Method of manufacturing a molded door skin from a flat wood composite, door skin produced therefrom, and door manufactured therewith

A method of making a hollow core door, comprising the steps of:

• providing a solid flat skin wood composite blank wherein said solid flat skin wood composite blank has already been compressed from a thick, loose, moisture-containing state;
• placing the blank between first and second platens of a heated press, the platens being heated to a temperature sufficient to soften the resin in the blank and to thereby soften the blank;
• closing the press by continuously moving at least one of the platings toward the other platen until the press attains a closed position and the blank therein has been reformed into a molded door skin having a plurality of panels defined therein;
• degassing the blank being reformed by evacuation of volatile components from the press
• allowing thermal activated resin in the molded door skin to cure;
• removing the reformed blank from the press;
• and
• attaching a pair of reformed molded skins to a door frame to form a hollow core door.

A method of making a molded door skin, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a flat solid wood composite blank having a density of at least about 550 kg/m3 wherein said flat solid wood composite blank has already been compressed from a thick, loose, moisture containing state;
• applying liquid thermal actuatable resin to the flat blank;
• positioning the flat blank in a press having first and second platens;
• heating the first and second platens each to a temperature of at least about 320-425° F.;
• closing the press at a predetermined closure rate so as to reform the flat blank into a door skin including a plurality of panels molded therein;
• degassing the flat blank being reformed by evacuation of volatile components from the press;
• and
• allowing the resin in the reformed door skin to cure for thereby forming a molded door skin.