Entrance Wooden Doors For An Apartment, Private House Or Summer Cottage: Varieties, Components, Installation, Repair And Operation Features

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

Choosing an entrance wooden door: installation, repair and restoration

The first door on earth appeared when a man covered the hole in the cave with animal skin. With the further development of technology, the barrier at the entrance to the house becomes more perfect, reliable and presentable. Today it is not only a means of protection, but also a way to improve the exterior of the house. Entrance doors can be made of various materials, one of which is wood.

Content

• 1 Entrance doors made of wood, their features during installation and operation

  • 1.1 Photo Gallery: The Art of Making Beautiful Wooden Doors
  • 1.2 Positive qualities of wooden doors

• 2 Varieties of wooden entrance doors

  • 2.1 Photo gallery: a variety of panel doors
  • 2.2 Design features of wooden doors

• 3 How to choose a wooden door

  3.1 Video: how to choose the right front door

• 4 How to install the front door correctly

  4.1 Video: how to properly install a wooden entrance door

• 5 Accessories for entrance doors

  • 5.1 Door hinges

    • 5.1.1 What are the loops
    • 5.1.2 Video: hidden hinges for wooden doors
  • 5.2 Door handles
  • 5.3 Closers
  • 5.4 Door locks
• 6 Tips for operating a wooden entrance door
• 7 Repair of entrance wooden doors

• 8 How to restore wooden entrance doors

  8.1 Video: repair and restoration of a wooden front door

Wood entrance doors, their features during installation and operation

Until recently, entrance doors were made exclusively of wood. They are quite reliable, have an attractive appearance and, if used correctly, have a long service life.

Wooden door decorates the front door

To choose the right door for a country house, you need to understand what functions are assigned to this device:

1. Reliable barrier to unauthorized entry into the room from the outside. For this purpose, protective metal plates can be used at the location of the locking devices. The type of wood from which the front door is made is also important.
2. Airtight when closed to prevent drafts. This is ensured by means of seals, many of which are always available in the range of hardware stores.
3. A presentable appearance can be obtained using precious woods or decorative finishes using carved overhead products, as well as tinting products that imitate the texture of natural wood.

A beautiful solid front door is the owner's business card and the guarantee of his peace of mind during his absence from his home.

Photo Gallery: The Art of Making Beautiful Wooden Doors

The decoration of the door and walls of the house in uniform colors provides a presentable appearance of the home

Additional light from transparent inserts visually enlarges the hall space

The design and original design of the entrance door emphasize the solid status of the owner

Carved wooden doors become a work of art

Positive qualities of wooden doors

Wooden doors are most often used in private construction or for installation in apartments. The owners are attracted by the lively appearance of the products, and the texture of the material is combined with almost any method of interior decoration. The structural picture of the wooden canvas is beautiful by itself, and the variety of finishing materials allows you to get impressive results:

1. Add the effect of an old wood or sunburned surface.
2. Reveal the original structure of wood, emphasizing its unique pattern.
3. Give the door a variety of colors and shades to match the rest of the finish.

Wood is a pure material, the phytoncides emitted by it have a beneficial effect on human health

At the same time, you need a clear understanding of the circumstance that the quality and durability of the door leaf depends on the materials from which it is made. Wood that has not been treated with special compounds can be fire hazardous, and the failure to use antiseptics can lead to quick damage from rot, bacteria or insects. This is especially dangerous for doors in contact with the external environment, but even in the absence of direct contact with it, high humidity and temperature changes adversely affect the service life of such products. It is also impossible to exclude possible mechanical damage to the door leaf when large pieces of furniture and equipment are introduced into the house or apartment.

The combination of wood and metal gives an excellent result in the manufacture of entrance doors

The main positive qualities of wooden doors are as follows:

1. Reliability. The canvases made of solid wood are durable structures, which is explained by the natural qualities of the material.
2. Insulation characteristics. Wood is the best sound absorber and heat insulator.
3. Environmental friendliness. Natural wood does not emit substances harmful to humans.
4. Presentability. No material can change the exterior of the house so much. On the contrary, many imitations tend to be similar to the wood pattern.

Varieties of wooden entrance doors

Door leaf designs are very diverse. Among them, the following performances should be distinguished:

1. Shield doors - consist of shields fixed on slatted frames; the gap between the surfaces can be filled with various insulating and sound-absorbing materials. Functionally, these devices are the least reliable. They are most often fitted with overhead locks with a rotary handle. These doors have two hinges because they are lightweight. For the manufacture of the frame, pine or spruce strips are used. Hardboard, plywood and other sheet materials are used as cladding. Such structures are often installed in mass housing construction as temporary ones. The use of such doors is possible only in a place closed from precipitation, for example, under a canopy or indoors.… For the outer surface, lining is often used. The advantage is obvious - low cost, but it is completely offset by low reliability - the door can be knocked out with a kick.

   

   A panel front door can look pretty too

2. Panel doors are made of several parts, each of which is produced separately, after which they are assembled into a single product. In this case, the gaps between them are filled with special inserts, which are called panels. This is the most common door design.

   

   Paneled doors are reliable home protection

Various materials can be used as panels, including those made of translucent elements such as tempered glass or monolithic polycarbonate.

Panels are often decorated with carving elements, which enhances decorativeness. They can be rectangular or curly.

The advantages of such products include almost unlimited possibilities for the design of the door leaf with the use of panels of various shapes. The disadvantage is that the composite structures sooner or later dry out and the density in the joints decreases, up to shattering. Under such circumstances, it is inevitable to remove the door from the hinges and re-tighten the door leaf with wedges. This is comparable to renovation, which will be discussed below.

Photo gallery: a variety of paneled doors

The variety of panels allows you to create unique designer door panels

Panels can be arranged in different ways

Modern paneled doors are a serial product

Paneled doors with a window decorate the entrance to the house

Currently, combined door designs from homogeneous or different materials are widely used:

1. Door leaves made of glued materials. Hardwood doors are considered the best. They are very durable and resistant, and the beautiful texture gives them a smart look. But such products are expensive, which is explained by the high cost of the material itself and the increased labor intensity of manufacture. Therefore, composite structures are used, in which the middle layer is made of widespread varieties of conifers - spruce or pine. On top of it, layers of oak, larch, ash or exotic species such as mahogany and others are installed. A number of progressive materials are now being used, which allow imitating any type of wood with great similarity. But it is impossible to achieve complete similarity, since the structure of the tree also matters, which determines the play of light on such surfaces. The advantages of glued blocks arethat they are less susceptible to drying out, in addition, there is the possibility of introducing elements of increased strength into the array. Such materials have no obvious drawbacks, except for those artificially introduced by the manufacturer in order to reduce costs.

   

   Glued laminated timber is used as a high strength material as a base for wooden doors

2. Composite door leaves. To increase the strength of products, it is currently practiced to manufacture wooden doors on a metal base, which is a frame made of a corner or a profile pipe. The outer and inner linings are made of valuable wood species, the gap between these coatings is filled with heat-insulating and sound-absorbing materials. The advantage lies in the strength and reliability of door leaves, and the disadvantages include a decrease in thermal conductivity compared to purely wooden products.

   

   The metal frame ensures reliability of the wooden door

Continuous improvement of wood door designs and the use of new materials in construction allows us to obtain design products. In terms of durability, they are no longer inferior to metal ones.

Design features of wooden doors

Doors must correspond to the intended "filling" of the home. In particular, if a grand piano is planned to be placed in the house, then the entrance opening must correspond to the size of this object. In addition, there are a number of features specifically for entrance doors:

1. Two-leaf or one-and-a-half-leaf doors should be chosen if you plan to install large items inside the house. Bivalves, as a rule, have the same width of canvases, one of which is constantly closed and opens only when necessary. The sash width can be 800–1000 millimeters, the height - 1900–2200 mm.

   

   Translucent inserts in the door unit provide illumination of the hall

2. One-and-a-half-leaf doors are selected for the same reasons, while the smaller (blind) leaf is made in half the width of the main one - 400-500 millimeters.

   

   The width of the narrow sash is half the wide

3. The thickness of the door leaf for the front door must not be less than 50 millimeters.
4. The product must be equipped with at least two locks of different types, as well as latches: from above and below - vertical at the edge of the canvas and in the middle - horizontal.

5. If the door is equipped with a transparent insert, it is recommended to close it with a reliable metal grill, preferably in a decorative version.

   

   Decorative metal grill is a protection and decoration of the door

6. The lower horizontal bar must be protected from damage by a wooden or metal plate. Popular designs with a bronze or brass plate with a thickness of four millimeters.
7. It is advisable to use internal hinges for hinging the door, which guarantee safety against burglary by removing from the hinges.

How to choose a wooden door

This is not an easy task, given the variety of products offered by the modern construction market. However, we will try to formulate the main factors influencing the choice:

1. Appearance. The front door should harmoniously fit into the exterior of the building and the entire site. For example, if the finishing of the walls is made with wild stone, the aged matte surface in dark colors will be in harmony with it. And with the walls, finished with modern materials in the form of vinyl, lacquered canvas is combined in a color close to the finish coating. The final choice is naturally determined by the tastes and preferences of the owner.

   

   The appearance of the front door must match the decoration of the building

2. The size of the entrance door. This parameter depends on the dimensions of those pieces of furniture and equipment that are planned to be placed in the house, as well as on the size of the room behind the front door. In a small, cramped hallway, a wide door will look somewhat uncomfortable, but for a large hall you will need just such. In addition, in the second case, translucent inserts on the sides of the entrance door and above it are very appropriate.
3. Door leaf design. For strength reasons, it is advisable to opt for hardwood: oak, larch, ash and others. It makes sense to consider also more complex structures with a metal frame. It can be a door with a base made of steel profile pipes or aluminum inserts. Possessing all the advantages of a wooden door, such leaves have significantly higher strength characteristics.

Considering these factors, you should also pay attention to the quality of the seals around the perimeter of the vestibule.

The outer surface of the door leaf should be treated in several layers with protective agents, exterior paint or special varnish.

The design and quality of the fittings must reliably protect the door from burglary.

Video: how to choose the right front door

How to install the front door correctly

In fact, the door installation process is quite simple and can be done by hand. If the chosen door is heavy, it is advisable to involve an assistant in the work. The procedure is as follows:

1. The door leaf must be removed from the box.

2. Inspect the surface of the doorway, identify weak points and repair them. Determine its dimensions to ensure that the opening matches the dimensions of the door frame.

   

   The door frame must match the opening

3. Install the box in the opening, while checking the level of the threshold, otherwise the door may not open. The door frame support bar must be parallel to the floor surface. After installation, you need to measure the distance between the shelf of the box and the floor - it should be about five millimeters. Otherwise, the sash, when moving on the hinges, may rest against it. If necessary, you need to install another support bar in the opening, which ensures the location of the door leaf in height.

4. Place the frame in the doorway, fix the position with wedges. It is important that the sides of the box are strictly vertical and the corners are straight.

   

   The sides of the box should be located strictly vertically

5. Drill through holes for fasteners in the racks, while leaving clear marks on the walls of the opening. The headroom and the threshold (horizontal parts of the box) are attached at two points at a distance of 200 millimeters from the corners. The side post from the side of the lock is attached to the wall at four points: at a distance of 200 millimeters from the corners and the same amount from the location of the locking mechanism. The opposite post is fastened with four screws, the holes are located in the same way as on the first one. Thus, the door frame can be fixed at no less than 12 points. The material of the walls should be taken into account: if it is foam concrete or limestone blocks, the number of fasteners may be increased.
6. Remove the box and drill holes in the opening according to the marks left. To do this, use a drill and a tool that matches the wall material.
7. Place plastic dowels in the holes.
8. Replace the door frame in the opening. Carefully check the correct installation, including the verticality of the posts and the coincidence of the sizes of the diagonals.
9. Fasten the box in the opening with screws. For this, self-tapping screws with a diameter of 12 millimeters or more are used. The length of the fastener should ensure its immersion in the wall by at least half, and preferably two-thirds.

10. Fill the gaps between the door frame and the opening walls with polyurethane foam.

    

    The gaps between the wall and the door frame are filled with foam

11. After the foam has set, form bevels and hang the door leaf.

After foaming the gaps, the elements of the box must be wedged from the inside so that when the foam swells it does not burst

A properly hinged front door can last up to fifty years, subject to constant care and regular preventive measures.

Video: how to properly install a wooden entrance door

Accessories for entrance doors

The stable operation of the front door for a long time largely depends on the quality of related products.

Door hinges

It is this element that allows closing / opening of the web. During operation, door hinges are subjected to regular loads, the value of which depends on the weight of the porch.

What are the loops

Currently, there are various designs:

• overhead, they are screwed onto door leaves without preliminary surface treatment;

  

  Cover hinges for doors are simple and reliable

• mortise, which differ from the previous ones in that they need to be cut into the body of the vestibule and the box;

  

  The mortise design of the hinges allows you to get a guaranteed tight rebate of the front door

• hidden, protecting from burglary, in addition, they are not visible when the door is closed;

  

  The entrance door cannot be removed from the hidden hinges, they are not accessible from the outside

• double-sided, allowing the sash to open in both directions.

  

  Double-sided hinges allow you to open the front door in any direction in the direction of travel

Manufacturers recommend installing at least three hinges on heavy doors, arguing with high loads on the canvas. Let's look at it from the other side. The main sign of hinge wear is a squeak. But the reason is not the weight, but the misalignment of the top and bottom. When installing two loops, it is not difficult to set them along one axis, with three the problem is still solvable, but difficult. With a large number of loops, this is almost impossible to do. What, then, can we say about affordable Chinese doors equipped with 4-5 hinges. It is much safer to use two hinges with a ball or bearing support.

Video: hidden hinges for wooden doors

Door handles

You cannot do without this element if you need to open the door, therefore many models have been developed and used. Modern door handles can be made from a variety of materials, but metal is most commonly used for front doors. By design, the handles can be divided into several varieties:

1. Stationary, attached directly to the door leaf. They are used when the lock is open. Such handles are simple and have a long service life, since they do not have a locking mechanism. Often they are in the form of balls, but on massive entrance doors made of wood, the handle-bracket will look most effective.

   

   Staple-shaped metal handle matches well with wood trim

2. Push - equipped with a mechanism consisting of two levers connected by a rod. The door is opened when pressed. This mechanism is considered the most reliable and functional for a mortise lock.

   

   Lever handle is most often used when installing a mortise lock

3. Swivel - act in the same way as push, but instead of a lever, balls are installed in the mechanism. Such handles have an attractive and neat appearance, but they are not very convenient for entrance doors.

   

   Rotary knob helps to create a certain style

Doorknobs are made everywhere, but Italian and Turkish manufacturers are the most popular. The first of them are distinguished by grace and beauty.

The elegance of execution does not affect the quality of the device

Turkish manufacturers give preference to the quality and reliability of their products.

Despite the simple appearance, the products are reliable and durable

To install devices associated with the lock, it is necessary to drill a through hole in the box through which a metal square is passed, connecting the outer and inner handles. Holes for spring pins are provided for fastening in the profile and handles. The square goes through the lock mechanism and can be opened by pressing the handle. Such designs are used at the entrances to a private home.

In public buildings with high traffic, as a rule, handles are installed, tightly attached to the door leaf.

Large stationary handles are used for installation on doors with high traffic

Closers

One way to extend the life of your front door is to avoid shock loading when opening / closing. For this, special devices are actively used - door closers. When the sash approaches the extreme point, it is braked and it reaches the support gently and accurately.

These devices are pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical. For entrance wooden doors, hydraulic closers are most often used.

The closer ensures smooth movement of the sash

The closer installation technology is simple. The block with the mechanism is attached to the door leaf using the screws supplied. In this case, it is necessary to follow the recommendations from the instructions for use - there are indicated the dimensions and bindings at the site of the node. The second fixing unit is installed on the lintel of the door frame.

Door locks

Particular attention should be paid to locking devices, because the main function of the outer door is protective. Guided by the accumulated experience, manufacturers in most cases complete their products with three types of locks:

1. Overhead. They are installed on the inner surface of the door leaf. They are crossbar and lever type, as a rule, they are structurally protected from drilling.

   

   The main application of the padlock is wooden entrance doors of a country house or apartment

2. Mortise. Installed inside the door leaf during manufacture or during installation. In comparison with overhead, they have a higher installation complexity. In terms of reliability, they are not much different from the previous version.

   

   The mortise lock is a reliable lock installed on the front door

3. Coded mechanical or electromechanical locks. The most modern means of protecting your home from illegal entry. The peculiarity of the operation is that it is necessary to periodically change the code, since from frequent exposure to the buttons, traces remain, giving the desired combination.

   

   The lock code needs to be changed periodically

4. Electronic locks. The most modern devices for locking doors. Invisible to prying eyes. Unlocked with a remote control.

   

   The electronic lock cannot be opened without destroying the door

The most traditional padlocks are practically not used today because they do not have a sufficient degree of protection. They are used to lock minor structures such as sheds or baths.

When buying a locking device, its quality can be checked by requesting a certificate of conformity from the seller, which indicates all the technical data

The certificate of conformity confirms the declared characteristics of the lock for the front door

Tips for operating a wooden entrance door

When installing a wooden door at the entrance to the house, you need to consider several points:

1. The door, as a rule, is completed with one or another type of lock. If for some reason it does not suit you, you can replace it with another one.
2. When selecting fittings, one should not only be guided by considerations of strength, but also pay attention to its harmonious combination with the door itself.
3. It is better to choose a door handle from a number of models made of metal. Nowadays, many types of products are being produced that can be successfully used in the winter.
4. To create a reliable thermal regime in the house, it is better to insulate the door and install a threshold seal.

5. The most durable in operation are insulated doors made of wood with a metal frame. Such designs are best suited for a country house.

   

   With proper operation, a wooden door will delight for a long time with a spectacular appearance.

In addition, you need to regularly monitor the condition of the door, not ignoring the slightest creak in the hinges or insufficient bridging. Every minor damage must be eliminated immediately, preventing its development. Such defects include violations of the protective layer in the form of swelling or peeling. In case of occurrence, you need to clean the damaged area with sandpaper and cover it with paint or varnish. For the protective coating, only materials intended for external use should be used.

Timely care of the most vulnerable parts of the door due to constant loads is important - hinges. If they do not creak, you need to lubricate them with mineral oil annually, and if a creak appears, immediately.

When operating in winter, locks often freeze. To restore their performance, you can use the liquid "VD-40" in the form of a spray. It splashes into the keyhole and after a short time the lock is defrosted. The can with this tool must be hidden in a secluded place outside the house.

WD-40 fluid is used to lubricate door hinges and locks

Seals need constant monitoring. The lagging ones need to be glued, and the worn out ones should be replaced in time.

Repair of entrance wooden doors

Before starting the door repair, you need to prepare the necessary tools:

1. Saw-hacksaw for wood.
2. Electric drill with a set of drills.
3. A screwdriver with a set of bits for existing fasteners.
4. Chisels and chisels.
5. A hammer.
6. Measuring tool including square, tape measure, ruler.
7. Marker for marking.

It is not often necessary to repair a well-made door, but this event is inevitable so as not to find yourself in an uncomfortable position when leaving the house is difficult. What you should pay attention to during door operation:

1. The appearance of a squeak when moving the sash. The reason is wear on the hinges or one of them. To eliminate it, you need to open the door completely, raise it with the assembly and lubricate the rubbing surfaces with liquid mineral oil. If the wear is significant, the hinges must be replaced with new ones. In this case, it is recommended to moisten the screws with epoxy glue or "PVA-M" before installation. This does not apply to fasteners that do not fit into old holes. The hinges can also be moved to a new location and fastened as usual.

2. Sagging of the door manifests itself as the contact of the leaf with the floor when the sash is opened. The cause of this problem is the mechanical wear of the hinges. The cardinal way is to change them completely. But you can get by with the installation of additional washers. To do this, the door leaf is removed as described in the previous paragraph and washers are installed on the hinge axis.

   

   Installing an extra washer will help avoid replacing the hinges

3. Swelling of the door due to prolonged exposure to moisture. The defect manifests itself as friction of the end of the leaf on the door frame, possibly even jamming of the door in the opening. The reason is insufficient moisture-proof surface treatment of the door and frame. A similar defect occurs when the door frame is deformed for various reasons. To eliminate it, you need to remove the sash and stitch the canvas with a plane at the points of engagement, as well as restore the original position of the box parts using wedges and adjusting pads. If, during the inspection, traces of rotting wood are revealed on one of the parts of the door block, it must be completely replaced. It is impossible to stop this process.

   

   To restore the size of the door leaf, you need to stitch its end at the point of contact with the frame

4. A typical defect of old doors is the destruction of the mortise lock seat as a result of several previous replacements. In this case, a partial change of the rack material is made. The damaged area is cut out with a jigsaw and a whole piece of material is glued into this place, fitted along the joints. These repairs use epoxy adhesive. The slot for a new lock is cut out in the conventional way using a drill and drill with the completion of the opening with chisels. In the place of the insert, it is advisable to install a metal plate larger than the insert size. It must be located on the inside of the sash and attached with self-tapping screws to the main canvas and insert.

   

   The insert must match the color of the door leaf

How to restore wooden entrance doors

The set of tools for the restoration is the same as for the repair, with the addition of a set of wood chisels.

Such an operation is performed on unique design door blocks, which the owner certainly wants to preserve. The following reasons may be the reason for carrying out complex and painstaking work:

1. Damage to the paintwork with partial peeling. To eliminate such a defect, you need to completely remove the old layer. To do this, the door must be removed from its hinges and taken to a separate room - a workshop. The old coating is removed mechanically using fine to medium-grained emery cloth. A sander can be used on flat surfaces. Work must be carried out in a respirator, since a large amount of corrosive dust is generated. The embossed elements are cleaned by hand.

2. Chips and cracks on the door leaf. The first ones are eliminated by gluing a lining made of wood of the same type in the place of damage. If you cannot find a material of the same color, you need to use a stain. Before installing the overlay, the damage is trimmed with a knife until a flat base surface is obtained, after which the missing element is installed. A good result is achieved when using PVA-M glue. The drying time is 2–4 hours, after which you can continue working. The pasted piece is given the shape of the original pattern. Cracks in parts can be repaired with self-prepared filler. For this, small sawdust of the same wood species, matched by color, is used. The required amount is mixed with PVA-M glue to the consistency of thick sour cream. This glue becomes transparent when dry. Before applying the putty, the crack must be cut up and blown out with a jet of air from a vacuum cleaner. Drying is carried out within a day, after which the treated areas are cleaned with fine sandpaper.

   

   Cracks are cleaned and sealed with putty

3. Weakening of the structure of paneled doors at the mating points of the parts, because of which they begin to stagger. The reason is most often the drying of parts and their wear at the points of contact. To eliminate this defect, it is necessary to remove the door leaf and work on the workbench. It is necessary to knock out or drill out the old dowels, pull off the door leaf with wedges and install new ones in another place. Old holes are repaired in the same way as chips.
4. Significant wear on fittings, including locks and hinges. In this case, it is completely replaced. Restoration work requires serious preparation of the performer and a long time, therefore it is advisable to involve an experienced specialist in such work.

It should be noted that restoration differs from repair only in one thing: during the repair, the door block is restored to work, and the restoration is carried out in order to restore also the appearance, including elements of decoration. Therefore, most of the methods and techniques are the same.

Video: repair and restoration of a wooden front door

The variety of doors presented by the market allows us to say that you can choose a product for every taste and budget. And if, among this abundance, it was still not possible to find a suitable option, there is an opportunity to order an exclusive product according to your own project. It is not difficult to install the front door, having carefully read the information available on this issue.