Door upholstery with dermantine: new life of old technology

Door upholstery with dermantine has never completely lost its popularity. Even the appearance of laminated surfaces and various panels for cladding did not supplant this method of warming and refining doors. Fast, simple, inexpensive, practical and concise. Or you can bright, extraordinary, boldly - scarlet, white, purple canvas. Door upholstery with dermantine is a unique opportunity to update the facade of the house or the central entrance to the apartment.

Door upholstery with dermantine is quick, inexpensive and practical

How is it correct: dermantin or leatherette?

Before posting information on how to upholster the door with dermantin in the article, it is worth deciding on the concepts. The selling sites use both the name "dermantin" and "leatherette". Some even try to clarify this issue. Their content is approximately the following: leatherette is an artificial pressed leather, that is, eco-leather; dermantine is also called artificial leather, but having a cotton base with a nitrocellulose coating applied to it.

Dermantin is an imitation leather with a cotton base

The interpretation is fundamentally wrong, since the word "leatherette" comes from the Greek dermatinos (leather) and there is no second letter "n" in it. The explanation for the presence of supposedly two different concepts lies in phonetics, in pronunciation. Pronouncing "t" after "a" in this word is difficult, so an additional "n" appeared in the colloquial style. "Dermantin" and "leatherette" are variants of the same word denoting the same concept.

It should also be noted that pressed leather cannot be considered leatherette. A completely different technology is used in its manufacture. The main difference is precisely that the composition of eco-leather contains crushed particles of waste generated during the processing of natural leather. And it is not recommended to use pressed leather when upholstering doors, since its performance is completely unsuitable for these purposes.

Material for upholstery of entrance doors: manufacturing technology, characteristics

The definition of leatherette - cotton fabric with a nitrocellulose layer applied to it - is already contained in the article above. It has survived since Soviet times, when this material was not only popular, it was used everywhere and the question of how to sheathe the door practically did not exist: the entrances to all apartments of multi-storey buildings were blackened with dermantine.

The material manufacturing technology goes through three stages:

• preparation of the basis - canvas;
• fabric impregnation;
• embossing, which gives the material a certain pattern, more often it is an imitation of natural leather.

Dermantine manufacturing technology includes base preparation, fabric impregnation and embossing

Constantly improving methods of processing polymers have significantly expanded the color range used for manufacturing. And the embossing of modern leatherette is such that it is sometimes difficult to visually distinguish it from natural leather. This artificial material has not only an external resemblance to skin, but many other characteristics also coincide:

• resistant to wear - only significant mechanical stress is terrible for dermantin;
• elastic - no traces of creases remain at the place of bends;
• resistant to temperature extremes;
• easy to clean;
• keeps warm.

Dermantin for door upholstery has an aesthetic appearance. That is why it is often used to renovate and add decorative effect to door panels.

Important! There is a tendency to call leatherette vinyl leather (polyvinyl chloride) and amide leather (polyamide). These materials are characterized by different performance characteristics.

Dermantin is resistant to wear and temperature extremes and is easy to clean

Front door trim: the use of thermal insulation materials

Based on the characteristics of the material, three main goals can be distinguished, for the achievement of which it is worth upholstering the doors with dermantine:

1. Decorating. Quite often, a material that has high performance is used for the manufacture of doors. But as for the external indicators, they either leave much to be desired, or do not correspond to the chosen design style. In such cases, the door leaf upholstery becomes the ideal solution.
2. Update. An old, but quite solid door can be restored by covering it with leatherette.
3. Warming. Before upholstering the door, additional materials are laid under the dermantin to provide protection against heat loss.

It is the last function that will be discussed in this section. To strengthen the thermal insulation, insulation materials are used for door upholstery:

1. Foam rubber. The cheapest, has a low density, limited service life.
2. Batting. It is used extremely rarely. Burns, absorbs moisture, it is difficult to create a perfect surface. Good heat insulator.
3. Izolon. The most effective noise isolator. It has a long service life. Most popular material.

Insulation materials such as foam rubber, batting and isolon are used to insulate the front door.

Additional materials (insulation) perform not only their direct purpose. They also create a corrugated surface that enhances the aesthetics of the door leaf. When repairing doors, the lining hides all defects on the surface.

Door upholstery kit: what it consists of and where to buy

If the necessary materials are not available and you need to purchase them, it is better to pay attention to ready-made sets for door upholstery. The designers have thought over the correspondence of the material and fasteners, which ensures the decorative effect of the overall design. The standard kit includes:

• cut of leatherette;
• foam rubber or izolon as insulation;
• rubber gaskets;
• decorative nails.

When buying ready-made kits, you should pay special attention to the quality of dermantin. To do this, it must be removed from the package and the smell is assessed.If it is a harsh synthetic "aroma", manufacturing technology violations are possible. As a result, the material will be more susceptible to wear. High-quality leatherette has a subtle and rather pleasant smell.

The kit for door upholstery includes leatherette, insulation, rubber gaskets and decorative nails

Ready-made sets are designed for doors measuring 200x80 cm. It should be borne in mind that the methods of upholstery of an entrance metal door and a wooden one differ significantly. The price of a set and individual elements purchased at retail differs on average by 20-25%. The overpayment is insignificant. And if we take into account that additional time will be spent with a separate acquisition, then the extra financial investments are quite justified.

Important! When buying a ready-made kit for a non-standard door, only preliminary measurements of the door leaf are not enough. It is also necessary to think over the upholstery technology in advance, otherwise adjusting the sizes can cause problems.

The traditional way of upholstering wooden doors

The easiest way to upholster with dermantin is wooden doors. The reason is the availability of fixing any fasteners to wood. The algorithm of actions for such upholstery is standard.

Measurements of the canvas are carried out, a calculation is made. The piece of leatherette should be larger than the size of the door, so that a margin of at least 3 cm is formed on all sides. It is necessary that the foam or isolone lining is 0.2-0.4 cm smaller on all sides than the door leaf. When plowing externally in the hinge area, an additional indent should be made.

It is most easy to upholster wooden doors with dermantin

The door leaf is laid horizontally - necessarily on a support, as a result of which convenient access to the sides of the door leaf is provided. With the help of a stapler, insulation is fixed to it along the entire perimeter.

Leatherette is applied over the insulation, its edges are bent, the material is fixed to the door with nails.

To make the front door upholstered with dermantine look aesthetically pleasing, the gaps between the piece and the canvas are closed with a roller. To make it, you need a strip of leatherette approximately 15 cm wide, into which the material that gives volume and allows you to keep the desired shape is laid. More often it is a synthetic winterizer. In addition to aesthetics, such a roller prevents heat leakage and the penetration of cold air into the living room.

The roller is attached to the required sides with the front surface down, then bent and fixed on the door over the main cover with decorative nails. If the door opens outward, you need 4 rollers, if inward - 3.

For aesthetics, the gaps between the sheet and the patch are closed with a roller

Technological features of upholstery of metal doors

It should be noted that today metal doors are upholstered much more often than wooden ones. This happens because many people do not buy ready-made options (they are not satisfied with the thickness of the metal), but order. Custom-made products are indeed much stronger and more reliable, but their aesthetic characteristics are low, and the thermal conductivity of the metal is high. Door cladding with dermantine improves performance.

Covering a door made of metal with artificial leather is somewhat more difficult than that of wood: firstly, the door leaf itself has a significant weight; secondly, it will not work to fix the coating directly to the door with nails; thirdly, the additional time required for the glue to dry delays the process.

Methods for upholstering a metal door:

• all overhead materials are fixed with glue;
• a plywood sheet is attached to the door leaf, repeating the dimensions of the door, then the technology of upholstery of the wooden leaf is taken as a basis.

The second option is the most common. A plywood sheet is purchased that matches the size of the door leaf and is fixed to the metal with glue.

Metal doors are upholstered with dermantin much more often than wooden

Important! It is imperative to maintain the time indicated in the instructions for use until the glue completely cures.

For the upholstery of an iron door, it is better to use epoxy or rubber based glue. These formulations provide a strong and long-lasting bond.

MDF door upholstery: tips for quality execution

MDF wood panels are considered to be a fairly durable material. It is resistant to moisture penetration, temperature extremes, but with prolonged exposure (and this is typical for entrance doors), damage in the form of chips and cracks still appears. In such situations, leatherette upholstery can be a simple and inexpensive way to update a door leaf.

Often, doors made of wood-shaving fractions are used in budget construction. Plates are used without a decorative top layer; upholstery performs its functions. With the help of leatherette, door blocks acquire a presentable appearance.

With the help of dermantine, MDF doors acquire a more presentable appearance

The technology of upholstering MDF doors is in many ways similar to the process of tightening wooden panels:

• using a furniture stapler, a heater is fixed to the door leaf;
• then the dermantin and the roller are attached directly.

The main problem is the use of nails with decorative heads. MDF is a dense material, to hammer nails into it, you need to make an effort. Hitting the cap can damage the aesthetics of the cap. The most acceptable option is to use a pneumatic gun to drive nails instead of a hammer. The tool is quite expensive, it is impractical to purchase it to decorate one door, but you can rent it for a short period of time at a very reasonable cost.

Related article:

Entrance door: dimensions, characteristics and design features

Constructions of non-standard sizes. The main criteria for choosing an entrance door. Examples of the best entrance doors and their characteristics.

The use of such a device will allow not only to preserve the integrity of the fasteners, but also to drive in nails at the same level (the tool has an option that allows you to set the level), which is extremely important both for fixing and for decorative design.

Padding the door: how to make an old door leaf new

With all the high qualities of wear resistance, the "warranty" period of leatherette on the front door is 10-15 years. It can remain intact for 30 years, but the top coating gradually loses its aesthetics due to exposure to detergents, exposure to direct sunlight, etc. In such cases, the front door constriction is used, that is, the replacement of the outer coating - dermantine.

Possible options for decorating doors with dermantin

The upholstery is removed, a new one is attached in its place. This process usually does not cause difficulties, it is not physically expensive. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the insulation. It must be replaced in such cases:

1. Foam rubber stuck to the door leaf. Consequently, the process of its decomposition has begun and soon the relief of the upholstery will be disturbed.
2. In the course of careless dismantling, parts of the insulation came off. Only a specialist can restore the integrity, independent "patching" (gluing or nailing) will certainly affect the aesthetics of the outer forms of the door.
3. It is planned to radically change the decoration. In the previous places of fixation, the insulation may not straighten out, that is, it may not return to its original position. This will lead to the appearance of unnecessary dents on the surface.

Replacing the door trim is sometimes the realization of the desire to change the boring look of the doorway. It is worth noting that padding is the most economical upgrade method.

Front door padding is considered the most economical way to renovate

Helpful advice! If the door leaf is old, it is worth installing metal corners on it before the upholstery. A reinforced door will last much longer, and the upholstery on it will not deteriorate for many years.

Dermantine cladding of interior doors: a creative expression of style

Sheathing interior doors with leatherette is not a mass trend. The emergence of this method is associated with the increasing popularity of decorating living space in loft, eclectic, country styles. Upholstered with flat door leaves that do not have panels or any other bulges. Most often these are doors made of chipboard or MDF in the most simplified design - in the form of a rectangle. At first glance, it may seem that there are no special secrets in how to sheathe a door of this type.

In fact, the technology is complex and consists of the following:

1. According to the shape and size of the door, 2 dermantine canvases are prepared (the interior door is upholstered on both sides) with already bent and fixed edges. Moreover, the size of the bends should be the same, otherwise curved lines will appear on the front part.
2. The door is laid horizontally on a support, coated with glue with a paint roller.
3. A prepared leatherette is applied to the lubricated surface, pressed against the door with a dry roller with movements in one direction.

Upholstery of interior doors with dermantine is popular in such styles as loft, eclecticism, country

If you plan to upholster the doors with your own hands, it should be borne in mind that the dimensions of the dermantin should ideally match the door ones. Otherwise, the protruding edges, in addition to having an unaesthetic appearance, will interfere with the free movement of the door leaf. For reliability, you can fix the edges of the upholstery with decorative nails. It is worth choosing hats with care: their large number or impressive size visually significantly burden the door.

DIY door upholstery: some important tips

Above in the article, the features of leatherette upholstery of doors from various materials have already been highlighted. The work can be performed both by specialists and independently. This section provides information on how to properly upholster the door with dermantine with your own hands, step-by-step instructions. This work should be done in three stages.

First, the door leaf is measured, materials are purchased, tools are prepared.

Important! When buying a ready-made kit for a non-standard door (dimensions will be adjusted), you need to pay attention to the possibility of displacement of the pattern. This can significantly affect the appearance of the design.

Then the work is carried out directly. They should begin by examining the door surface. Bumps and bumps should be removed. If there are many defects, you can put plywood on the door leaf and fix it, and then upholstery. The door should be laid firmly and evenly, the slightest inclinations will prevent the high-quality tension of the leatherette. Particular attention should be paid to the roller, it greatly affects the decorative effect of the upholstery.

At the final stage, the door is hung, the stroke is tested. In places of rubbing, the leatherette will be damaged over time. Disadvantages associated with inaccurate placement should be eliminated before use.

For beginners trying to do upholstery doors with dermantine with their own hands, step-by-step photo instructions posted on the Internet can be a good help.

How to upholster a door with dermantine without removing it from the hinges

Is it necessary to remove it from the hinges when upholstering the front door with dermantine? It is better to do just that, it greatly simplifies the process and provides a high-quality result. In cases where the removal entails additional hassle in the form of removing the platbands, which cannot be separated from the box without damage, the upholstery can be made by weight.

The upholstery of the hinged door should be started from the top and at the same time constantly monitor the tension level of the leaf.

In such situations, it is necessary to provide comfortable working conditions:

• place the tools at arm's length so that you can always change the knife to a hammer, easily take nails from the tray, etc.;
• organize a sufficient level of access to the uppermost points of the door;
• fix the door leaf in the position required for work;
• provide sufficient illumination of the place.

To understand how to sheathe a door in a suspended state with dermantine, you need to decide on a method of measurements. With the correct removal of dimensions, the risk of making a mistake with the choice of technology is minimized. It is very important to lay the top horizontal side perfectly. Even with a minor error, it will be difficult to even pull the leatherette in the future.

The upholstery of the hinged door should be started from above, constantly monitoring the level of tension of the leaf. The passage with decorative nails along the vertical lines of the perimeter can be performed using a plumb line.

With the correct measurements, the risk of spoiling the canvas is minimized

Do-it-yourself door upholstery with dermantine: video materials

Better to see once than hear a hundred times. You can't argue with this expression. The above information on possible ways to upholster the door with dermantine with your own hands should be visualized by watching videos on the Internet. For example, the video below will give detailed visual information on how to replace the upholstery.

There is no voice dubbing, actions on the screen are commented on by alphabetic text. Such viewing is much more effective in the sense that no errors in sound or illegible expressions impede full perception, and pauses between changing phrases allow you to comprehend what you read. Information is provided in detail, emphasis is placed on the most important points.

For those who find it more convenient to perceive the voice information accompanying the process of replacing the front door upholstery, it is appropriate to recommend another video. A significant part of the information in the presented video material is devoted to providing noise insulation.

Helpful advice! On the Internet, you should watch videos on the upholstery of exactly the type of door with which you have to work. The use of inappropriate technologies can lead to undesirable results.

Decorative trim on the door

To make the front door, upholstered with leatherette, more interesting and attractive, you can make drawings on it yourself. Convex rhythmic patterns look original on doors with foam or izolon lining. These can be squares, rhombuses and other geometric shapes with corners.

Such a drawing is performed using the same decorative nails with which the sides are stuffed along the perimeter of the canvas.

Decorative design of the door upholstery will make it more original

Important! Precise preliminary marking must be done. The slightest displacement will lead to a violation of symmetry and proportionality.

If your own creative imagination cannot create an interesting option, you can turn to the Internet, where there are quite a few schemes. Most of them offer rhombuses as the main pattern. This way of decoration visually increases the height of the door. To make the lines between the fragments of the pattern clearer, a decorative cord is used, which is fixed to the upholstery with nails.

You can make an asymmetrical pattern on the front door. It is more appropriate for dermantin of bright color, pastel colors without pronounced texture. Such a pattern is located with an offset to the side of the hanging of the canvas. The decoration at the bottom of the door looks original. It should be borne in mind that the thicker the insulation substrate, the more expressive the drawing will be.

Displacement from the previously made markings can lead to a violation of symmetry and proportionality.

Door upholstery with dermantin: how to choose material

In order for the door to look presentable, the following characteristics must be taken into account when choosing:

• Colour;
• texture;
• quality;
• price.

They try to make the upholstery of doors from the outside with a material of dark shades, based on practicality. But it is worth noting that on black and dark brown, dust and dried dirt are noticeable no less than on light canvases. The optimal shades in this regard are gray and milk chocolate.

It is worth choosing the color of the inside of the front door depending on the interior. The shade can be combined with furniture, walls, window frames. The modern trend is that it is the door that is often the accent element of the hallway.

As for the price of door upholstery with dermantin, it depends on many indicators:

When choosing a material for door upholstery, you need to pay attention to color, texture, quality and price

• material quality;
• the size of the door leaf;
• specifics of work (metal or wooden door);
• the complexity of decorative design.

By ordering material for upholstery and performing work in one company, you can significantly save money. The cost of upholstering entrance doors with leatherette varies from 1,500 to 3,500 rubles.

As for the requirements for the quality of the material, you can check its level yourself by trying to gently stretch the edge of the canvas. Elasticity will manifest itself even with little effort. If the leatherette does not last at all, there can be no question of high quality. It is difficult to pull such material correctly, problems can arise in places of bends on the sides of the door leaf.

The result of a serious and thoughtful approach to the implementation of the front door upholstery with dermantine will necessarily be the unity of aesthetics and functionality. The dwelling will be reliably protected from heat loss, isolated from noise, and the front entrance will delight you with a pleasant appearance. From a completely inexpensive material - leatherette - you can make an original and unique door block.