, then yes, every few years they will need a quick touch-up coat of paint.  However, if you paint, it's important to use at least two coats of good primer to seal all surfaces before you paint.  If you stain them, then you will need to save a small can of stain used to touch up any dings or scratches.  You will also have to apply polyurethane in several coats, sanding with a fine grit sandpaper to achieve a durable finish.  In my opinion, composite doors just look cheap.  They don't have the personality and feel of a real hardwood door.  It's ultimately your decision and do what's best for your budget.    

Answer 4

if you are referring to interior doors, the advantage of composite doors is stability: resistance to warping, shrinking and the associated peeling of paint.

interior doors do not require any regular maint. other than cleaning. interior doors are not clear topcoated over paint, especially not with polyurethane, which is not designed to go over paint. a good oil based paint will be most durable, latex trim paint next best. try masonite or jeld-wen websites for design options.

Hope that helps.