How To Find A Good Front Door And What To Look For

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Door leaf
• Locking system
• Burglary protection system
• Frame construction
• Draft and frost protection system
• Doors with a window
• Decoration and decor

Modern models of metal doors are quite different from their earlier counterparts, made from iron sheets and corners.

The main elements of the metal doors have not changed, and today, as before, such structures consist of a body and a box. A rough frame, welded and steel ledgers, may also be present.

Domestic manufacturers of steel doors, however, rarely use the above element. The door frame without a rough frame is fastened to the wall with metal pins.

Each element of steel doors, be it a lock, a frame or a leaf, is of great importance. After all, it is the design that determines the level of reliability, durability and quality of products.

Door leaf

The thickness of the sheet steel used for the manufacture of the door leaf largely determines the reliability of the structures. That is why it must have a thickness of at least 2-3 mm.

Using frame technology, a sheet of steel doors is created, which can be of two types. The first type is products based on rolled products made of low-carbon steel. Such canvases are distinguished by special shock-resistant and bearing properties.

The second type of door leaves are rigid, lightweight and thin extruded profiles.

For each sample of steel doors, the durability and reliability of the leaf are determined by the assembly and processing of the raw materials. Since the frame is sheathed with steel sheets on each side, acting as a reliable obstacle for various damages, the thickness of the outer sheet of the structure should not be less than 1-2 mm. Such an indicator takes place in steel doors intended for the general consumer. Manufacturers produce designer door models of various colors and textures.

If the steel sheet has a thickness of 4–6 mm, then such structures are called armored. They are able to withstand pistol and even machine gun fires. An outer sheet of such a thickness throughout the entire sash of the door will also ensure a tight fit of the sheet, which, in turn, will prevent external odors and noise from entering the room.

Locking system

If you choose the right locking system for a steel door, the main component of which is a lock, then you can ensure not only the effective functioning of the structure, but also reliable protection of the opening.

The lock must be equipped with high-strength metal pins capable of fixing and holding the canvas in this form in the frame. To increase the burglary-resistant characteristics of steel doors, disc transoms should be preferred.

The usability of metal doors also depends on elements such as hinges. They are presented in many varieties, the most popular of which are unloading and pin products equipped with bearings.

The hinges of each steel door must meet certain requirements, for example, in terms of protecting the structure from disassembly and sawing, or in terms of the ability to withstand the load that the door leaf puts on them.

To ensure the steel door has a long service life and effective functioning, it must be equipped with at least two hinges. The distance between them should be optimal.

There are models in which hidden hinges (internal) from the outside of the door are not visible, so it is impossible to cut them off. Many call them even more aesthetic, but their main disadvantage is the likelihood of being wedged.

The obligatory presence of an adjustable rebate adjusts the tightness of the door leaf to the frame and ensures a soft and comfortable closing of a heavy iron door. The door remains tight throughout its entire service life.

The porch is a part of the canvas that goes onto the door frame. The rebate regulator regulates the tightness of the curtain to the frame and ensures easy and comfortable door closing. It allows you to maintain a high tightness of the door throughout the entire service life.

Modern doors are complemented by anti-removable crossbars, which will not allow intruders to break the doors. When the doors are closed, the crossbars enter special holes made in the frame profiles, which ensures burglary resistance in case of cutting the hinges.

Burglary protection system

Doors made using bending technology are the most reliable. In this case, a solid sheet of steel is bent into a sheet and a box. The more bends, the more reliable the blade design.

The system of vertical and horizontal stiffeners ensures high strength of the door leaf. The system of reinforced stiffeners perfectly resists twisting loads - attempts to bend the upper or lower corner of the blade from the side of the lock.

Anti-removable ledgers. When closing the leaf, they fit tightly into special holes in the door frame and exclude the possibility of removing the door from the hinges.

Steel plates in the area of the locks protect the lock from drilling.

A hardened steel mortise armor plate protects the cylinder lock and is almost impossible to knock down.

Frame construction

Steel doors are equipped with frames that differ in the way they are mounted in the opening and the type of profile.

There are two types of frames:

• single;
• combined.

The size of the frame is of great importance when installing doors.

The modern market offers entrance steel doors with standard frames, with a fixed pitch and uniform dimensions. Custom-made designs are significantly more expensive than their store counterparts.

Draft and frost protection system

The use of MDF panels on the outside and inside of the door increases the noise insulation of the door compared to doors with polymer coating.

Sealing contours ensure the tightness of the door and protect the apartment from extraneous noise, odors and drafts. Soundproofing doors with 4 sealing circuits are up to 2 times better than doors with 2 sealing circuits. A reliable seal must remain flexible even at extremely low and high temperatures.

Doors with a window

Tempered glass or grating - safety. The grille is both a functional and a decorative element of an entrance door with a window. It protects the door from mechanical damage and gives it sophistication and grace. The grille looks harmoniously in classic door models. Models of modern design, as a rule, are not decorated with a lattice.

If the front door does not have a lattice, then tempered glass should be used, which has increased strength and resistance to mechanical stress.

The use of tinted glass provides one-way visibility and protects your home from prying eyes. At the same time, through such glass you will see everything that happens outside.

For correct operation of a tinted glass unit, the lighting inside the room should not be brighter than the outside. In order to ensure the effect of one-way visibility in the dark, install evening lighting on the porch of the house

Decoration and decor

Metal entrance doors can have various designs. The choice of finishing materials and decorative elements depends primarily on the wishes and requirements of the customer.

A wide variety of materials can be used to design entrance metal doors, for example, plastic, glass, fiberboard and others. The variety of options for decorating such structures allows you to get unusual and original design products using decorative panels.

And finally, do not forget that steel doors should be chosen not so much by their appearance as by their technical characteristics. These also include professional installation, maintenance, serviceability of locking systems and a quality certificate.

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