Compression molded door assembly

Abstract

A door member comprising a frame having a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, a core positioned within the frame, and a molded skin attached to the first side of the frame. The skin is prepared from a molding compound which, when molded, has a shrinkage of between about −0.0003 to about +0.0015. The molding compound comprises a resin system comprising a curable polyester resin, a co-curable unsaturated monomer, and at least two low profile additives. The molding compound also comprises at least about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the molding compound, of filler material, and fibrous reinforcement in an amount of less than about 35 weight percent, based on the weight of the molding compound.

1 . A door skin for use in construction of a door assembly, the door skin comprising: 
 a generally flat compression molded panel having a paintable exposed outer surface and an opposed inner surface, the panel outer surface defining a textured pattern which simulates a wood multi-panel door having rails, stiles, panels and simulated joints which have been sanded smooth, the textured pattern of each of the simulated rails, stiles and panels simulating a sanded surface having a series of fine grooves equivalent to those formed by sanding a wood surface on a real wood multi-panel door.    
   
   
       2 . The door skin of  claim 1  wherein the fine grooves of the simulated sanded surface are anesthetically equivalent to those formed by conventional sandpaper, with the grooves being aligned in a direction consistent with a conventional sanding pattern of a real wood multi-panel door.  
   
   
       3 . The door skin of  claim 1  wherein the compression molded panel is formed of a molding compound capable of producing, in a polished flat plaque mold, a compression molded skin exhibiting a long term Loria number of less than about 250.  
   
   
       4 . A method of forming a door skin for use in construction of a door assembly, the method comprising: 
 providing an inner and outer mold pair for compression molding a door skin, the outer mold providing a negative image of a door skin outer surface having a textured pattern which simulates a wood multi-panel door having rails, stiles, panels and simulated joints between mating stiles and rails, the textured pattern of each of the simulated rails, stiles and panels simulating a sanded surface having a plurality of fine grooves as would be formed by sanding a wood surface with sandpaper;    preheating the mold pair;    charging the mold with a suitable amount of molding compound capable of producing, in a polished flat plaque mold, a compression molded skin exhibiting a long term Loria number of less than about 250;    closing the mold and applying pressure for a time sufficient to allow the molding compound to cure; and    removing a cured door skin from the mold, wherein the resulting door skin has a paintable outer textured surface which aesthetically resembles a real wood multi-panel door which has been sanded smooth.