Patent ID: 8808484

Claim:
A method of producing a universal door skin blank, comprising the steps of: providing a die set having an upper die spaced from a lower die, the dies creating a forming chamber defining first and second spaced stiles lying on a first plane, and a flat planar portion lying on a second plane spaced from the first plane, the flat planar portion being integral with, disposed between, and having a length equal to the length of said stiles; disposing a flat substrate between the upper and lower dies, wherein the flat substrate comprises an exterior side and an interior side; providing a decorative layer on the exterior side of the flat substrate; and compressing the flat substrate and the decorative layer using heat and pressure to form a blank having first and second molded, spaced stiles, a flat planar portion disposed between the stiles, said flat planar portion lying on a single plane spaced from the plane of the stiles, and an interface portion disposed between and contiguous with the stiles and the flat planar portion and extending an entire length of said blank, said planar portion having a length equal to the length of the stiles and extending uninterruptedly between the stiles, wherein the decorative layer is bonded to the flat substrate during compression.