Although it takes door experts like the ones at ETO Doors to design and construct the highest quality doors, it does not take a door expert to determine if a door is quality or cheap. All you have to do is spend a little time learning about the different types of doors, as well as the materials used to manufacture the highest-grade doors.
Not all doors and door manufacturers are created equal. At ETO we pride ourselves in our high quality workmanship at competitive prices for both residential and commercial doors. But savvy shoppers may be comparison shopping across the web.
Here are some telltale factors to evaluate as you’re shopping to determine if a door is quality or cheap.
Type of Core
You might have heard the phrase, “Knock on wood for good luck.” We are not sure if that works, but we do know that knocking on wood can help you determine the type of core used by a door manufacturer. The core is important because it signifies the strength and durability of a door. If you knock on a door and hear a hollow sound, the door probably has a hollow core. This means the door does not have any structural support beyond the first thin layer of protection. Hollow-core doors cost less and are lighter to carry than solid core doors, but the extra money spent and a little more effort carrying a solid core is more than worth it.
Solid core doors not only provide much more protection and structural support, but they also muffle sound, maintain proper room temperature, and last longer because of the resistance to strong impacts.
Thickness
A solid core door is solid through and through, but it might be inferior in quality because of a lack of sufficient thickness. This factor is easy to determine because all door descriptions list the width of a door. When you review the specification for the solid core doors manufactured by ETO Doors, you will see a description for the width that is at least 1 ¾ inches thick. A door with this much width ensures the optimal separation of audio, as well as superior durability. For audio, a stereo played at a moderate volume in one room does not interfere with the moderate level of the audio emanating from a big-screen television in an adjacent room.
Engineering
You do not need an advanced degree in engineering to determine the quality of a door. You just need to focus on a few design factors that separate quality doors from cheap doors. The level of care taken during the manufacturing process is directly related to engineering criteria, such as the potential for trim pieces to dislodge and fall off a door. Take time to read the manufacturer’s description and specifications to gain insight into the pride the manufacturer took during the assembly process. Discover details like the material used to form the core and the thickness used to design each layer. Manufacturers should describe the material selection process, which indicates the level of care a manufacturer applied to source the highest-quality materials.
Factory-Tested
Quality control represents the foundation of the door manufacturing process for any highly-rated door manufacturer such as ETO Doors. During every step of the manufacturing process, a reputable door manufacturer follows a series of steps that ensures a door turns out quality and is not cheap. Factory-tested doors undergo a rigorous quality control process that measures factors such as safety, endurance, dependability, and energy efficiency.
A manufacturer lists “Factory-tested” in the description of a door, as well as defines the process used to measure for high-quality. You should read somewhere in the description that the door manufacturing company has put the door sparking your interest through frequent, repetitive tests. Testing a door by following the same process every time ensures the door withstands the daily pounding doors typically take for years to come. Make sure any door you consider to be quality has the CARB II compliant label, which means it is built with materials that are safe for you and your family.
Reviews and Questions
You can learn more about a specific door model by reviewing the reviews left by customers on sites such as Facebook and Google. Visit the company website to learn more about a company’s mission and history, as well as read the testimonials left by customers. Asking questions of the manufacturer will also clue you in on the true quality of a door, depending on how specifically they answer, or if they answer at all. At ETO, our online chat experts or phone experts can walk you through every factor to consider when making your selection.
