Decorating a wooden door with a do-it-yourself laminate. How to sheathe a metal door with laminate. The main advantages and disadvantages of this type of finish

After the entrance doors have been installed, the next step is to finish the slopes. It is best not to delay with this, since unsealed slopes not only spoil the appearance of the hallway, but dust and dirt constantly gets into the apartment from them.

Modern materials allow you to make door slopes in a variety of methods and materials. These are various plaster mixes, decorative panels, glue and frame method. This article will discuss in detail the technology of sheathing door slopes using laminate.

The choice of laminate and the benefits of finishing

Laminate has gradually ceased to be just a flooring material. Today it is also successfully used for wall and ceiling decoration in various premises. Also, the high performance properties of the laminated material have found application for covering the bevels of the entrance door.

Benefits of using laminate flooring

The lamella trim has the following advantages:

High wear resistance and strength of the material.
Excellent resistance to external mechanical stress.
Ease of maintenance: it is enough to wipe this finish with a damp cloth to clean the surface from dust or dirt.
A large selection of colors and textures, which allows you to easily select the lamellas of a suitable shade.
The slopes trimmed with laminate have an attractive and neat appearance.

Material selection criteria

When choosing a laminate for covering the slopes of the entrance door, you can be guided by the following criteria:

Advice! When laying laminate on the floor, there are almost always quite a few pieces of various lengths left. They can be used for covering door slopes. This will not only save on material, but is also a more profitable solution in terms of combining shades.

Laminate slope cladding technology

To make slopes, two methods of attaching lamellas are used:

mounting on glue;
installation on a crate.

Let's consider both methods in more detail.

Glue mounting

This method includes three steps, which are described below. Preparation consists in carrying out such work:

The surface of the slopes must be cleaned of old plaster that does not adhere well or has defects.
All debris and dust must be carefully removed. Sweep the slopes with a broom.

Then the surface near the door must be primed.

Slopes are plastered with cement mortar or special ready-made mixtures. It is necessary to carefully level the solution with a spatula or a special float. In this case, it is necessary to follow the vertical and horizontal plane. After the plaster has dried, it must be primed.

The installation of the lamellas begins after the primer layer has completely dried. For gluing, special synthetic glue or liquid nails are used. It is necessary to observe the following sequence when carrying out such work:

Slopes of the required size are cut out of the selected material using an electric jigsaw.
It is best if the lamellas are horizontal. This will give a more logical and aesthetic look to the finish.
Apply adhesive to the inner side of the lamellas and to a section of the wall with a notched trowel.
After that, the lamella is firmly pressed against the surface.

The rest of the blanks are glued in the same way.
The finishing of the slopes is completed by the installation of decorative corners and platbands.

Advice! In order not to hold the boards for 10-15 minutes for the glue to set, you can use wooden blocks as spacers. It is very convenient to do this in a doorway.

Fastening to the frame

This way of facing the slopes of the entrance door allows you to do without plastering the walls. The preparatory stage consists in installing a wooden frame, which is done in the following sequence:

Remains of polyurethane foam are removed along the door contour.
Wooden blocks are installed vertically. Fastening to the base is made with dowels with self-tapping screws.
In this case, it is necessary to observe the general plane and maintain the vertical, which is controlled by the building level.
If necessary, horizontal cross members are added to the structure, which will add additional rigidity to the structure.

Having assembled the frame, you can proceed with the installation of the laminate. Prepared slats are attached in two ways:

Plain or decorative self-tapping screws right through the board. The hats are then closed with furniture plugs of a suitable color or with special “nickles” on an adhesive basis.
More complex, but not detrimental to the appearance of the finish, is the method of using hidden clamps. To use them, you will have to cut the slats a little to tightly connect the locks. Here, of course, you have to tinker, but the reward will be slopes without visible fasteners.

Advice! All decorative trim elements: corners, platbands and skirting boards are attached with silicone sealant. When installing such elements, you need to monitor their tightness to the surface and remove excess sealant.

Laminate door slopes can be easily assembled with your own hands. This will require very little materials and time. Such cladding will perfectly fit into the interior and will favorably emphasize the overall style. In addition to aesthetic appeal, the slopes reliably protect against the penetration of drafts into the apartment from the front door.

A metal door can be given a more expensive and presentable appearance, spending very little effort, money and time. This requires conventional laminate panels, which are often used as flooring. They perfectly emulate the surface of natural wood, so such a door will look quite impressive.

Features of door finishing with laminate

How to sheathe a metal door with laminate, and why not use another material for these purposes? The fact is that it is these panels that will provide the necessary properties to the canvas. Laminate is lightweight, so the weight of the structure will not be heavier. In addition, this material is easy to install - it is enough to plant it on glue or liquid nails. Another advantage is additional sound insulation and thermal insulation of the door, because the laminate consists of wood dust, which poorly transmits noise and does not allow the penetration of cold.

If your metal door is an entrance door and goes directly to the open air, then in this case it is better not to use a laminate. The fact is that with direct contact with moisture, it can gradually lose its properties and presentable appearance. It makes sense to install this type of material in conditions of minor changes in external conditions, for example, at the entrance of a house.

How to sheathe a metal door with a laminate with your own hands

If you do not know how to sheathe a metal door with laminate on your own, then the described recommendations will help you in solving this problem. So, the sequential stages of panel mounting:

It is necessary to remove the door from its hinges and put it in a horizontal position
All fittings protruding on the surface of the outer side are removed before completion of work
The laminate is marked out in accordance with the dimensions of the canvas, and cut in the required amount
In places where the lock, handle, peephole and other elements are cut in, the corresponding dimensions are cut
Glue or liquid nails are applied over the entire surface of the laminate panels. They are immediately laid on a metal door and fixed until the moment they set.
All fittings are assembled back and the door is hung on hinges

As you can see, the process of installing a laminate on a metal door is quite simple. However, at each of these stages, certain difficulties may arise. For example, it can be very difficult to cut holes for a handle, especially if it is round. In this case, you will need to use special cutting cups that can be inserted into the drill chuck. In the absence of such, the process of cutting the hole will be complicated.

The quality of the laminate to be installed can be improved by following some guidelines. Do not use too much glue to prevent leakage at the joints of the panels, otherwise the surface will be damaged. For better adhesion, you can place some kind of load on the canvas, it is desirable that it affects all laminate boards evenly.

The ends of the panels that have been cut are recommended to be treated with protective compounds and varnish to prevent deterioration. Do not use laminate that is thicker than 0.8 cm, otherwise it may begin to peel off over time, and the weight of the structure will increase. The gaps between the panels can be sealed with a sealant, the color of which is selected in accordance with the tones of the laminate itself. You can give your door an original look by using different shades of panels and alternating them in a specific sequence. In this case, make sure that each plank is the same thickness.

Manufacturers do not just pay great attention to the wrapping of the goods. Often, precisely because of its brilliance or solidity, the buyer is inclined towards a certain choice. This is the law of psychology, according to which a person first of all pays attention to the external. Each house or apartment has its own "wrapper", so finishing the front door with laminate will not be superfluous.

If necessary

When you approach the solution of any issue on your own, this is an opportunity to show your individuality.
Door finishing is an opportunity not only to decorate it, but also to insulate it.
A wide selection of colors, textures and patterns.
Low costs.
Laminate has sufficient moisture resistance.
The top layer of plastic is resistant to wear.
Additional soundproofing.
The ability to combine the design of interior and exterior doors.
The ability to hide external flaws.
Creation of coziness.

What is needed

Preparation and calculations can sometimes take longer than the work itself, so it's better to do everything in order.

We do, do not look

The first thing that needs to be done is to dismantle all protruding parts. It can be handles, patch lock, latch, chain, peephole, etc.
We are preparing a substrate on which we will place our door.
We remove it from the hinges and lay it.
We remove the finishing, which may be available.
If necessary, we clean up the rust and tint these places in order to localize its spread.
We start making the lathing. Using a hacksaw or jigsaw, we make blanks equal to the length of the inner side. The other two slats will need to be made a little shorter to fit between the first two. We make two more transverse strips. If there is a corner around the perimeter of the door, then we drill it with a drill and fix the strips with self-tapping screws.
Now we take the insulation and put it in the niches. It is better to cut it to size so that it fits snugly. There is no need to glue it additionally. It should be flush or slightly flush with the wood planks so that the laminated panels can be easily secured.
If the corner with which we will close the joints is made in the shape of the letter L with a rim, then it will need to be fixed first. If this is an ordinary corner, then it can be fixed after the main work has been completed.
Laminate can be installed both vertically and horizontally. Usually the second type of arrangement looks more attractive.
We cut the material in width or height with a small gap for the future corner.
It is better to cover the sheathing not with a whole shield, but separately fasten each element. So it will be possible to securely fix the laminate.
It is better to sew from top to bottom.
On the first bar, the docking spike is cut off, and it is installed in its place. Its fixation can be carried out using a clasp with teeth, which must first be driven into the end. Then we cut the next bar and snap it into the lock of the previous one. Fastening with staples can be done every other time. If the width of the last plank is small, then it is better to trim the first and the last to the same size. There is no need to bandage (unless you are doing vertical fastening), because the area is small and there will not be a large load.
After finishing the sheathing, it is necessary to install a corner that will hide the junction.
We install the door in its proper place, check that no parts from our cladding interfere with freely closing and opening it.
To make the environment more harmonious, you can immediately trim the door slopes. If they are level enough, then no special effort is required. If this is not the case, then it is necessary to make a crate. For it, you can use wooden planks of such a thickness that the laminate sheets lie flush with the cashing (although if it does overlap, this will not be a big problem). Here you need to decide whether they will be parallel to the wall or go at an angle. With the help of a building level, a vertical surface is exposed. Holes are made in the wall with a puncher and two vertical wooden planks are fixed. Shims can be made to align them.
By analogy with how the laminate was attached to the door, it is fixed to the wooden base of the slopes.
Additional planks should be fitted at shoulder and knee height to provide greater rigidity.
If any gaps remain, they can be repaired with a laminate-colored sealant.
A corner is attached along the entire perimeter, which closes the junction points.

Note! In the course of the sheathing, it is necessary to immediately make holes for handles, keyholes, and also a peephole. The best way to do this is with a metal crown for wood. If you were planning to install an additional lock, then now is the time, after that it will be much more difficult to do.

Dexterity is acquired as you move forward in the planned work. Perhaps at first something will seem unfamiliar, but if you do everything yourself, you can save a significant amount of money, which would have gone to pay for the services of a master.

Video

How to trim the slopes with laminate, see below:

Metal entrance doors are reliable protection, but they do not add comfort. Therefore, the inner side of the door leaf can be sheathed with materials that have an attractive appearance and go well with the decoration of the hallway. Most often, the front door is finished with a laminate. Consider how to do this work yourself.

At the entrance to the apartment, as a rule, metal doors are installed. Despite the fact that modern models look quite attractive, many are trying to finish the door leaf from the inside. Most often, entrance doors are sheathed with laminate, although other options are possible. Consider how the finishing is done if you plan to do the work yourself.

Choosing a material

To make the interior of the hallway look harmonious, it is best to sheathe the entrance doors with a material that looks the same as the covering of the interior doors leading to the hall. As a rule, you have to choose from two options:

laminate;
MDF panels finished with natural veneer.

Let's figure out which finish is better.

Veneered panels

Advantages of panels for which veneer is used:

veneer is a coating that has a large selection of colors and textures, allowing you to choose an option that looks like interior doors;
if minor damage appears on the surface of the coating, the veneer can be restored.

Disadvantages of this option:

natural veneer is not cheap;
veneer is a natural material, so it does not tolerate moisture fluctuations well.

Laminate

The advantages of the material are:

relatively high resistance to mechanical stress;
the material tolerates temperature extremes well;
has an affordable price;
extremely unpretentious in care.

The disadvantages include the unnaturalness of the material and the inability to perform restoration in case of damage to the coating.

How to finish?

Laminate sheathing is a simple job, so finishing the front door can well be done by hand.

Advice! If you wish, you can purchase a ready-made metal front door, already sheathed with laminate. However, it is better to do the trim with your own hands, in this case the trim can be chosen so that it "fits" well into the interior of the hallway.

Preparatory stage

It is necessary to start work by taking measurements and purchasing material. If you are finishing the old-style metal entrance door, then you need to first prepare the surface:

the canvas must be well washed, degreased;
then you need to cover the metal with a rust converter;
after the composition has dried, you should wipe off the protruding white plaque with a rag and cover the canvas with a metal primer. It is better to apply the primer in two layers, the second layer must be applied after the first dries well.

If the door is finished, which is painted at the factory with powder paint, then the above operations are not required. Such a sheet already has reliable protection against corrosion.

Advice! Instead of foam plastic, other materials can be used to insulate the door frame - penoplex or plastic mineral wool.

Before sheathing the door leaf with laminate, it can be additionally insulated. For this purpose, it is better to use a sheet of foam, since this material:

not afraid of moisture;
has low thermal conductivity;

not only prevents heat loss, but also acts as a heat insulator;
easy to assemble;
is inexpensive.

Advice! For the convenience of finishing work, it is necessary to remove the canvas from the hinges and lay it on a horizontal surface, for example, on two stools. To remove the door from the hinges, you will most likely need an assistant, since the canvas is quite heavy.

Finishing

Measurements are taken from the horizontally laid door leaf, after which the laminate board is cut in accordance with the measurements taken. It is convenient to cut the material using a jigsaw.

Now you need to collect a shield from individual boards. The connections are made using snap joints. The assembly technology will depend on the type of connection. As a rule, the connection method is indicated on the packaging. Most often, this option occurs:

the element to be connected is applied to the groove of the previous board at an angle, the size of which should be approximately 45 degrees;
now you need to carefully lower the attached element down until it clicks;
on this, the connection can be considered complete, the joint turns out to be tight and is practically invisible on the surface of the coating.

The assembled shield must be fixed on the surface of the canvas, but first you need to outline and make holes for installing locks, a peephole and other necessary accessories. In addition, you will need to close up the ends, for this you need to use a special edge tape.

It is laid on the end of the part and ironed with an iron through a napkin or fabric. Ironing melts the adhesive layer, thanks to which the edge is securely fixed to the surface. Excess edge widths can be carefully cut off with a sharp utility knife.

It is necessary to fix the shield on the surface of the door leaf with glue of the "liquid nails" type. At the last stage of finishing, fittings are fastened - padlocks, handles, etc.

To make the inside of a metal entrance door look more attractive, you can finish it using laminate flooring. This work is not difficult, any home craftsman can do it with his own hands. Help may be required only at the stage of removing the web from the hinges and when installing it in its original place.

Many finishing materials are used in various spheres of human life. Such products include laminate, which is used not only as wall and floor coverings. Today, a popular technology is laminate cladding of an entrance door.

A little about laminate

This finishing material consists of four layers:

stabilizing (paper that is impregnated with synthetic resin or paraffin);
main (high density fiberboard);
decorative (resin-impregnated paper with a pattern);
protective (polymer film).

For sheathing of the door leaf and slopes of the entrance door from the laminate, panels with a thickness of 8-10 mm can be used.

The main advantages and disadvantages of this type of finish

The popularity of this material is directly related to its technical characteristics. Due to the multilayer structure, the material has high strength and wear resistance.

The coating, which is practical, has a wide range of colors and textures. This allows the material to be used in rooms of any style. Thanks to this, with the help of it, it is possible to sheathe not only the entrance, but also the interior structure.

In addition to the above properties, laminate flooring has the following advantages:

low cost;
simplicity and speed of installation work;
resistance to the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation.

The sheathed surface practically does not fade and does not become covered with yellow spots when exposed to sunlight. Laminate withstands mechanical stress.

The only drawback of this material is that it does not withstand sudden temperature changes and high humidity. For this reason, it is impossible to sheathe the front door, one side of which will be on the street. Excessive moisture will deteriorate the laminate.

Where are these finishing methods used?

Laminate is a versatile coating, so the scope of application of the material is different. It is used in industrial and sports facilities, offices and hotels, shops and homes. This is taken into account in the production of laminate, which is divided into several classes.

The higher the class, the better the wear resistance and strength of the product. Laminate class 21-23 has low performance characteristics. The canvas, which is characterized by increased resistance, has a class of 32-34.

Laminate finishing of an entrance door is not necessarily of the highest quality material. Material of class 21 or 22 can also cope with the load on the structure.

Advantages of using laminate flooring for cladding metal doors

Many people install a metal front door. This is because this design provides better safety. It is easier to cut locking parts with armored pads and blockers into metal. But a metal door is not aesthetic. This problem is solved by facing the surface with a laminate.

The advantage of lining a metal door with laminate will get rid of the build-up of static electricity. Dust will not accumulate on the surface, this will make it easier to clean the door. You do not need to use special household chemicals to remove dirt.

In the apartment, laminate flooring can be used to decorate the outer entrance. This technology will improve not only the soundproofing and heat-insulating properties, but also extend the service life of the canvas.

Process components

Laminate cladding consists of the following steps:

procurement of materials and procurement of tools;
removing the door from the hinges;
preparation of slopes;
fastening the cover to the canvas;
hanging the front door on the hinges.

Carrying out work with the above facing coating will be an effective option if you prepare everything you need in advance. You will need the following materials and tools:

wooden slats;
platbands;
glue;
corner made of plastic or MDF;
sandpaper;
polyurethane foam;
thermal insulation material (optional);
kleimers;
self-tapping screws for metal and wood;
dowel-nails;
electric jigsaw with a thin blade;
drill with drills;
puncher;
mallet;
scissors for metal;
square;
roulette;
level;
pencil.

A laminated door should look more attractive. Therefore, before sheathing, it is removed from the hinges and the protruding fittings (latches, handles, key plates, peephole) are carefully removed.

If an old metal door with non-separable hinges is to be covered, then some effort will be required to remove it. Do not worry if, as a result of this process, any slope of the entrance door is slightly damaged. It will also be faced with laminate.

How to properly prepare the surface

After dismantling and removing the fittings, the front door is cleaned of the old finish. Rust is cleaned on a metal sheet, and such places are treated with paint or primer.

Wooden slats are screwed along the perimeter of the entrance sheet. The slats can be nailed on a wooden canvas with finishing nails, and on a metal door - glued with liquid nails.

Transverse strips are attached between the opposite rails. If desired, heat-insulating material is placed in the space between the slats.

Preparing door slopes

The door frame should be inspected for heat leaks from the house. If there are gaps, then they should be sealed with polyurethane foam. To seal too large gaps, it is better to use cement mortar.

The main purpose of finishing the slopes with laminate is to give the front door a finished look and mask the box fixings. Facing work can be carried out in two ways:

laying on glue;
installation of material on the frame.

The first option provides for finishing the slopes by gluing the finishing material. The advantages of this technology:

the coating does not bend;
soundproofing properties are improved;
there are no voids.

The frame installation method has the following advantages:

creating a flat surface;
the ability to decorate the coating.

The second method is the most widespread. To create the frame, wooden slats with a cross section of 3x4 cm are used, which are attached to the wall using dowel nails. The joints between the wall and the lathing are filled with polyurethane foam.

When sheathing the slopes of the entrance door, the panels are attached to the slats with clamps. The tongue of the metal bracket is inserted into the grooves of the adjacent panels, and its body is fastened with a self-tapping screw to the frame.

If necessary, an electric cable is laid under the laminate for outdoor lighting devices. The finishing of the slopes is completed by the installation of platbands.

Sheathing

The technology of cladding a wooden leaf is similar to the frame technology of finishing the entrance door opening. When plating a metal surface, you should adhere to a number of rules:

Contact of the casing with metal is prohibited. Condensation can damage the lining. This problem is solved by pasting the canvas with foil foam.
The sheathing of the entrance structure is carried out from top to bottom. The panel is applied to the canvas and marked in width. A space of 1-2 mm is left from the end of the door. It will be covered with a decorative corner.
Particular attention is paid to the correct fastening of the first panel, which is located at the bottom of the canvas along the edges. To connect the rest of the connection, lock connections are used. The top row is fixed using self-tapping screws.

Adhesive mounting

This technology can be carried out by creating a single shield from a finishing material with the obligatory sealing of adjacent panels.

Adhesive installation of laminate flooring consists of the following stages:

slats are attached along the contour of the entrance door;
measurements are taken between the slats, which are transferred to the assembled shield;
the excess part of the shield is cut out with a jigsaw;
the shield is applied to the canvas and checked for the conformity of the surfaces to be joined;
the laminate and the entrance structure are covered with glue and connected;
a load is placed on the shield.

The plating process ends with the installation of a decorative corner and hanging the canvas on the hinges.

Finishing can be done vertically. In this case, the panels are fixed with self-tapping screws in three places: top, bottom and center.

There are a few more tips to follow during installation work:

Holes for self-tapping screws are pre-drilled in the laminate. Otherwise, a crack will appear in the panel.
When connecting adjacent panels with a lock, a wooden gasket is used, through which the laminate is knocked down with a mallet.
When cladding an entrance structure made of wood, the first and last panels are fastened with self-tapping screws, and the rest can be glued.
The holes for the lock and handles are drilled with a drill equipped with a drill with a diameter of 1-1.2 cm. To obtain a smooth inner surface of the hole, sandpaper is used.
The fastening of the decorative lock strip is carried out not to the laminate, but to the lock.
To improve the appearance of the canvas and slopes, the caps of the self-tapping screws are closed with decorative plugs.

If a decision is made to sheathe the outer part of the canvas in the apartment, then it is better to use a moisture-resistant material.