12 Jul How To Choose A New Front Door

A new front door can transform the look of your house and improve the energy efficiency of your home. There are several things to consider when starting a search for a new front door.

Firstly, you need to consider your budget, are you buying a new front door to match new windows or as a standalone purchase? If you are thinking of buying new windows and, for example, a new garage door or side entrance door in the future, it can be beneficial to wait until you can buy all those at the same time. This is also important in case the supplier can’t provide windows in the right colour or matching doors handles later down the line, and you end up with a mismatched look.

Budget and Size of A New Front Door

If you go ahead with your door purchase the next thing to look at would be your budget and the size of the door that you’re looking to buy. Some entranceways are larger than average or have glass frames around them. It is important then, to bear in mind the cost factor of updating the frames if that is needed, or whether they are study enough to handle a new door installation.

What Materials Are Front Doors Made Of?

Next you can decide what kind of door material you would like. The main types of door material are wooden, uPVC, and composite doors. A uPVC door is made from a frame with insulation and covered in un-plasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) plastic and composite door is made by combining different materials, often timber, foam and steel, under high pressure.

Because of the manufacturing process for creating composite door is costly, the prices are higher of the doors themselves are usually higher than uPVC. Wooden doors are generally the most expensive option. A solid wood door would look amazing but can be prohibitively expensive. uPVC and composite doors are generally a cheaper option. Composite doors have a timber-like look to them and both types of door come in a variety of colours and styles.

Are New Front Doors Secure?

Consider security when choosing between uPVC and composite door. uPVC doors offer a high level of protection, they have a strong outer frame and multipoint locks. Composite doors can offer a bit more protection because of the manufacturing process which makes them slightly stronger. With good locks and proper installation however, both are viable options for keeping your home secure.

Do New Front Doors Provide Good Insulation?

Both uPVC and composite doors offer good insulating qualities too. Composite doors are usually thicker than a uPVC door so this can mean they offer slightly more thermal protection but with effective seals and good installation, the difference can be minimal.

With these key points in mind, next on the list is to find some styles you like and find out the costs for what you’d like.

At Park Lane we have a variety of uPVC and composite doors designed to suit a variety of styles and different budgets. For example, if you like the stable door style but can’t afford to splash out on a solid wooden one, come and see our uPVC version. Or check out our new composite door in a summery floral pink! Take some measurements and bring your thoughts to our friendly team in our showroom to find the perfect front door for you today.