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How to Measure a Warped Door

How can you tell if you have a warped door or not?

There is an industry standard method of determining whether your door is warped or not.

To determine whether you have a warped door or not you will need a length of string (longer than the length or height of your door) and a measuring stick or tape measure.

a) Tape one end of the string to the edge of the door and the other end to the opposite edge of the door.

The string should be straight. If there is a gap between the string and the door’s surface, you may have a warped door.

b) Measure the gap between the string and the door’s surface area.

If the gap is greater than ¼” your door is warped (according to AWI standards for 1-3/8 to 1-3/4 inch doors 3’-0” to 3′-6″ x 7’-0”).

c) If the length exceeds 7 ft. AWI standard applies to any 7 ft. section. Apply string to any 7 ft. span.

Contact your door maintenance company and send them two photos.

d) [1] Photo of the length of the string which shows as much of the door in its entirety, or at least from one end of the string to the other. Then [2] a closeup photo of your measurement of the gap.

Armed with these two photographs, which can easily be emailed to the millwork or door maintenance company of your choice, the recipients will be able to determine how best to approach the repair or replacement of your warped door.

You might consider replacing your warped door with a professional door which has Sing Core inside which can be guaranteed not to warp, bend twist or otherwise fail so as to avoid this pitfall in the future.

For more information, see: Door Warping vs. True Flat

Storing SingCore Doors

After you’ve received your patented Sing products, if you will have to store them prior to finishing and/or installation, try to store them standing upright, on edge, with plenty of space in between, to allow air flow. Do not lean them against a wall. If you must store them stacked, wrap in plastic and place one or two sheets of plywood underneath and on top of the stack of Sing products. This will help keep the entire stack similarly acclimatized while not in use, otherwise, you may have to re acclimatize the top and/or bottom Sing products later, when you are ready to use them.

 

How to Store SingCore Doors

What if my door with Sing Core inside is warped?

The same standard method of determining and measuring any door with Sing Core inside is used just like any other door (as noted above).

Contact Sing Core about your concerns about your door being certain to include the two photos as noted above.

If you have purchased a professional door with Sing Core inside, you may be the recipient of a replacement Sing door.

Note that upon arrival and un-crating of a door with Sing Core inside, a door may appear warped (and indeed it will be measurable). This is normal for a door which has been packed and in transit. Stand your door on its edge at least twelve inches away from any adjoining surface area, allowing it to acclimatize for up to 72 hours. Measure your door again and you will find it to be straight and true. If not, document for warp (as above) and contact Sing Core.

In the event that a professional door with Sing Core inside is warped (which is highly unlikely) your help in determining the cause of the door’s warping is appreciated. Please assist documenting the chain of custody of your professional door with Sing Core inside, including the millwork or door company which finished the door, and the installers who installed the door, to help us insure your replacement door remains warp-free.

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Sing Door Ship Receive Warp-free Care

Shipping, Receiving, and Care of

Your Warp-free Sing Door

Sing Core only works with the best and most highly proficient millworks and door manufacturers. This segment of the industry is well-versed in how to deal with high-end building materials such as Sing Core. For many years, Sing Core has provided unfailing warp-free solutions to the biggest and best architects and millworks in the world, without one complaint.

As more millworks and smaller door companies are reaching out to offer their clients access to Sing Core, we do occasionally run across industry professionals who are not aware about what to expect or how to handle Sing Core raw materials. Some of these less-experienced, newer and/or smaller millworks and door companies may not know what to expect when dealing with a product like patented Sing Core. We desire to welcome newcomers to have access to patented Sing products. For those, we are providing the following information:

Unfinished

All Sing products are shipped as unfinished to the millworks and door companies who are highly proficient in working with high-end materials such as Sing Core. A Sing door blank is not a ready-to-install door and are not available from the factory with hardware or as pre-hung doors. Sing Core works in tandem with the industry professionals and the factory may, or may not, handle some of the detail works, such as applying exterior skins to the door blank. The door finishing, hardware, framing, and installation are all coordinated before your Sing door blank is built.

Packaging and Shipping

Sing products tend to be very large in size and require custom crating to assure they are not damaged in shipment to the industry professionals. Even with the best efforts of Sing Core’s custom crating team, sometimes a Sing product may arrive blemished and/or damaged by the shippers entrusted with the handling of crated Sing materials. In most, if not all, cases the level of structural integrity of Sing products in combination with the high level of proficiency of the finishers receiving Sing products, even damaged Sing Core can easily be returned to new condition, even if mishandled or damaged in shipment.

Arrival of Sing Products

Upon arrival of Sing products, be prepared to receive an unfinished product via truck. Offloading may require a forklift and dock for receipt. That said, there will be work that needs to be done to the product received by the millwork or door company before it is retail-ready.

Acclimatization

In most cases, when receiving a multiple Sing Core order, where Sing door blanks have been shipped in a stack, or side by side, it is perfectly normal for even a warp-free door blank to appear to be warped upon receipt. Usually, the Sing door blank(s) which face the outside of the crate, or the top of a stack of warp-free door blanks will appear to be warped. By acclimatizing these doors, they will straighten out to their straight and true flat appearance.

To acclimatize your Sing door core, stand your door on its edge at least twelve inches away from any adjoining surface area, allowing it to acclimate for up to 72 hours. Measure your door again and you will find it to be straight and true. If not, document for warp and contact Sing Core.

Panels must be sealed or painted before being hung to prevent warp.

Panels must be protected from weather exposure with overhang, sealing, or cladding to prevent warp.

Storage

After you’ve received your patented Sing products, in the event that you will have to store them prior to finishing and/or installation, try to store them standing upright, on end, with plenty of space in between. Do not lean Sing products against a wall. If you have to store them stacked, wrap in plastic and place one or two sheets of plywood underneath and on top of the stack of Sing products. This will help keep the entire stack similarly acclimatized while not in use, otherwise, you may have to re acclimatize the top and/or bottom Sing products later, when you are ready to use them.

Door Warp Definition

Door warp is a variation from a plane surface within the door itself. It does not refer to the door in relation to the frame or jamb in which it was hung. Bow, cup, and twist are terms which describe warp in a door and are defined as follows: Bow is a curvature along the door height, or a deviation from a flat plane from end to end. Cup is a curvature across the door width or a deviation from a flat plane from side to side. Twist is a distortion in which one corner is out of the plane of the other three corners. Warp is usually a result of unequal stresses within the door from one face to the other caused by changes in humidity and temperature conditions or uneven conditions from one face to the other. Buildings shall be humidity and temperature controlled before doors are delivered and installed. Required conditions are 25% to 55% relative humidity and 50° to 90° F (10° to 32° C) temperature range. Improper handling, stacking, and storage can also contribute to warp. Doors shall be stored flat on a level surface off the floor with cross supports.

HOW TO MEASURE WARP

Use a taut string or straight-edge and measure on the concave face of door – diagonally, horizontally, or vertically. Measure at the point of maximum distance between the taut string or straight-edge and the face of the door.

Measurement must be made on the concave face of the door. Door shall be open when measuring for warp (lock not latched into strike). One person can measure warp using a string and taping one or both ends onto the face of the door, holding it taut. Don’t measure warp in relationship to the door frame. Often a door may not fit into the frame properly but is not warped. In these cases, check the frame – it must be set plumb and square and jambs must not be twisted or out of alignment. Action on any claim for warp may be deferred for up to one year after project completion to permit doors to acclimate to temperature and humidity conditions.
 

ALLOWABLE WARP TOLERANCE
FOR WOOD DOORS

1-3/4 inch (44 mm) or thicker doors:

  • 3’-6” x 7’-0” (1050 mm x 2100 mm) or smaller, 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) maximum.
  • Larger than 3’-6” x 7’-0” (1050 mm x 2100 mm), 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) maximum in any 3’-6” x 7’-0” (1050 mm x 2100 mm) section.

1-3/8 inch (35 mm) doors:

  • 3’-0” x 7’-0” (900 mm x 2100 mm) or smaller, 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) maximum.
  • Larger sizes not addressed in this standard

Warp-free definition: Doors with patented professional SingCore inside outperform any other Eco-friendly door in the world in terms of being lightweight (SingCore weight is approximately 10 % of solid wood, timber or plywood core) and high strength (660 PSI+, stronger than steel pound-for-pound). No other door Eco-friendly door made in the USA can reach our high precision (SingCore approximately +/- .006 inch) or flatness meets or exceeds door industry allowance for door warp, as seen above). We guarantee no other Eco-friendly, lightweight, high-strength insulated door can compare with any door that has patented professional Sing Core inside. SingCore is raising the standard of what is possible in terms of building large doors that can be true flat and warp-free.

How can you tell if you have a warped door or not?

There is an industry standard method of determining whether your door is warped or not.

To determine whether you have a warped door or not you will need a length of string (longer than the length or height of your door) and a measuring stick or tape measure.

a) Tape one end of the string to the edge of the door and the other end to the opposite edge of the door.

The string should be straight. If there is a gap between the string and the door’s surface, you may have a warped door.

b) Measure the gap between the string and the door’s surface area.

If the gap is greater than ¼” your door is warped (according to AWI standards for 1-3/8 to 1-3/4 inch doors 3’-0” to 3′-6″ x 7’-0”).

c) If the length exceeds 7 ft. AWI standard applies to any 7 ft. section. Apply string to any 7 ft. span.

Contact your door maintenance company and send them two photos.

d) [1] Photo of the length of the string which shows as much of the door in its entirety, or at least from one end of the string to the other. Then [2] a closeup photo of your measurement of the gap.

Armed with these two photographs, which can easily be emailed to the millwork or door maintenance company of your choice, the recipients will be able to determine how best to approach the repair or replacement of your warped door.

You might consider replacing your warped door with a professional door which has Sing Core inside which can be guaranteed not to warp, bend twist or otherwise fail so as to avoid this pitfall in the future.

For more information, see: Door Warping vs. True Flat

What if my door with Sing Core inside is warped?

The same standard method of determining and measuring any door with Sing Core inside is used just like any other door (as noted above).

Contact Sing Core about your concerns about your door being certain to include the two photos as noted above.

If you have purchased a professional door with Sing Core inside, you may be the recipient of a replacement Sing door.

Note that upon arrival and un-crating of a door with Sing Core inside, a door may appear warped (and indeed it will be measurable). This is normal for a door which has been packed and in transit. Stand your door on its edge at least twelve inches away from any adjoining surface area, allowing it to acclimatize for up to 72 hours. Measure your door again and you will find it to be straight and true. If not, document for warp (as above) and contact Sing Core.

In the event that a professional door with Sing Core inside is warped (which is highly unlikely) your help in determining the cause of the door’s warping is appreciated. Please assist documenting the chain of custody of your professional door with Sing Core inside, including the millwork or door company which finished the door, and the installers who installed the door, to help us insure your replacement door remains warp-free.

See Also: Sing Core Definition of Terms

 

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What to Expect from Sing Core

What can I expect to receive when I order Sing products?

Sing Core only ships authentic Sing products to millworks and door manufacturers. Why? Because Sing products are raw building materials in unfinished condition. You cannot order a completed Sing door from Sing Core. Even though we are renowned the world over for the best doors, our web site clearly states,

“We do not build doors,” we only supply the best millworks and door manufacturers with the best professional door slabs which can be guaranteed not to warp, bend, twist, or otherwise fail for 50 years.

See also, What We Do: http://singcore.com/education/what-we-do

Don’t you have a standard Sing door?

No. Every custom door we build is like a one-of-a-kind work of art, though we are able to build many of the same type/style/size of doors at the same time, which can reduce pricing if purchased in bulk.

Don’t you want to make Sing Core available to the world?

Yes, we do, but remember, Sing Core is shipped in an unfinished condition and therefor is not ready for public consumption. It would be similar to ordering a 20×40 concrete slab, then being upset when the concrete truck shows up because you wanted a completed slab, not wet concrete. (The contractor knows what’s going on, but it might be a shock to the contractor’s customer.)

Isn’t Sing Core available in retail locations, like Lowe’s?

Yes, and no. We only ship to locations which have a full millwork shop inside to adequately finish the Sing products for their clientele. If the retailer does not have a full millwork shop for finishing Sing products, we will not intentionally ship unfinished product to that location.

What if I’m a contractor and my client wants Sing Core?

No problem, we will ship directly to your millwork, or the finisher of your choice. Once the Sing products have been finished, they can be installed by your installers.

How does architectural specification affect our bid?

If you’re a contractor bidding on a project where Sing Core has been specified, note that your quote from Sing Core is for unfinished materials. For instance, if a 20 ft x 10 ft x 4 in pivot door with birch wood stave has been architecturally specified, you will only receive the unfinished door slab with the appropriate interior supports for the hardware specified. You will still need to have the slab finished and prepped for hardware by your millwork, you will also need to source and price hardware, and account for framing and installation to complete the job.

What if my warp-free products show up warped?

Professional millwork companies know it is common for panels to display some warp when unpacked due to being crated and transported. It is the nature of raw materials which are packed, and traverse varying climate conditions while being shipped. Acclimatization of Sing products (separating them, standing them on edge for 72 hours, and allowing them to acclimate to your climate will allow the products to return to their true flat condition).

What if my Sing products are defective?

In the event that your professional Sing panels are warped beyond AWI standards, or the architectural standards as notated by your work order, you may have a defective Sing panel. Working with our warranty department will help to determine if you have a defective sing panel. If so, Sing Core will fix, repair, or replace the defective panel to assure its architectural integrity.

Know What You’re Getting

We at Sing Core want you to know what you’re getting, wo that you can be prepared to enjoy the best Eco-friendly lightweight/high strength raw building material available and achieve its maximum potential and elegance.

For more information, see our Frequently Asked Questions: http://singcore.com/education/faq

Sing Core Definition of Terms: http://singcore.com/education/sing-core-definition-terms

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Sing Core Definition of Terms

Acclimatization

Sing Core panels acclimatizing: According to the type of the skin. Aluminum, metal, plastic skin, concrete, and ceramic skin will be delivered in perfectly straight condition without any acclimatizing. Plywood, hardboard, and HPL will take much less time to acclimatize than MDF. The best way to acclimatize is stand panels on edge with 4” or more of equal spacing between each panel.

Eco-friendly

Contrarian Sing Core purports to introduce a new degree of Eco-friendliness in sustainable building materials, not expendable and disposable import products which dominate the present day architectural landscape. Sing Core is ecologically conscious throughout its Made in the USA manufacturing process. The factory expends very little energy, local manpower, to manufacture Sing Core which is built from the smart use of a combination of natural wood resources, insulation and formaldehyde-free adhesives in the non toxic manufacturing process of the sustainable lightweight and high strength building material designed to last for centuries.

Edges

Edges of Sing Panels can have a variety of options. They can be open-faced (no edges) which means the patented Sing core material would be exposed and visible from the edge, between the two surface materials (skins). Edges can be embedded and pre-sealed between the surface skins per specification. Standard edging is 1.25 inches solid wood. Edge-banding is commonly applied by millwork or other finishing agent.

Embedded Chases

Chases or channels for cable, electrical or other services (such as water) can be pre-installed to specifications during the manufacture of your Sing Panels. Contact your Architect or Sing Representative to make certain your embedded chases are manufactured to meet your needs or specifications in advance.

Grid Size

Due to the specifications and requirements of your Sing Panel or door substrate the size of the wood torsion box grids inside can be adjusted to fit your needs or performance expectations. Three sizes of torsion box grid size are available. Small grade: 2×2 inch grids. Medium: 2×3 inch grids. Large: 3×3 inch grids. Default size is 2×3 inch unless otherwise specified. Check with your Architect or Sing Representative to make sure you have the right structure grid size for your project.

High Strength

Even though extremely light in weight compared to other lightweight honeycomb and/or substrates, patented Sing Core was independently tested for structure strength and rated at 660 PSI (which can achieve higher ratings, if necessary for your specs) making it stronger than steel pound for pound. Other lightweight materials have structure strength of 10 to 110 PSI. This is what gives patented Sing Core its stellar reputation for high strength with little or no deflection over long spans with little substructure.

Insulation

The otherwise left empty voids in traditional torsion box is filled with rigid insulation material which serves as rigid material which shores up the vertical grain torsion box walls imbuing patented Sing Core with its unparalleled structure strength, while adding insulation qualities of climate control (R-value) and sound deadening (STC-rating*) attributes. The insulation used inside the Sing Core torsion box structure grids can be altered to meet architectural specifications and/or performance expectations.

Internal Blocking

Internal blocking or solid implants can be strategically placed inside your Sing Panel or door blanks per your specifications. Please double-check your specs prior to having your Sing Panels or door blanks manufactured.

Large Door

Where Sing Core shines in the door industry is in the ability to provide a lightweight high-strength door blank to door manufacturers and millworks for doors over 7 ft. tall and 3.5 ft. wide that will not warp. Solving not only issues associated with door warp, but also minimizing the weight of large doors without compromising strength. How large can a door be with Sing Core inside? Sing Core can build large door blanks in nearly any size up to 50 ft. tall and/or 50 ft. wide, or more.

Lightweight

The average weight of a Sing panel is 1/2 pound to 2 pounds per square foot. Weight is determined by many factors including torsion box grid size, rigid insulation material and glue used as well as other components of the panel’s composition including patent pending professional warp-free stiffeners, surface materials (sins) and adhesives used in the manufacturing process. Your architect or Sing representative can present you with a projected weight estimate prior to manufacture.

Paint Grade

We deliver your panels as unfinished “paint grade” as opposed to paint ready. Under normal circumstances, Sing panels and door blanks are provided as paint grade to millworks and door manufacturers who prepare the surface area for paint if necessary or required. If you require paint ready Sing panels or door blanks be certain to specify expectations prior to manufacture.

Post and Beam

Post and beam is only represents the depiction of a specific dimensional characteristic of an otherwise normal Sing panel, where its dimensions dictate the proportions and function of it as a post or beam. When used as posts and/or beams, Sing Core offers unique advantages over traditional wood and/or metal posts and beams.

Professional Grade

Professional grade panels can be guaranteed warp-free for 50 years. Composite stiffener technology is integrated with the structural core, which prevents warping and provides a truly flat panel. Professional grade panels provide a 50-year non warp guarantee when used in appropriate applications.

RSIP

A Sing panel is classified as a Reinforced Structural Insulated Panel (RSIP) due to its underlying reinforced torsion box grids which is the heart and soul of patented Sing Core.
Sing Core

Patented Sing Core is the key to the success of Eco-friendly, lightweight, high-strength Sing products. The specifics of the design features small (2 inch to three inch) vertical wood grain torsion box grids where the voids (which would otherwise be left open) are filled wall to wall with rigid insulation material. This core material is sandwiched between two surface skins and may (or may not) be framed with wood or an alternate framing material inside the exterior stress skins.

Sing Panel

A Sing Panel consists of a substrate of patented Sing Core sandwiched between two stress skins of any available flat building material which may or may not feature exposed edges or closed (framed edges).

Size

The dimensions determining the size of any patented Sing product are determined by architectural specifications and include: length or height x width x thickness (in inches). These dimension are necessary for a preliminary price quote.

Skin

Skin refers to the flat building material that acts as the stress skin for completing the reinforced torsion box design. While the core supplies the vertical torsion box walls, the exterior stress skins seal the top and bottom of all interior boxes. Skins can be made of any flat building material including any available species of natural wood, aluminum, concrete, fiberglass/FRP, Kevlar, LVL, MDF, Metal, Steel, etc… These skins are adhered in an Eco-friendly manner using formaldehyde-free glue, cold pressed with very little energy expended and little no toxic fumes or unnecessary waste.

Standard Grade

Standard grade panels utilize our patented torsion box core and provide unparalleled strength and lightweight properties unachievable with traditional building materials. Standard grade Sing Core is not guaranteed to any degree of flatness, though easily out performing any AWI allowed variance in warp for a door which is considered to be flat. AWI allowance equivalent to ¼ inch along the greatest distance for a standard sized door. There is no expectation for warp resistance for large doors (doors over 7 ft. tall).

Storage and Protection

Store your Sing Core door in an upright position and allow to acclimate to room temperature following shipment receipt or prior to finishing or installation.

Strength of Sing Core

The strength depends on the thickness of the panel. For instance, if you double the thickness it will be 4 times the strength. The thickness of the skin could make up the extra strength but increasing the thickness to gain strength will result in added weight, which may compromise the end result. The answer is usually a combination of matching the right Sing Core width with the appropriate surface material to achieve the desired results without loss of structural integrity or unnecessary additional weight.

Structure Warranty

The structure warranty that accompanies professional grade or hot press ready grade Sing panels or door blanks warrants your Sing product against structure failure. Also ensures that your Sing products are not disposable, are reusable and can easily be repaired if damaged, often on site without disassembling using regular woodworking skills and tools.

Thickness

When Sing Core representatives reference the thickness of a Sing panel or door blank, it generally includes the thickness of the Sing Core insulated reinforced torsion box core, as well as the thickness of the exterior surface materials (skins) included.

Torsion Box

Sing Core’s patented torsion box design is a significant improvement on the torsion box design which has been used in traditional wood working. In Sing Core’s patented design the torsion box grids are not made with horizontal grain wood, it is instead flipped on its side so that the grain runs vertically (up and down instead of sideways) and the size of the individual boxes are small (2 to 3 inches). The voids, which are left vacant in traditional woodworking torsion box structures, are filled wall to wall with structurally rigid insulation and this substructure is sandwiched between two skins of plywood or any other applicable sheets of flat building material to complete the composite panel.

Trade Professional

Sing Core only supplies their patented material to trade professionals, like architects, cabinet makers, millworks and door manufacturers. Sing Core does not offer materials for retail. If you are a home owner who desires to have Sing Core products incorporated in your home, contact your local trade professional (architect, contractor, builder, cabinet maker, manufacturer or door company) for more information. As you know, we do not ship finished materials and only ship to authorized finishing facilities (millworks) who are responsible for finishing your Sing products. These are the people that make us look so good.

Trimmed / Untrimmed

The default condition of Sing products is normally untrimmed. This means your sing products will arrive at your millwork or finisher with unfinished, untrimmed edges and exposed glue may be visible from the edges of the Sing panel or door blank. Alternatively, your Sing panels or door blanks can be trimmed by request, leaving a clean, smooth finish on the edges. Allow ¼ inch for trimming, if requested to be completed prior to shipping from Sing Core. Be certain to specify “trimmed” when ordering your Sing products, as they will have to be build oversized to allow for the ¼ trimming.

True Flat

True flat is what Sing clients have referred to Sing products as. It is not an industry term, but it did become common vernacular in reference to Sing products which outperform any known lightweight, structurally strong product in terms of flatness or lack of deflection under load and among long spans. True flat is considered proprietary nomenclature and does not have a scientific definition or industry-wide classification because nothing compares to Sing Core in terms of Eco-friendly, lightweight and high strength.

Turnaround Time

The standard turnaround time for Sing products is approximately four to eight weeks, so take this into consideration when you are ordering your Sing products. In a hurry? Check with your Sing representative, rush service may be available for an additional fee.

Unfinished

The standard condition for delivery of Sing products is, “Unfinished.” That is to say Sing products are not manufactured to be an end-sale product. Sing Core’s standard method of operation includes wholesaling and shipping Sing products to millworks, cabinet shops, finishers or door manufacturers who complete the process and ready the items for installation or resale. Sing products are not retail-ready and not available directly to consumers.

Warp-Free

Warp-free is the Sing Core promise for the condition of professional Sing panels which are built for specific purposes and high precision expectations. Professional grade Sing products are a concerted effort of the designers , architects and the True Flat team at Sign Core to create a Sing panel or door blank that will endure the environment and circumstances facing the regular use of said panel or door over a 50-year lifespan. A professional Sing panel built to these specifications and used for its prescribed conditions can be delivered wit an accompanied hard copy signed certificate insuring the product to be guaranteed to remain warp-free for 50 years.

Wood Stave

Wood staves (a narrow length of natural wood “stave” with a slightly beveled edge) can be utilized to form the exterior of Sing Core panels or door blanks. These can be used to replace other types of solid wood building materials. Natural wood stave species are subject to availability. Standard wood stave exterior measures 1/8 inch and is available in other thicknesses according to architectural design and specifications.

 

* Note: STC rating varies according to size, thickness, skin, and other factors. Sing Core does not rate doors, although we are fortunate enough to have one of the best sound testing labs in the world, here in the Pacific Northwest. If you require a specific STC rating, Sing Core can build a door to your architectural specifications and have the resulting door tested at our rating facility for an official rating.

 

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Door Warping vs. True Flat

 The mystery of door warping:

Ever since people started making doors, especially large doors, they have had to deal with the problem of warping.  Door designers and manufactures are still dealing with this scary problem.  The problem is so widespread that if customers were more demanding, they would not settle for the AWI standards for warping.  Door warp makes doors bend and creates air leaks.  If you look at the many frustrated discussions on the Internet about how to deal with door warping, you never see a discussion about the “core” of the problem.  Yet, how can you solve the problem if you do not address the cause?

What is the cause?

True Flat Guarantee premium certified true flat1.  The standard door core is a main cause. No matter what kind of standard core a door is made from, whether paper core, foam core, SLC (Stave lumber core), particleboard, SCLS (Structure composite lumber), LVL (Laminated veneer), mineral core, mdf, cardboard, etc., etc., etc., warping is inevitable.  Even a solid wood door will warp.  A sliding or pivot door will have unbearable warp at only ¼ inch due to the reference next to a straight wall or door jam.  This warping is even worse in a door over 8 feet because of the strength of the movement.  So far, the best solutions have been to only make 7-foot high doors, or to make excuses (i.e., no or very limited warrantees) for doors over 8 feet, or to use gaskets to hide the minor warping, but these are temporary solutions that require costly maintenance and replacement and tarnish the reputations of the building trade professionals involved in the projects.  As such, most doors usually do not have warranty protection against the inevitable warping.  Even with SCLC (Structure composite lumber core) and LVL (Laminated veneer), commonly used in high end large door will not remain true flat due to the wood fiber constantly moving.

2. The skin is a cause because of moisture and/or temperature imbalance on the inside and the outside of a door. For example, an exterior door is up against different climates on both sides of the door and in the interior of the door.  This difference in moisture and temperature inside and outside the door moves or warps the surfaces.  For example, if one side of a door is up against 12 percent moisture and the other side of the door 7 percent, then the low-moisture side will pull the higher-moisture side of the door to cause warping.  Eventually, this constant warping action causes permanent damage and allows drafts and leaks through the door.

3. The inadequate glue between the skin and the core is a cause. Warping also causes surface material (“skin”) such as fiberglass to delaminate between the foam and fiber glass skin, or the door core made of paper or cardboard, or light density foam.  Doors usually start out perfectly flat, but eventually impact and weathering separates the door core from the skin, and the door is warped.

4. Weight is a cause. Some door skin, such as lead, cement, minal board, etc., is so heavy that it causes the door to collapse, sometimes even during the moving and installation process.

Yet, the warping problem has been solved!  Building designers, contractors and millworkers as well as homeowners can dance for joy.

Patented Sing Core

Patented Sing Core

The revolutionary patented Sing core technology has solved the warping nightmare.  Doors made with Sing panels are true flat (non-warping) and will stay true flat and can be guaranteed true flat for 50 years.  It is like Sing panels have true-flat memory!  The Sing panel core is a honeycomb/torsion box foam grid wherein the wood grain is perpendicular to the skin and held together with our patented formaldehyde-free glue.  So, our patented Sing cores are 90 percent air, which does not move, supported by the strongest structure possible.  As such,

High Precision makes true flat Sing cores!

High Precision makes true flat Sing cores!

Sing panels are:

1.  Dimensionally stable with a high precision Sing core tolerance of +/- .006 inch.  This is laser precision which produces the smoothest and most true-flat panels.

2.  Fully insulated in the protection of our patented Sing grid structure for temperature control and sound-deadening qualities.  Sing cores are 3 to 5 times more insulated than solid wood-based door cores.  Note:  Our patented Sing core structure prevents separation of the foam and the skin which preserves the original strength and insulation value.

Lightweight true flat memory!

True flat memory!

3.  Lightweight so that even a 4 inch thick door will weigh only 2 to 3 pounds per square foot. An average wood-core weighs 8 to 10 times more than our patented Sing core.

4.  High strength which has been verified by the University of Washington at above 660 PSI, making our Sing panels pound-for-pound stronger than steel. (You could drive a 12,000-pound forklift with heavy rubber wheels over them without crushing them!)

5.  Water-resistance/waterproof doors made of patented Sing core panels can be completely exposed to the weather without warping. (Click here to see our exterior door gallery.)

Sing core strength!

Sing core strength!

6.   Eco-friendly and non-toxic structure glue for bonding skins and Sing core.

In summary, patented Sing core not only solves the door-warp problem, but also keeps the finished product high precision true flat, lightweight and high strength,  plus provides great insulation and sound reduction and is eco-friendly.

Click here to see how patented Sing core door planks/door panels/door blanks produce true flat stay flat (non-warping) doors in any size, shape or design with a 50-year guarantee.  Call us for a free consultation at (360) 495-3577.

Door Warp

Door warp is a variation from a plane surface within the door itself. It does not refer to the door in relation to the frame or jamb in which it was hung. Bow, cup, and twist are terms which describe warp in a door and are defined as follows: Bow is a curvature along the door height, or a deviation from a flat plane from end to end. Cup is a curvature across the door width or a deviation from a flat plane from side to side. Twist is a distortion in which one corner is out of the plane of the other three corners. Warp is usually a result of unequal stresses within the door from one face to the other caused by changes in humidity and temperature conditions or uneven conditions from one face to the other. Buildings shall be humidity and temperature controlled before doors are delivered and installed. Required conditions are 25% to 55% relative humidity and 50° to 90° F (10° to 32° C) temperature range. Improper handling, stacking, and storage can also contribute to warp. Doors shall be stored flat on a level surface off the floor with cross supports.

HOW TO MEASURE WARP

Use a taut string or straight-edge and measure on the concave face of door – diagonally, horizontally, or vertically. Measure at the point of maximum distance between the taut string or straight-edge and the face of the door.

Measurement must be made on the concave face of the door. Door shall be open when measuring for warp (lock not latched into strike). One person can measure warp using a string and taping one or both ends onto the face of the door, holding it taut. Don’t measure warp in relationship to the door frame. Often a door may not fit into the frame properly but is not warped. In these cases, check the frame – it must be set plumb and square and jambs must not be twisted or out of alignment. Action on any claim for warp may be deferred for up to one year after project completion to permit doors to acclimate to temperature and humidity conditions.
 

ALLOWABLE WARP TOLERANCE
FOR WOOD DOORS

1-3/4 inch (44 mm) or thicker doors:

  • 3’-6” x 7’-0” (1050 mm x 2100 mm) or smaller, 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) maximum.
  • Larger than 3’-6” x 7’-0” (1050 mm x 2100 mm), 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) maximum in any 3’-6” x 7’-0” (1050 mm x 2100 mm) section.

1-3/8 inch (35 mm) doors:

  • 3’-0” x 7’-0” (900 mm x 2100 mm) or smaller, 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) maximum.
  • Larger sizes not addressed in this standard

Warp-free definition: Doors with patented professional SingCore inside outperform any other Eco-friendly door in the world in terms of being lightweight (SingCore weight is approximately 10 %  of solid wood, timber or plywood core) and high strength (660 PSI+, stronger than steel pound-for-pound). No other door Eco-friendly door made in the USA can reach our high precision (SingCore approximately +/- .006 inch) or flatness (far exceeding door industry allowance for door warp, as seen above). We guarantee no other Eco-friendly, lightweight, high-strength insulated door can compare with any door that has patented professional Sing Core inside. SingCore is raising the standard of what is possible in terms of building large doors that can be true flat and warp-free.

 

 

 

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New Record for True Flat

True : having all the expected or necessary qualities of a specified type of person or thing

Flat : being or characterized by a horizontal line or tracing without peaks or depressions

Architectural standard for true flat: ¼ inch deflection for an 8 foot span.

True flat technology is based on expertise in building anything that can be guaranteed true flat and stay flat. This composite science includes the proper proportions of Sing Core, aluminum and/or other materials based on your requirements or specifications. In this way each Sing item is a work of art.

#1 Best Seller: Oversize Doors

80% of the doors we sell are true flat large oversize doors (over 4 ft. x 8 ft.),
though we do specialize in 5% regular-sized doors.

#2 Best Seller: Sliding Door

25-foot-long-oak-wood-stave-table-lightweight-high-strength-true-flat-guaranteedThe Sing Core standard: Less than 1/4th inch deflection over a 16 foot span, or perfectly straight and flat; and your true flat sliding doors, pocket doors or any type of large flat door of any size  will stay flat for years to come.

Sing Core is a new patented core as alternative for conventional aluminum core, plastic, balsa and other wood base core, but more Eco-friendly with higher strength, less weight and low cost. See table of comparison.

Sing Core is used by leading millworks in major cities for high-end door applications, especially for oversize large doors, doors made of Sing Core will be true flat and stay flat for decades to come. See our Clients List.

so-true-flat-you-can-see-the-flatness-with-the-naked-eye-perfect-flat-line-of-sightNew World Record and definition of true flat: We provide our customers with 16 foot tall doors with less than 1/4th inch of deflection. This means a simple line-of-sight test with the naked eye clearly reveals the new standard. Google image search: true flat door

To find a mill work or door manufacturer to build a large true flat door is a challenge for architects, door manufacturers, millworks and general contractors, especially if the door is over 8 feet tall. We have recently acquired more precision true flat technology for door and large panel applications since the last time you purchased from us.

The new Patented Sing Core door technology provides the solutions to achieving a perfectly straight big sliding door by using aluminum which does not soak moisture as most wood based door planks. It is difficult to remain flat due to moisture change when using MDF or even plywood to build large size doors. Using stable aluminum as door substrate you will have the true flat and strong base to use as a paint grade door or add other layers of material to build high-end wood grain doors. (When used as substrate for wood skin this Sing aluminum eliminates the requirement of acclimatization.)

True Flat Guarantee premium certified true flatProfessional Sing Core is the only door substrate material in the World that can create a true flat door of any size (up to 50 feet) that is lightweight, high-strength, certified-professional that will stay flat for 50 years.

This is where Sing Core technology shines… and think of the impact these revolutionary building materials will have on your designs.

Imagine no longer being limited by weight issues, of having structural integrity over long spans, and being able to design and build creations that will last for centuries without failing, all by using this newly patented Eco-friendly material that is made, right here, in the USA.

Whether you’re creating a work of art that requires a large door, or a massive project that requires superior structural integrity, we want to help your dream come to life.

We also build high-quality, well-insulated, sound-deadening, high-strength, lightweight regular interior and exterior door blanks for door manufacturers and millworks made of wood, metal and FRP for high end door applications.

Use of this revolutionary new material is not limited to doors, but can also be used as tables, walls, roofs, even post and beam. For the strongest flat and lightweight doors and can replace traditional materials, like solid wood, metal, plastic FRP and concrete, while increasing both precision and performance in unlimited applications.

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Architectural Door Specifications

Applications -> Building Components -> Doors -> Architectural Door Specs

General Specifications

Standard insulated flush door pre hung door marine grade plywood fiberglass aluminumStandard Sing Core doors are manufactured with patented Sing Core material as the base interior substrate of the door. The Sing Core substrate material is created using a vertical grain natural wood torsion box design while the traditionally empty voids are filled wall to wall with recycled foam. The foam material is available in various forms depending on your specification. The default is recycled EPS foam. Natural wood lock blocks are positioned at locations as necessary for locking mechanism placement or as anchor points. The core material is wood framed by 1 ¾ “ natural wood for finishing strength and attaching hardware. The torsion box is completed by adhering an exterior material (skin) according to your specifications. The default is a wood-grain (Luan) material. Bonding agent used in adhesion of the entire composite material is formaldehyde-free.

Click here for tips on How to Create the Right Sing Panel for your specific project.

Every Sing Core manufactured door is unfinished (unless specified otherwise) and is guaranteed for 10 years for structural integrity.

Detailed Specifications:

Scope: Subject to local building codes, the standard Sing Core door is intended for use in:

  • Single family dwelling interior applications
  • Multifamily dwelling, low-rise professional office, library and low-rise motel interior applications
  • Lighter use industrial building and factory, hotel and retail sales building interior applications

Product Description: 1 ¾” side-hinged door panel manufactured by Sing Core

  • Door component includes paint-grade door panel only

Door Panel Materials: Sing Core doors are manufactured using Eco-friendly cold-press process. Composite materials include:

  • 5x10-lockblock-2-sideSing Core vertical wood-grain torsion substrate filled with recycled EPS foam
  • Core material is framed with wood stiles and rails
  • Facings are wood veneer (Luan)
  • Formaldehyde-free bonding agent is used for adhesion of all components

Architectural Specifications Substitutes

For information on some of our architectural substitutes click here.

Interior Blocking: Solid wood implants are inserted as lock blocks or anchor points. Also additional stiles (vertical wood implants) or rails (horizontal wood implants) can be positioned at any desired location inside the door. (Note: Depending on your expectations, solid wood implants should be supported by at least 12 inches of Sing Core material to maintain true flatness.)

Delivery: Reasonable care is taken to ensure safe transportation of your Sing Core door from factory to your location including proper crating to protect the natural beauty of your door during transport.

Storage and Protection: Store your Sing Core door in an upright position and allow to acclimate to room temperature following shipment receipt or prior to finishing or installation.

Preparation: Per manufacturer’s specifications, ensure that door frame openings are constructed plumb, true and level prior to installation. Select fasteners of adequate type, number and quality to assure proper function.

Installation: Installer shall be specialized in the installation of the type of work that is associated with the project and will comply with manufacturer’s installation policies and procedures to ensure proper end use.

  • Verify that hinging and latching assemblies operate freely and correctly

Add-stiles-and-rails-to-your-sing-door-as-anchor-points-drawingFinishing: The finishing of the Sing Core standard door is the responsibility of the client due to the product being delivered in paint-grade quality unless specified otherwise in writing. Any sealing must be in accordance with manufacturer’s specifications to protect against a variety of environmental conditions as necessary.

  • Edge-band edges to encapsulate Sing Core (see T-molding)
  • Seal all 6 surfaces with two coat minimum on operable panel(s)
  • Finishing or re-finishing must be completed following acclimatization and installed within 7 days
  • Avoid finishing after rain (or damp) or during periods of higher than average humidity
  • At least once a year, conduct periodic inspections of coating to ensure no door components are exposed
  • Reseal the surface as necessary

Machining: Sing Core doors are easy to work with in the millwork shop for CNC machining or on-site for finishing, sawing, sanding, cutting and fastening. No specialized skills or equipment is necessary, other than standard woodworking tools. Treat Sing Core doors just like you would any other standard door blank.

Strength Performance: Patented Sing Core has an unsurpassed strength as compared to other lightweight substrate materials tested at 660 PSI (based on 2″ x 2″ grids and 3/4″ thick) for superior structural integrity and is resistant to warp, twist and crack when compared to other materials.

Light Weight Performance: Sing Core weighs much less than other traditional building materials, as much as 50% less; or more, as little as 4 lbs. per sq. ft. yet sustainable and true green technology.

Insulation Performance: Standard Sing Core doors feature built-in insulation value with an R3 (can be upgraded to to R6.5 or more) rating per inch, depending on architect’s specifications.

Acoustical Performance: Sing Core standard doors have a natural sound-deadening quality for noise control. Standard sound transmission class (STC) is 30*. Additional noise control specifications can be met at the behest of the customer or designer and must be noted in advance.

Eco-friendly: Sing Core is manufactured using natural wood fibers, no formaldehyde, or toxic chemicals, is created using less energy than any other core material with little or no waste. The structure of Sing Core is 100% renewable (nature-grown) clean fiber and/or recycled material.

Warranty: Sing Core professional manufactured doors can be structurally guaranteed and warp-free for 50 years under normal conditions.

Basic Sing Door Spec Drawings: Click here

variety-of-design-options-for-architectural-doors-illistration-sing-core
Custom-cut Window/Lite Openings: Lite openings for glass inserts can be custom cut per your specifications (drawings above show examples of standard openings) for glass insertion.

Door Specifications
Door Width
Rough Opening Width
Rough Opening Height 6/8
2/0 (Single) 26″ 82-1/2″
2/4 (Single) 30″ 82-1/2″
2/6 (Single) 32″ 82-1/2″
2/8 (Single) 34″ 82-1/2″
3/0 (Single) 38″ 82-1/2″
4/0 (Double) *50″ 82-1/2″
4/8 (Double) *58″ 82-1/2″
5/0 (Double) *62″ 82-1/2″
5/4 (Double) *66″ 82-1/2″
6/0 (Double) *74″ 82-1/2″

See also: Door Technical Information

Appearing regularly in Contemporary Architecture Design

* Note: STC rating varies according to size, thickness, skin, and other factors. Sing Core does not rate doors, although we are fortunate enough to have one of the best sound testing labs in the world, here in the Pacific Northwest. If you require a specific STC rating, Sing Core can build a door to your architectural specifications and have the resulting door tested at our rating facility for an official rating.

 

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How to Build a True Flat Wood Door

10×12 ft 3″ thick warp-free 1/8″ oak 520 lbs

foam-panel-guaranteed-true-flat-lightweight-strong

True flat technology is based on expertise in building any door that can be guaranteed true flat and stay flat. This composite science includes the proper proportions of Sing Core, aluminum and/or other materials and bonding agents based on your requirements or specifications. In this way each Sing door is a work of art.

One of the challenges in building any wood product of any dimension where the customer desires a perfectly flat surface over long spans is insurmountable in many circumstances.

This is the proven niche specialty service provided by Sing Core to the worlds most high-end, demanding, high-profile millworks and end users for years. Due to the unique properties of the patented Sing Core material, true flat designs can come to life and deliver superior satisfaction while carrying a 10 year structural guarantee.

AWI standards may allow for a certain amount of deflection over long spans, the patented Sing Core material far exceeds deflection allowances of other materials, due to its torsion box design while remaining true flat.

This is why the most prestigious millworks in the United States turn to Sing Core for their large, oversize doors, though they have the added benefits of having an end product that is:

  • USA-pre-Bangkok-exportEco-friendly
  • Renewable
  • Dimensionally stable
  • Extremely Strong
  • Light weight
  • Insulated
  • Sound deadening
  • Easy to machine

And could be customized to include:

  • Waterproof
  • Fire retardant
  • Bullet-proof
  • Any Thickness
  • Almost unlimited skin options
  • Fast turnaround

Sing-core-high-in-thailand

The True Flat Challenge

The true flat door is a challenge for architects, door manufacturer, millworks and general contractors, especially if the door is 1 inch thick (or more), over 8 feet wide and/or 16+ feet tall.

If you’re looking for the answer, you might Google search how to build a true flat door.

Oversize doors present the biggest challenge for true flatness, but they also present other issues that must be dealt with in high end homes and/or commercial applications in terms of weight and strength. Again, let’s see what Google has to say about lightweight high strength true flat?

The clear answer is Sing Core; a new invention of material that is playing a major role – not just in building large doors – but almost anything that requires (or desires) to be Eco-friendly, functional yet elegant for inside/outside a home or in building and construction that needs to be light, strong and sustainable

Aluminum composites are common in the aerospace industry, but are cost prohibitive and not user-friendly for mill working or broad earth-bound use. Sing Core is designed to be used in millworks and does not require any specially-trained labor or specialized equipment; treat it just like you would any other standard wood-based substrate material.

Sing Core’s true flat process utilizes vertical grain torsion-box/foam-core/aluminum composites to deliver the solution. Contact us for more information, and if you like, we will show you how to integrate this new technology into your operation.

Meeting the Highest Demands

MoveWallWindowWe maintain the highest degrees of integrity when meeting the requirements of our clients, and their customers, assuring complete satisfaction. Most importantly, proper communication is the key. If you have certain expectations – and you let us know – our team can deliver the product that matches your specifications.

Simply by providing us with your dimensional requirements:

  1. height
  2. width
  3. thickness

along with what your preference for visual presentation (exterior skin material) and performance expectations are, we can provide you with the solution to best suit your application.

How Do We Do It?

When you explain to us what your expectations are, we know how to create the product that meets or exceeds your expectations. For instance, if you require a 17 foot tall oak pivot door that is true flat.

First of all, if the pivot door were solid oak, it would fail the standards test due to the raw material. Natural wood will warp, twist and crack if left to itself. Not to mention being heavy in weight. The excessive weight is an added strain on the integrity of the structure and hardware, increasing maintenance costs over time.

large-lightweight-high-strength-garage-carriage-doorsOur designers will likely prescribe a solution that begins with a Sing Core base material in the center which is by itself perfectly flat. Adding oak wood staves is where the problem comes in; because natural wood is unstable and will compromise the overall structure. To combat this issue, our team may fuse the Sing Core material to aluminum to complete the substrate composite. Then, when the exterior oak faces are applied to the structure; like magic, the result is a lightweight, super strong solution that can be perfectly flat.

The resulting Sing Core lightweight solution does not compromise the structure or the hardware eliminating expensive repairs and/or maintenance.

That’s just one example. Some of the materials used in our true flat composite resolutions that battle the temperature and moisture weaknesses that accompany utilizing natural components (like wood) include

Our lifetime of experience dedicated to solving the challenges of architects, designers and craftsmen who serve the most prestigious clientele, especially in terms of sustainable, lightweight, super strong and true flat solutions that maintain structural integrity over many years, while retaining the beauty and elegance of natural wood (or any other desired external material).

Metal is used across many industries. Metal honeycomb composite is the leader in honeycomb cores used to create stronger and lighter metal panels as well as posts and beams using much less solid metal.

Sing core is the leading technology of metal honeycomb composite material that solves our future Eco-friendly energy solution by using Sing metal honeycomb composite at a fraction of the weight of solid steel, but is stronger, lightweight, and available in steel plate, steel beam and steel panels.

Tell the US Energy Department to do some home work and research the Sing solution. If you believe Sing Core will help us use less metal thanks to Sing honeycomb metal.

Case study #1: Do not waste more precious metal if you could use Sing Metal honeycomb panel, post and beam.

Replace steel by using Sing 13 ft x 3 ft x 1 inch Sing honeycomb metal plate for use in conveyor.

1 Advantage: Precision true flat – within thousands of an inch – the majority of metal fabrication relies heavily on welding that causes the metal to deform. Sing metal uses structural glue, nuts and bolts instead of welding metal plates onto the steel frame which takes more labor, energy and end the product will not match the same precision as Sing Metal honeycomb panels.

2 Easy to fabricate and install – lightweight metal is safer to process, costs less to transport and uses less labor to install.

3 Less cost: Solid metal takes many times more metal than Sing Metal panels, posts and beams. It is expensive to transport, takes more energy to process and the most important thing is that Sing Metal is much less expensive than solid metal planks or sheets. If the strength, lightweight and Eco-friendly attributes are considered you may never go back to solid metal again.

Case study #2: If your seeking to improve your products with greater precision, true flat doors or panels, walls, floors, ceilings, RVs and/or boats then we’d like to teach you to Sing.

True Flat Guarantee premium certified true flatThis is the latest technology to build true flat doors. If we are able to build a true flat door then you can believe that we could make true flat floors, ceilings, walls, etc… all lightweight, high strength, long lasting and endless benefits just by Singing with us.

Doors are a challenge for door manufacturers and mill works if the door is over 8 ft in length and less than in inch thick.

One of the Sing aluminum honeycomb panels are used as door substrate. It used in almost all major high end residential and commercial door applications due to the true flat characteristics. AWI standards for true flat include deflection of ¼ inch, which is unacceptable for Sing Core. We can minimize deflection to 1/8th or even 1/16th according to your pre-arranged specifications and application requirements to ensure satisfaction.

But if you have a door over 12 ft – even over 16 ft tall – and less than 1.5 inch in thickness and you are wishing to have the least deflection than you need to contact www.singcore.com to find the true flat solution which is use aluminum panel as substrate than add MDF or AB plywood for paint grade door or by cold or hot press to add finish veneer to build the most beautiful, strong, lightweight eco friendly door.

Doors made of Sing Aluminum honeycomb substrate do not need to acclimatize due to there being no moisture difference on either side of the door substrate.

Sing Aluminum honeycomb door substrate can be machined or drilled just like wood without retooling or damaging your blades. It is easy to glue with proper clean up procedure.

Large over size doors for high end building project require the true flatness. Patented Sing Core is the ultimate solution for high end mill work across the country.

Please click to see clients list of those who use Sing Core doors.

Applications -> Building Components -> Doors -> True Flat Wood Door