When you look at a new front door, you usually see the finished product: a bold color, a sleek handle, and decorative glass. But if you are considering door replacement in Regina, you need to know what lies beneath the surface.
To understand why modern doors perform so well in Saskatchewan winters, we have to look at how they are made. Let’s take a mental walk through the manufacturing line to answer the big question: How are doors made?
Step 1: The Core – Are Doors Hollow?
The process doesn’t start with wood anymore. In the past, you might have wondered, “Are doors hollow?” For interior bedroom doors, the answer is often yes, they frequently use a cardboard honeycomb structure to save weight.
But for your exterior entry door, the process begins with high-density polyurethane foam. On the assembly line, liquid foam is injected between the outer layers. As it cures, it expands to fill every single crevice. This transforms the door from a hollow shell into a solid barrier with an incredibly high insulation value (R-Value), creating the secret weapon that keeps the -40°C wind chill out of your hallway.
Step 2: The Skin – Building the Structure
While the foam provides insulation, the “skeleton” provides strength. Before the foam is poured, manufacturers build a frame using wood or composite “stiles and rails” to create the rectangular perimeter.
Then comes the “skin.” Whether you choose steel or fiberglass, these sheets are stamped, much like car parts. These stamped skins often come with wood-grain, or other texture. They are bonded to the frame and core to create a unified, rigid structure.
Step 3: Are Doors Standard Sizes? (How Tall & Wide Are Doors?)
As the doors move down the line, they are built to strict specifications. This brings us to the dimensions.
How wide are doors?
Because manufacturing molds are expensive, the line typically produces “standard” slabs in these widths:
30 or 32 inches (common for back doors)
34 inches
36 inches (the standard for main entryways)
How tall are doors?
80 inches (6’8”) is the standard height for about 90% of homes.
84 inches (7-foot) or 96 inches (8-foot) are increasingly common for modern homes with high ceilings.
So, are doors standard sizes? Generally, yes, but your home’s rough opening might not be. That is where professional measuring becomes critical.
Step 4: Can Doors Be Cut to Size?
Here is where the engineering gets critical. A common question homeowners ask us is: Can doors be cut to size?
If you look back at Step 2, you’ll remember the door has a specific internal skeleton holding it together. If you were to take a saw to a modern fiberglass or steel door to shorten it by 3 inches, you would cut right through that structural wood and expose the foam core.
This destroys the door’s integrity and weather-proofing. This is why successful Door Replacement isn’t about cutting a door to fit a hole; it’s about ordering the correct size manufactured specifically for your opening.
Step 5: Final Assembly – Who Makes Doors Near Me?
Once the “slab” is finished, it’s not ready for your house yet. It needs a frame, hinges, brickmould, and a sweep. This is where the question “Who makes doors near me?” gets an interesting answer.
While the high-tech slabs are produced by specialized manufacturers to ensure consistency, the final assembly happens locally.
At Glacier Glass, we partner with top-tier suppliers like Madero and Jeld-Wen to bring these components together. We then handle the customization right here in Regina, ensuring the jamb depth matches your walls and the weatherstripping is rated for our climate.
Ready for Door Replacement in Regina?
Modern door manufacturing is less about carpentry and more about thermal engineering. By understanding how the door is built—from the foam core to the rigid skin, you can see why a professional installation is the only way to ensure that technology actually works.
For a deeper look at how energy-efficient door cores help reduce your carbon footprint, check out this overview by Natural Resources Canada.
Stop by, give us a call, or shoot us a message. We’ll take a look, give you transparent advice, and help you get back to enjoying the view – crack-free.
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