Entrance Doors: Varieties, Material Of Manufacture, Features Of Installation And Operation, As Well As What You Need To Consider When Choosing, Photos, Reviews

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

The front door is the guarantor of home security

Acquaintance with the house begins with the front door - this is the "face" of the building. Like all other doors, entrance doors protect housing and property from intruders and precipitation. They prevent the penetration of noise, retain heat inside the home. Modern entrance doors are not only functional, but also aesthetically pleasing, an important element in building design.

Content

• 1 Construction of entrance doors
• 2 Criteria for choosing entrance doors

• 3 Varieties of entrance doors

  • 3.1 Table: the pros and cons of the materials from which the doors are made
  • 3.2 Purpose of doors
  • 3.3 Door opening method
  • 3.4 Number of door leaves
• 4 Dimensions of entrance doors

• 5 Installation, operation and maintenance of entrance doors

  • 5.1 Preparing the doorway
  • 5.2 Video: the process of installing a metal front door
  • 5.3 Operation and maintenance of the front door

• 6 Hardware for entrance doors

  • 6.1 Locks
  • 6.2 Handles
  • 6.3 Hinges
  • 6.4 Closers
• 7 Repair of entrance doors
• 8 Photo gallery: entrance doors in the interior
• 9 Reviews of popular models

Entrance door construction

Despite the huge assortment, all entrance doors have a similar design. The minimum complete set consists of the following components:

• fixed frame door frame, consisting of two vertical slopes and one cross member;
• opening door leaf;
• hinges for door movement (at least 2 pieces);
• anti-detachable pins, excluding the removal of the canvas (the number is equal to the number of loops);
• accessories (eyes, handles);
• technological elements (heaters, seals, ribs).

The overall quality of the door depends on the quality of each individual piece.

Criteria for choosing entrance doors

Many owners of city apartments or country houses are faced with the question of competent purchase of entrance doors. Before dwelling on a specific model, it is necessary to formulate the requirements for the future entrance door. Based on them, the most important selection criteria are determined, as well as those that are of secondary importance. Experts advise paying attention to the following details:

1. Burglary protection of the door. It includes the ability to withstand physical force (depends on the strength of the door leaf) and to fight “smart burglary” (determined by the reliability of the lock). A high-quality door does not deform during operation. Its coating is resistant to scratches and chips.

   

   Strong door structure and reliable locks should provide protection against burglary

2. Protection from the external environment. The door must have the required level of thermal insulation and sound absorption. To achieve this, various technological approaches are used:

   • installation of thick-leaf (8 mm and more) door panels. They dampen sound waves well and at the same time are a decorative element;

     

     The thicker the door panel, the better the door will absorb sound and retain heat

   • filling the gaps between the wall opening and the door frame. For this purpose, it is effective to use concrete or polyurethane foam;

     

     It is easiest to fill the gap between the opening in the wall and the door frame with mounting foam.

   • the use of a two-circuit or three-circuit sealing system, the purpose of which is to seal the entire structure. Gaskets made of polyvinyl chloride, plastic, rubber or foam rubber are used as seals. For their placement, the door leaf is made from bent profiles;

     

     The more contours, the less smoke, odors and dust will enter the home

   • filling the inner cavity of the door leaf with a heat-insulating layer. Among the popular insulation materials are foamed polyurethane foam, mineral wool, isolon, cork insulator. The more layers are placed, the lower the noise permeability and the higher the heat saving;

     

     Builders advise choosing high-density insulation: they effectively dampen sounds and prevent heat from escaping

3. Aesthetic appearance. The entrance door to the apartment should correspond to the general concept of the hallway. The color of the front door can be combined with the color of the flooring, furniture items, or it can contrast with them. In a private house, the door finish is selected taking into account the exterior of the building.

   

   Classic style entrance doors never go out of style

4. Manufacturer's warranty. All things fail sooner or later. Therefore, it is important to know the company's warranty policy: product life, seller's obligations, availability of repair options.

   

   When choosing an entrance door, always be interested in the manufacturer's and seller's warranty policy

Varieties of entrance doors

The classification of entrance doors is based on the type of material used, the method and direction of opening, the purpose of the door. By material, metal, glass, wood, plastic and veneered structures are distinguished. Each has its own positive and negative sides, which must be considered when buying a door.

Table: the pros and cons of the materials from which the doors are made

Door type
Benefits	disadvantages
Wooden door
environmental friendliness of the material; the ability to withstand significant loads; durability; a door made of a dense, homogeneous array has good sound insulation;	high cost of hardwood products (maple, mahogany, oak); flammability; does not tolerate changes in humidity; susceptible to attacks of insect pests and decay.
Steel door
a thick-leaf door (metal thickness more than 2 mm) withstands serious blows without deforming; depending on the quality of the metal, the service life of the door is 10–40 years; fire resistance; not subject to decay and attacks of insect pests; high level of heat and sound insulation; availability of models with special properties (bullet-proof, chemical-resistant);	the surface is scratched; poor-quality polymer coating can lead to rust; limited possibilities of decoration and decoration.
Glass door
perfectly tolerates high humidity; transmits sunlight; glass makes the room visually larger; modern models with tempered glass have good durability;	low strength in comparison with metal, wooden doors; the price is higher than that of plastic or veneered doors; gets dirty quickly: any touch leaves an imprint, and water drops leave stains.
Plastic door
low cost; not subject to corrosion, decay and attacks of insect pests; does not absorb moisture, provides good sealing; ease of care; light weight;	a PVC product turns yellow over time; under the influence of high temperatures, the plastic melts; does not look as presentable as a wooden or glass door.
Veneered door
with proper care, it serves up to 15 years; acceptable sound insulation (slightly worse than for solid wood doors); the lacquered product does not absorb moisture;	the veneer fades under the influence of sunlight; it is difficult to cover curved surfaces and doors of complex configuration with veneer.

Purpose of doors

By designation, all entrance doors are usually divided into the following types:

• armored (anti-vandal) structures, which are installed in order to exclude unauthorized access to residential or public premises;
• fire doors, which do not allow the spread of open flames, are found in chemical laboratories, storages of flammable substances;
• bulletproof entrance doors are an excellent choice for banks, financial institutions, currency exchange offices;
• noise-absorbing structures that are used in operating rooms, recording studios.

Door opening method

According to the method of opening the flaps, the products are divided into 2 types:

1. Swing doors. These are the most common products. It works by turning the movable door panel 180 ^of around joints or hinges. A door that opens from itself to the right is considered "right", and to the left - "left". Products that open outward have the best heat resistance. They are safer than those that swing open inside the room. There are 2 types of swing doors:

   • an interesting type of swing leaf is a pendulum, or swing, door. The device works by rotating around its axis with the same angle of rotation in both directions. This becomes possible due to the presence of special hinges and the low weight of the door leaf. The design requires a lot of space, so the scope is limited to the design of the entrance to offices and shops. There are single-leaf and double-leaf models;

     

     Swing doors have low thermal insulation characteristics

   • Another type of swing door is a double entrance door. It consists of 2 canvases attached to one door block. Its use is justified when it is required to additionally insulate the room. The fittings on both canvases should not touch each other, and the sashes should open towards and away from you.

     

     For a double entrance door, the ideal combination is a combination of external metal and internal wooden panels.

2. Sliding doors. The advantages of such products include ergonomics, reliability, good soundproofing performance. By the type of movement, they are divided into parallel-sliding and folding:

   • a feature of sliding doors is that the leaves move strictly parallel to the wall surface. The mechanism of action of parallel-sliding doors is based on the movement of a row of rollers along the guides, which are mounted below and above the doorway. One of the types of parallel-sliding doors are compartment doors;

     

     Sliding doors significantly save space in small spaces

   • folding doors look like an accordion or a book. The door leaf includes 2-3 panels, hingedly connected to each other. The folding door leaf is attached to the side profile, and the carriage and roller elements are mounted in the upper part of the opening. Such doors do not guarantee a high level of protection against odors and sounds, therefore they are not widely used as entrance doors.

     

     Each section of the folding door moves smoothly and silently

Number of door leaves

All types of entrance doors, regardless of the material of manufacture and design solutions, have one or two leaves. The number of leaves is determined by the width of the wall opening. Two-leaf options are suitable for rooms with high traffic. Single-leaf doors are used to decorate small areas.

Locking mechanisms are installed on one of the canvases of a double-leaf door - latches

Dimensions of entrance doors

The dimensions of standard entrance doors must comply with the requirements of GOST. The following dimensions are taken as the main parameters:

1. Height. Varies in the range of 2070-2370 mm. A specific value is chosen depending on the height of the ceiling.
2. Width. Determined by the number of leaves: for single-leaf products it is 1010 mm, for doors with two leaves - 1910 or 1950 mm.
3. Thickness. The specific meaning is not regulated. It is selected based on the thickness of the walls and the purpose of the room. For metal doors, the thickness of sheet metal must be at least 1.5–2 mm.

Installation, operation and maintenance of entrance doors

The quality of the door is influenced not only by the design and manufacturing technology, but also by the installation. The quality of sound absorption and thermal insulation of the room depend on the installation performed.

Preparing the doorway

The process of installing an entrance door begins with the preparation of the opening. If it is larger than the door leaf, then the walls are extended. With a smaller size, the excess part of the wall is removed using a punch. After each operation, the straightness of the surfaces is checked with a building level and the dimensions of the niche are measured with a tape measure.

Expansion of openings in load-bearing walls is carried out with the permission of the supervisory authorities

Video: the process of installing a metal front door

After installation, make sure that the door moves smoothly, the sashes should move freely at an angle of 180 ^°. Jamming, creaking, application of great efforts when opening is not allowed. In such situations, you should immediately contact the company that installed the door.

Front door operation and maintenance

Careful operation of the door excludes repair work and prolongs the life of the product. Experts advise to follow several rules:

• use the door in accordance with its intended purpose, do not overload the canvas by hanging heavy objects on the door;
• do not allow the doors to hit the door frame;
• close the doors only with a hidden latch or lock bolt;
• make sure before turning the key that it is completely inserted into the slot of the lock;
• Protect your front door directly adjacent to the street with a hanging canopy from precipitation and weather.

Door maintenance is about lubricating and cleaning the door links. To lubricate the hinges, a small amount of Ciatim or Litol compounds is applied to their surface. The excess flowing out is removed with a dry, clean cloth. You can maintain the performance of the seals with silicone spray lubricants. Use a damp cloth to wipe the surfaces of the canvas. It is forbidden to remove stains, dirt and foreign traces with abrasives and aggressive chemicals.

Hardware for entrance doors

Accessories are auxiliary parts that provide additional security for the front door. In their absence, the door does not fulfill its tasks. Modern fittings give the uniqueness of the design, serves as a "highlight" of the door. The list includes locks, handles, door closers and hinges. Let's take a closer look at each of these elements.

Locks

According to the method of attaching to the door, all locks are divided into 3 types:

• hinged. These are simple and cheap devices consisting of a body and a bent bow. Such locks are fixed on metal brackets bolted to the door. The negative side - they are easy to break with a crowbar or crowbar;
• waybills. They are more common than hanging products. They are mounted on the door after its installation and fastening. Among the disadvantages is the need to strengthen the interior of the door at the place of the lock lining. Also, such locks do not always fit into the design of the room;
• mortise. These hidden mechanisms have become widespread. Installed during door assembly.

For added security, install two different types of locks at the same time

When buying a lock, pay attention to the security class, weight and secrecy of the goods. Secrecy is the number of combinations that determine the likelihood of opening a lock with a similar key. There are 3 levels of privacy - high, medium and low. The higher the value, the more difficult it is to unlock the door with a non-native key. The weight of the lock is selected based on the thickness of the door material. The lock should not deform the canvas with its weight.

Installation process for overhead and mortise locks:

1. With a pencil, mark the position of the lock on the door. With the help of a grinder, a "nest" is prepared for the lock case, crossbars and tongues.
2. A lock is applied to the recess, the position of the mounting holes is marked. Holes are made with a thin drill and a thread is cut with a tap.
3. Outlets for the keyhole and the lock handle are drilled. All parts are assembled on a screw connection.
4. Check the correctness of the lock. If the mechanism works well, then grooves are made in the opposite part of the door for the entry of the crossbars.

All parts of the lock are attached to the door leaf and frame with screws

In accordance with GOST 5089-2011, there are 4 security classes for locks:

1. Low. These locking devices are fragile and easy to break. Recommended for use for utility rooms, interior doors. Installation in the front door is undesirable.
2. Normal. The door copes well with security functions, but has a slightly lower strength in comparison with the higher classes.
3. Increased. Such locks are characterized by structural reliability. The optimal balance between price and quality.
4. Tall. To open such a door, it will take considerable effort and time of at least 30 minutes. These are armored structures that are used in banks or large offices.

Pens

For the production of door handles, stainless steel, alloys of aluminum, brass, copper and zinc are used. There are wood and glass products. The following handles are structurally distinguished:

• rotary (or nobs): they can be recognized by their spherical shape, to trigger the latches, you need to turn the handle;
• push: have great versatility, pressing the handle leads to the retraction of the latch inside the lock;
• fixed: such handles are not associated with the lock, are used for public entrance doors.

When choosing handles, start from the color and material of other fittings.

Hinges

Standard designs are designed for 2 door hinges. But there are models with 3 or more sets. These doors are resistant to opening. In this case, an increase in the number of hinges leads to the fact that the maximum load on the door increases. Products are:

• simple: consist of a pivot shaft and a cap to be put on it;
• ball hinges: similar to plain hinges, but contains a ball to facilitate turning;

• with support bearing: the durability of the structure is achieved thanks to the bearing unit, which evenly distributes the weight of the web over the loop area.

  

  There are right and left door hinges according to the type of rotation.

The variety of loops is selected according to the load. Simple hinges can withstand the weight of the door leaf up to 70 kg; as the door weight increases, they fail. Bearing hinges allow loads up to 150 kg.

Closers

A door closer is an automatic door closing device with smooth action. Scope of installation - doors with intensive use: entrances to office, municipal buildings. The door closer includes a steel multi-coil spring. After compression, the spring slowly returns to its original position.

At the place of installation, there are top, bottom and hidden closers

When choosing a closer, they are guided by the width of the door, weight and conditions of use. Some products react poorly to temperature changes and are used only for heated rooms.

Repair of entrance doors

Frequent reasons for repair measures are broken fittings, sagging of the door leaf, skewed frame and wear of the door coating. Each case has its own solutions.

1. Repair of fittings is relevant in the event of valve breakage, displacement of the crossbars, the handle falls out, or the key gets stuck. The solution will be to replace individual parts or completely change the lock. To do this, dismantle the old product by unscrewing it from the door leaf.
2. Sagging of the door leaf occurs due to wear of the hinges. To restore the normal level, you can replace the hinges or replace the washers with the old ones. If the hinges are in good condition, then the problem is with loose mounting holes. This breakage is eliminated by drilling new slots for self-tapping screws and fixing the hinges.
3. When the box is skewed, the canvas is removed from the hinges, set aside. The box is leveled at the building level, fixed. After that, the door is hung in its original place.
4. The door covering can be restored by painting, upholstery of the door with artificial leather or lining with laminate.

Photo gallery: entrance doors in the interior

The shape of the doorway can be not only rectangular, but also in the form of an arch

Forging and stained-glass windows are used to decorate entrance doors.

You can decorate the front door in an original way with the help of lighting

Wooden doors are suitable for classic or Provence interiors

Sturdy wooden doors look good when paired with lightweight glass

A metal entrance door is recommended for high-tech rooms

A plastic door is considered the most budgetary option for door designs.

From the outside, the glass in the front door is made opaque

Veneered entrance doors are easier to match to the interior color

Reviews of popular models

Still in doubt which door to choose? You can decide with the help of reviews.

An important element of interior decoration is the front door. It can become a bright accent that draws attention to the room. A quality door instills a sense of security in a person. Therefore, the appearance of your home and its security depend on the correct choice of the front door.