Quality Hollow-Core Doors? As Torsion Box?

[Doug Hobkirk]

I've only ripped up a couple of hollow-core doors, and the grid inside was junk. But it seems like there might be someone who makes high-quality hollow-core doors with wood grid, glues, etc. Anyone?

If I find such a door, wouldn't that already be a torsion box? I could glue any surface to it that I wanted, like Formica, Melamie, MDF, plywood. I wouldn't need to "skin" the other side since the torsion box is already under equal tension. Right?

[Paul Girouard]

Oxymoron , quality hollow core door, :D

Seriously , what are you expecting to use this torsion box for? Depending on the span and weight your idea may work.

The exception might be a old HC door with a wood matrix instead of the more common cardbrd , or less used today.

[Eric Gustafson]

If I find such a door, wouldn't that already be a torsion box? I could glue any surface to it that I wanted, like Formica, Melamie, MDF, plywood. I wouldn't need to "skin" the other side since the torsion box is already under equal tension. Right?

My attempt to laminate a hollow core door as a torsion box turned out a dismal failure. It warped, but my method (contact cement) wasn't the best either. I ended up making a MDF torsion box, as in the David Marks\Wood Whisperer design. That worked out very well.

I used to use hollow core doors successfully when I built model airplanes. I would cover it with a with a piece of ceiltex to hold the pins used for clamping. But models are a lot lighter than the WW projects I now do.

[Stephen Edwards]

If your order a solid core door nowdays you MUST specify that the core be made of all wood. I'm sorry, I can't recall the term used by the industry now. If you just ask for solid core it's going to be like a shreded, highly compressed fiber. NOT wood.

Below are a few links to door manufacturers:

http://www.southerndoorply.com

http://www.bairdbrothers.com

I lucked out last week! I went to our local dump to drop off my garbage and found a perfectly sound 36", old solid core birch veneer door. I don't know what I'll do with it yet but it's now in my barn/shop!

[Maureen Thorson]

I've only ripped up a couple of hollow-core doors, and the grid inside was junk. But it seems like there might be someone who makes high-quality hollow-core doors with wood grid, glues, etc. Anyone?

If I find such a door, wouldn't that already be a torsion box? I could glue any surface to it that I wanted, like Formica, Melamie, MDF, plywood. I wouldn't need to "skin" the other side since the torsion box is already under equal tension. Right?

This sounds very much like what you might be seeking: http://singcore.com/about-us.html.
It's a small company base in Washington, and I only know about them because I have family up there. They make veneer torsion box cores embedded in foam, so it's insulated AND stable. I've seen them use fiberglass, aluminum, and ceramic on top of their veneer skins. There's a rough, but interesting Youtube video on their site, comparing their strength to a hollow door. My husband and I are seriously considering using their products to build a new house soon. If you find out more about them, I'd love to hear your opinion.

[Neil Brooks]

Maureen: Helpful info, but ... FWIW ... that post is a few years old -- like ... four ;)

Welcome, by the way !