Compression molded door assembly

Abstract

A door assembly having a core positioned within a frame. The door assembly further includes a pair of opposed molded skins. There are edge adjacent the skins. The skins a made of a polymer material, a low profile additive and reinforcement fibers. Each of the skins has an exterior surface and an interior surface. The interior surface is adjacent the core. The exterior surface includes a textured pattern consisting of level portions and depressions. The depressions have a range in depth from a 0.025 mm to about 1.0 mm from the level portions. The skins further include undercuts adjacent the depressions. The undercuts have a range in extent of undercutting from about 0.025 mm to about 0.10 mm from the depressions.

We claim: 
     
       1. A door assembly comprising, in combination, a core positioned within a frame, a pair of opposed molded skins attached to said frame, edges adjacent said skins, said skins . .consisting of.!. .Iadd.comprising .Iaddend.a polymer material, a low profile additive and reinforcement means, each of said skins having an exterior surface and an interior surface, said interior surface being adjacent said core, said exterior surface including a textured pattern consisting of level portions and depressions, said depressions having a range in depth from about 0.025 mm to about 1.0 mm from said level portions, said skins further including designed variable undercuts adjacent said depressions, said undercuts having a predetermined range in extent of undercutting from about 0.025 mm to about 0.10 mm from said depressions, whereby said door assembly has a simulated wood grain. 
     
     
       2. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said core consists of a foamed material. 
     
     
       3. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said frame includes two parallel stiles and two parallel rails, said stiles being positioned in perpendicular relationship to said stiles. 
     
     
       4. The door assembly of claim 3, wherein one of said stiles is heavier than the other said stile. 
     
     
       5. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said polymer material is selected from the group consisting of sheet molding compound, bulk molding compound, thick molding compound, kneading molding compound, and injection molding compound. 
     
     
       6. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said polymer material is an acid-modified propylene glycol maleate. 
     
     
       7. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said low profile additive is selected from the group consisting of polymethylmethacrylate, polymethylmethacrylate copolymers, polystyrene, polystyrene copolymers, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene and saturated polyesters. 
     
     
       8. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein said low profile additive is added directly to said polymer material. 
     
     
       9. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein said low profile additive is added to said polymer material by combination with a carrier material. 
     
     
       10. The door assembly of claim 7, wherein a shrinkage control agent is added to said low profile additive. 
     
     
       11. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said reinforcement means is selected from the group consisting of fiberglass, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and mineral reinforcements. 
     
     
       12. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said depressions have nonuniform extents ranging from about 0.025 mm to about 1.0 mm. 
     
     
       13. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said undercuts have nonuniform extents of undercutting ranging from about 0.025 mm to about 0.10 mm. 
     
     
       14. The door assembly of claim 1, wherein said depressions and undercuts receive a topcoat. 
     
     
       15. The door assembly of claim 14, wherein said topcoat is a stain having pigment contents of from about 4 to about 70 weight percent.