What to Consider When Choosing a New Front Door

What to Consider When Choosing a New Front Door

Choosing a new front door can be a minefield of options, but there are four main areas to think about that should make your decision easier.

Safety

For most people, safety is the most important thing to consider when choosing a new front door.

The recommended standards for safety are that a front door should feature multi-point locks, a peephole at eye level and be at least 44mm thick.

However, these recommendations are only the minimum: if you are concerned about safety, there are plenty of additional measures to consider when choosing a new front door.

When choosing a new front door, the material and design you pick should prioritise safety. This means making sure that you choose a durable material that can’t be easily forced open and making sure that any glass sections of the door are heavily reinforced.

Material

External doors are available in a variety of materials, including– uPVC, timber, GRP composite and solid core composite doors. Choosing between these can seem daunting at first, as they each have different benefits and drawbacks to consider.

The plastic finish of uPVC is not to everyone’s taste, although uPVC doors usually offer the cheapest options. These doors do come at a different cost though! Many uPVC doors deteriorate in appearance quite quickly, and they can be problematic in terms of security.

Timber doors are compatible with secure locking features and fit well with traditional housefronts. Many timber doors however, need regular maintenance to retain their appearance unless they have a specialist coating.

GRP composite doors – GRP stands for Glass Reinforced Plastic – are hardwearing but can scratch and dent over time and do not match the security of solid core composite doors.

Solid core composite doors are an upgrade to the security of a timber door as they are constructed from numerous layers of wood so that the grain runs in multiple directions, making the door resistant to warping and much more difficult to force.

Budget

Money is often a concern when choosing a new front door; however, as one of your home’s most important security features, a high-quality door is worth investing in.

Cheaper products may seem more attractive at first, but the cost of maintaining or replacing a lower-quality product means that when choosing a new front door, it may be better to go for the more expensive option.

This is especially the case when choosing between materials. The difference in price between basic uPVC doors and solid core composite doors can be as little as £250. When we’re talking about the security of your home is a small price to pay.

If you need to economise somewhere, it’s best to do so on style features rather than security ones. For example, you may save money by choosing a design featuring less glass or selecting a standard hardware finish.

Style and Appearance

While safety is priority number one, it’s still important to think about the look of the door you will choose. How will it fit with the style of your home, and your surroundings, and what will it say to visitors?

While a timber door might seem like the best choice for a period property, the finish of solid core composite doors can be very convincing as a wood substitute that will look wonderful next to heritage features.

The Take-Away

Choosing a new front door is a big decision. However, there are enough options available to you that you shouldn’t have to compromise on safety or appearance.

If you’re still unsure what kind of door you need for your property, most companies would be happy to speak to you about their products – it’s worth phoning to talk about your options so that you can make an informed decision.