Door jambs

[Kate]

Which is better - wood or a composite? Thanks.

Kate

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, My personal choice is always natural material. Wood.

[krw]

It depends on your tastes. Composite is fine for paint, obviously not so good for stain. Composite might be a little harder to work with, though.

[Kate]

Thanks. I appreciate the reply. I was told that composite is the latest, and it never splinters like wood. It is supposed to be much easier to take care of in the long run.

[Kate]

I was told that composite will outlast wood as it relates to upkeep. Supposedly, or so I am told, home builders are now favoring composite material.

Thanks.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Maybe. My house was custom built in '94. All wood work was done on site by an old world craftsman using best material he could find and we could afford. All hand stained rubbed. Two kids grew up in the house, a cat and a dog always. Still all is in pretty good shape. No splintering, no cracking, no rotting any where. The warnth of real wood!

[dadiOH]

What upkeep? Dust the top sometimes, wipe off fingerprints. Not all that hard to find door jambs/trim that is 200 years old (in an old house, I mean).

[krw]

Builders favor it because it's *cheaper*. For painted woodwork, I don't think it matters much. I wouldn't use it near water (bathroom or kitchen), though.

[EXT]

Yeah, MDF is cheaper. Outlast wood ---- get it wet and it will start to crumble, real wood needs to wetted for months before it rots. MDF will chip at the corners when it is impacted, wood will only dent. Need to reset a lock, you find there is no strength to hold anything. I will take real wood anytime.

[krw]

Once MFS is painted, it's not that bad. I wouldn't use it in a garage or basement (likely not a bathroom, either). OTOH, I don't expect my dining room to get flooded.

Reset a lock? In molding?

[EXT]

We are talking jambs not casing.