Why composite doors are a great choice
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What are composite doors?
Composite doors are the latest in door manufacturing trends. They take the best bits from various other methods of making doors and combine them to make a door which is a jack-of-all-trades. But what should you look for when buying a choosing a composite door for your home? Well, this article will give you all the information you need to make that decision.
What are composite doors made of?
Composite doors, as the name would suggest, are made up of a number of different materials. They’re designed to overcome the various flaws inherent in using one material to make a door. They use a number of materials which are each chosen for their beneficial properties.
For instance, a composite door might use a PVCu outer frame with galvanised steel for reinforcement, but have a GRP casing around the door to provide both a pleasing colour and texture for the door, and also ensure it won’t crack or warp. The inside of the door will be polyurethane foam. The door will also have a PVC sub-frame and hardwood inner-frame which means it is robust and secure.
The result of choosing a door which has all the best materials for their various jobs means it’s secure and thermally efficient. It’ll also last a long time and not need much maintenance at all.
What is the difference between uPVC and composite doors?
uPVC is another very popular choice when it comes to door materials. The key difference between uPVC doors and composite doors is that uPVC doors are made almost entirely out of uPVC plastic. They may have glass windows and metal locks, but the main door itself well be uPVC.
Composite doors might actually have some uPVC on them, such as the outer casing, but the rest of the door will be a whole multitude of materials chosen for their different properties and benefits.
These are the physical differences, and the physical differences will have a big influence on the pros and cons of the two types of doors. Read on to find out exactly what those are.
Are composite doors better than uPVC doors?
uPVC doors are often chosen as they’re strong and secure whilst also being thermally efficient. Being a form of plastic, uPVC is also very low maintenance and won’t be affected by the changing seasons.
But are uPVC doors better than their composite counterparts? They certainly can be cheaper. uPVC is consistently the cheapest material for front doors and it’s a favourite in the construction industry. They’re also very easy to maintain, usually only needing a clean every now and then to keep them looking new.
However, there is a catch. uPVC doors are likely to be less secure than composite doors. They’re not as strong, and they also lack some of the other security features you’d get with a composite door. A number of tests have proven how easy it is to kick in a uPVC door.
Composite doors, on the other hand, can be incredibly sturdy and secure due to the fact manufacturers use materials other than uPVC to reinforce them. Some composite doors even market themselves as being “sledgehammer proof” showing just how strong they can be. If security is one of your top concerns, and, let’s face it, with your house it often is, you should consider a composite door.
Composite doors also don’t have to be that much more expensive than uPVC doors. It really depends on where you look and the style of door you want.
Why choose a composite front door?
So, we’ve compared composite front doors to their uPVC counterparts, and they seem to come out on top in pretty much every category. There are, however, a few more benefits to composite doors it’s good to flag up.
One of the main reasons you might want to choose a composite door is the wide range of colours and textures you can get them in. Manufacturers make them in literally thousands of designs, so you’re bound to find one that compliments your house’s aesthetic perfectly.
One reason you might not want to get a composite door is that you want your door to match your uPVC window frames. This shouldn’t deter you though because composite doors come in such a wide array of colours and finishes that you’re bound to find a match.
Composite doors also last forever, with very little maintenance. All you’ll have to do is clean it every now and then. Their foam interior means you’ll be spending way less on your heating bills as they lock the heat in your house.
We hope this blog gave you some valuable insight, let us know on our Facebook – we’d love to hear your thoughts!