Over the past few years, a new type of front door has been rising in popularity among many households in the UK — composite doors. In this guide, we will look at the composition, benefits, and advantages of composite doors, and discover why most homeowners prefer these doors over any other and finally helping to answer – What is a composite door.
What Are Composite Doors Made of?
Composite doors are made from various materials that are selected for their unique beneficial properties. This type of door is constructed taking into account the common flaws in doors made of singular material. As a result, composite doors provide superior strength, high security, excellent thermal efficiency, and easy maintenance.
Unlike singular material doors, composite front doors have high resistance to abrasion and weathering, and will not be affected by seasonal changes. Because of its quality build, a composite door will not fade or discolour. Another advantage is the long lasting nature of composite doors, lasting for at least 35 years without requiring any maintenance beyond an occasional wipe-clean with a damp cloth. Composite doors do not require repainting either.
Besides composite doors, two other main types of door are used in UK homes today, namely, wooden doors and uPVC doors.
Wooden doors are the traditional type of door. Over the years, these doors have varied in style and design, and their classic appearance remains highly appealing, particularly over the plastic look of uPVC.
UPVC doors are popular among households for a several reasons. For one, these doors are inexpensive unlike wooden doors, and have higher resistance to various elements. In general, this door type requires less maintenance in comparison to the wooden type.
Despite their distinct qualities, wooden doors and uPVC doors have similar flaws. They both use singular material, which significantly limits the quality and design of the doors. For this reason, more and more people prefer composite doors over other door types. Their exceptional design and superior quality set a high standard in the door industry.
How Are Composite Doors Made?
A composite door consists primarily of the following: a 70mm PVCu outer frame, composite PVC sub-frame, and hardwood inner frame. The outer frame is reinforced with galvanized steel. The PVC sub-frame ensures stability, while the inner frame is designed for torsional rigidity.
A composite door also comes with CFC-free insulating polyurethane (PU) foam core and 2mm PVC banding at the edges. The banding has an ash-grain effect to match the hinge and lock face plate. To make sure the skin of the door will not crack, twist, warp, or need repainting, a composite door has 2mm GRP (glass reinforced plastic) grained surface. The door skin has through colour and is highly resistant to dents and scratches.
The low threshold for wheelchair access is Part M compliant and comes in either gold or silver with dual weather seals. You may choose from 85mm or 150mm sill, or opt not to have one.
Benefits of Composite Doors
There are many different front door types that you can install in your home, but nothing can come close to the quality and security standards that composite doors boast of. There are plenty of reasons why most people prefer this type of door.
The blend of materials used to make a composite door ensures great strength, attractive design, high level of security, and durability. Its core typically contains wood, eco-friendly insulating materials, and additional layers—all of which are protected by a weather-resistant outer skin. Perhaps the only trade-off with choosing a composite door is that prices can be slighlty higher than conventional uPVC doors. However, this added cost is definitely outweighed by the tons of benefits composite doors provide.
Aside from being strong and sturdy, composite doors are also the perfect choice if you want additional security features in your home. A composite door will essentially allow you to pick from the best front and back door locks available today. Composite doors typically come with multi-point locking system and are BS6375 and PAS24 approved. These doors also have kite-marked cylinder lock as the standard.
Along with durability and security comes a broad selection of styles and finishes that are suitable for practically any home set-up or property. You can go with a muted woodgrain effect for a classic look, or make a bold statement with a striking coloured finish. Composite doors are typically finished with a glass reinforced plastic to provide a natural, beautiful finish that is resistant to dents and damages. All glass panels are built into the frame and can be easily substituted in case they get damaged due to some unfortunate incidents.
The strength and security features of composite doors make them ideal as front doors and their affordability makes them a practical choice for a secondary and outbuilding entrance.
Key Advantages of Composite Doors
Besides their unique benefits, composite doors also hold several advantages over other door types:
- Thick, steel-clad frame – Compared to other door types, composite doors are far sturdier. Thanks to their thick, solid frame, as well as the other materials blended and supplied into the doors. As such, composite doors will be able to withstand the hard kicks of intruders, keeping you, your family, and your home highly secure.
- Thermal efficiency – While composite doors from different manufacturers are designed differently, all are furnished with an insulating inner foam that offers exceptional thermal properties. Most traditional doors do not have this feature. Having a thermally-efficient door will help you make sure that your home loses less heat. This will also reflect on your monthly electric bill.
- Variety of styles and colours – Wooden and uPVC doors are often restricted when it comes to the styles and colours they come in; composite doors are not. The wide range of design options gives people the opportunity to express their own style and go for something that matches their décor and home.
- Long lifespan and low-maintenance – You will only need to wipe down the composite door if it gets dirty. Wooden doors need to be treated periodically to make sure they do not bow or distort, while uPVC doors require frequent repainting because the old paint tends to peel off and look faded. Composite doors have the longest lifespan among all types of front door.
No matter which door you wish to replace, always consider composite doors first to make sure your home is secure and protected. At the end of the day, you and your family’s safety and peace of mind should be top priority.
