Articles of composite structure having appearance of wood
View Patent ↗A door or other entryway component of synthetic resin composite construction and closely resembling the appearance of stained real wood. Skin portions of doors and other structures have a surface layer of clear gel coat resin molded to include the texture of a wood grain surface. A subsurface layer adjacent the clear gel coat layer is of pigmented gel coat resin. A structural support layer of the skin is of reinforced resin. Skins of a door or similar article are mounted on frames, and dense micro porous resin foam is provided between the skins to form a solid structure such as a door. Moldings retaining glass panels in openings defined in the door or similar structure are attached to the skins by adhesively fastening the moldings to the skins. Fasteners mounted in the moldings so that there are no plugged holes in the exterior surfaces of the moldings are used to locate the moldings properly with respect to the skins by inserting the fasteners into predrilled holes in the skins. The assembled doors and other structures can be finished by staining and coating with a finish system such as a urethane varnish to provide an appearance closely resembling real wood.
1. A method for manufacturing an article of composite construction with at least part of the article having an appearance imitating natural wood, the method comprising:
(a) providing a first skin sheet including a transparent outer gel coat layer having an outer surface molded to imitate a wood grain, a subsurface pigmented gel coat layer and a reinforced synthetic resin structural support layer;
(b) providing a second skin sheet;
(c) providing a frame structure for said article;
(d) fastening said first and second skin sheets to said frame structure, thereby defining a cavity between said first and second skin sheets and surrounded by said frame structure;
(e) filling said cavity with a structural resin foam adhering to said frame structure and said first and second skin sheets;
(f) curing said structural resin foam, thereby forming a substantially rigid core structure adhered to said frame structure and to said first and second skin sheets; and
(g) thereafter applying a protective finish to said outer surface of said first skin.
2. The method of claim 1 , including the step of applying a stain to said outer surface of said transparent outer gel coat layer of said first skin sheet to provide a desired finish color to said first skin sheet prior to applying said protective finish coat thereto.
3. The method of claim 1 , including the further step of supporting and pressing said first and second skin sheets against said structural frame in predetermined positions while said structural foam cures.
4. A method of producing an article of composite construction having an appearance closely imitating real wood, comprising:
(a) preparing a mold including a mold surface configuration closely resembling a surface of a wooden article to be imitated by said article of composite resin construction;
(b) forming an outer layer of a transparent gel coat material applied to said mold surface to produce an image of said surface of said wooden article as an outer surface of said article of composite construction;
(c) forming a subsurface layer of a pigmented second gel coat material adhering to said outer layer while said outer surface remains on said mold surface;
(d) allowing said outer layer and said subsurface layer to cure;
(e) thereafter, applying a layer of uncured fiber-reinforced resin to said subsurface layer of pigmented resin and causing said fiber-reinforced resin to cure, as a structural support for said surface layer and said subsurface layer, thereby forming a skin member;
(f) applying a stain of a color selected to resemble a selected species of wood to an outer surface of said outer layer; and
(g) providing a protective finish over said outer surface and said stain.
5. The method of claim 4 , including the further step of incorporating said skin member in a composite product structure.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein said protective finish is transparent.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein said outer surface layer has a predetermined thickness.
8. The method of claim 4 wherein said subsurface layer has a predetermined thickness.