Insulated Entrance Doors: Types, Device, Components, Installation And Operation Features

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

Insulated entrance doors: types, characteristics, recommendations for manufacturing and installation

The list of requirements for entrance doors, in addition to strength and aesthetics, includes high thermal resistance. A "cold" design will increase heating costs and quickly become unusable due to condensation formed on its surface. Therefore, you need to take into account the peculiarities of using the input when buying and making it yourself.

Content

• 1 Arrangement of insulated entrance doors

  • 1.1 Thermal insulation of the door leaf

    • 1.1.1 Mineral wool
    • 1.1.2 Foams
    • 1.1.3 Corrugated board or cellular cellulose
    • 1.1.4 Batting, felt
  • 1.2 Sealing around the door frame
  • 1.3 Insulation of the gap between the box and the wall

• 2 Varieties of insulated entrance doors

  • 2.1 Insulated metal doors
  • 2.2 Wooden insulated doors
  • 2.3 Reinforced-plastic entrance doors
  • 2.4 Entrance doors with thermal break
  • 2.5 Electrically heated doors
  • 2.6 Double warm doors to the terrace

• 3 Making and insulating a door with your own hands

  • 3.1 Insulation of the entrance metal door

    • 3.1.1 How to insulate a homemade door
    • 3.1.2 Video: insulating a metal door
    • 3.1.3 Prefabricated door

  • 3.2 Thermal insulation of a wooden door

    3.2.1 Video: wood door trim

• 4 Insulation of the slopes of the entrance door

  4.1 Video: insulation of door slopes

• 5 Installation and operation of insulated doors

  5.1 Video: errors when installing the thermal door

• 6 Reviews

Arrangement of insulated entrance doors

On the way of the cold, the design of high-quality entrance doors provides for three lines of "defense", namely insulation:

• door leaf;
• along the perimeter of the door frame;

• slopes.

  

  You can insulate both the door leaf and the box with slopes

Thermal insulation of the door leaf

The insulation is placed on the canvas or in the cavity. In this capacity, various types of thermal insulation materials are used.

Mineral wool

She has such advantages:

• absorbs sound;
• does not burn;

• does not rot.

  

  The fibrous structure of mineral wool helps absorb sound and reduce heat loss

Disadvantages:

• absorbs moisture with a complete loss of heat-insulating properties, and therefore requires protection from moisture and steam penetrating from the side of the room;
• during installation and any other manipulations, it emits fine stinging dust, which requires the use of a respirator, goggles and gloves.

In everyday life, two types of mineral wool are used:

• glass;
• basalt (stone).

Due to its harmfulness, slag wool is used only in industry.

Stakeholders are actively promoting the idea that glass wool is harmful, pricks hands and therefore is morally outdated, while basalt is an advanced material devoid of flaws. This allows you to sell stone wool at an exorbitant price. In fact, both materials are absolutely identical:

• modern technologies make it possible to produce glass wool with as thin fibers as that of basalt, because it also almost does not prick the skin;
• in the production of different types of insulation, phenol-formaldehyde resin acts as a binder (glues initially thin fibers into long threads);
• the material, regardless of the type, emits dangerous prickly dust and therefore requires installation in a respirator, goggles and gloves.

Minvata is available in two types:

• soft mats (roll version);
• pressed plates.

The second option is preferable, since from constant blows when closing the door, the soft mat will quickly settle and crumple.

Styrofoam

This group includes:

1. Expanded polystyrene is a material made from styrene copolymers. It is a collection of balls (granules) filled with gas.

   

   Expanded polystyrene consists of small balls

2. Polyisocyanurate foam (PIR) is a modified polyurethane foam. The material has appeared on the construction market recently and is successfully used in the production of sandwich panels.

   

   Polyisocyanurate foam is used for the production of sandwich panels

3. Polyurethane foam is a heater that belongs to the category of gas-filled plastics made on the basis of polyurethanes. Stiffness and other technical characteristics depend on the properties of the starting material.

   

   Different categories of polyurethane foam have excellent performance characteristics

4. Foamed polyethylene is an elastic elastic fabric with cells of a closed-cell structure. It is produced in the form of sheets, rolls, bundles and shells.

   

   Foamed polyethylene is easy to install

Strengths:

• low cost;
• moisture resistance;
• ease of processing;
• no need to use protective equipment during installation.

Disadvantages:

• only soft varieties have a soundproofing effect: foamed polyethylene and foam rubber (a type of polyurethane foam);
• materials burn with abundant super-toxic smoke;
• attract rodents - they use them as food.

The most commonly used polystyrene foam. This is the cheapest and most popular insulation, it is in everyday life that they are used to calling it "foam". It is important to know that polystyrene foam is available in two types:

• granular consists of compressed grains of different sizes, in addition to insulation, it is used for packaging household appliances;
• extruded has a uniform structure.

Expanded polystyrene absolutely does not absorb moisture

The second type is capable of withstanding significant loads and is much more expensive than the first. It is impractical to purchase it for installation on the door, due to the absence of loads, low-strength granular polystyrene foam will also fit.

Less often, foamed polyethylene foam is chosen. This material is attractive because:

• absorbs sound;
• has an improved thermal insulation effect due to the reflection of infrared radiation by the foil.

Corrugated board or cellular cellulose

This is a heater used in budget class doors.

Corrugated cardboard is used in the manufacture of economy class entrance doors

Positive sides:

• rigidity (due to the presence of corrugated paper placed between sheets of cardboard);
• light weight;
• low price.

Negative qualities:

• low water resistance;
• low sound and heat insulation properties.

Batting, felt

These materials are natural.

Felt absorbs moisture well, while losing thermal insulation properties

Main advantages:

• environmental friendliness;
• no volatile substances in the composition that can evaporate during operation;
• acceptable noise and heat insulation performance.

But there are also disadvantages:

• absorb moisture;
• burn;
• prone to decay;
• caking (touches the batting).

Felt and batting are sometimes used for DIY insulation.

Sealing around the door frame

A significant proportion of the heat is lost through the gap between the canvas and the box. Therefore, an important element of an insulated door is a seal installed in this place - a rubber or silicone cord. Installing a double sealing loop is not justified - one does just as effectively.

Silicone or rubber cord, laid along the contour of the door frame, will reduce heat loss and save residents of the house from drafts

Seals are available from various materials, the seamy side of which is coated with glue and covered with a protective film. To make it stick firmly, the surface of the box is pre-wiped and degreased.

Choose a self-adhesive sealant for thickness, material and cross-sectional shape.

The door seal usually has an adhesive side to make installation easier

A thin one will not completely cover the gap, a thick one will lead to tight closing of the door and excessive stress on the hinges, which accelerates their wear. The optimal thickness is selected in the following way:

• a small piece of plasticine is placed in a thin plastic bag;
• put it on the box and close the door;
• measure the thickness of the pressed plasticine - this is the optimal parameter for the sealant.

For its manufacture, use:

• foam rubber;
• silicone;
• rubber.

The foam seal needs to be changed frequently

The first option is short-lived; in just a year, it flattens and becomes useless. In addition, the adhesive layer on the foam seals is fragile, so the material often falls off.

Seals are:

• flat;
• round.

The first option is used, since the door may not close well due to the round seal.

Insulation of the gap between the box and the wall

The gap between the box and the wall is another potentially dangerous place in terms of heat leakage. The installation technology prescribes filling it with polyurethane foam sealant (polyurethane foam), but due to the high cost, unscrupulous craftsmen do not report it. Knowledge of the installation technology will allow the owner to control the quality of the work.

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

Varieties of entrance insulated doors

Insulated door blocks are installed at the entrance to a house or apartment:

• metal;
• wooden;
• metal-plastic.

In addition, constructions with:

• thermal break;
• electrically heated.

On the terraces, double warm doors are practiced.

Insulated metal doors

The door leaf in the metal block is hollow. It is a frame, sheathed on both sides with steel sheets. Some models are finished with MDF or plastic on the inside. They are cheaper, but they are not suitable for arranging an exit to the street due to their low resistance to weathering. This is an option for an apartment, dorm room or office in a business center.

In high-quality doors, even the voids of the stiffeners are filled with insulation

When choosing a metal door block, attention should be paid to the design of the canvas frame. Has the meaning:

• profile type;
• number of stiffening edges.

The frames of cheap doors are made of standard rolled metal - a corner or a profile pipe. In expensive products, a special bent profile is used. Such a frame is stiffer, but at the same time lighter. It also surpasses the cheap option in thickness, which allows you to lay a larger layer of insulation.

Stiffening ribs are of two types:

• vertical, which prevent the web from curling when trying to bend the corner;
• horizontal, which does not allow to bend the side edge of the canvas.

Quality products are equipped with at least two vertical and one horizontal ribs. The more there are, the stronger the door.

The larger the ribs, the more reliable the door is

The quality of insulated metal doors is also influenced by the characteristics of the cladding, namely the type of steel and its thickness. The last parameter varies greatly. The strength and weight of the door depends on it. According to the thickness of the cladding, the products are divided into three types:

1. Up to 0.8 mm. Cheap doors, usually from little-known Chinese manufacturers. Low-quality steel is used, which, in combination with its low thickness, allows you to open the product with a can opener.

   

   Opening an entrance door made of a thin steel sheet is quick and easy

2. 1.2 to 2.5 mm. Doors with acceptable strength and at the same time relatively light (up to 70 kg). For street doors facing an unguarded area, the preferred cladding is 2 - 2.5 mm thick.

3. 3 to 4 mm. Extra strong doors for banks and other specialized institutions. Installation in a residential area is not justified due to its heavy weight.

   

   It is not always advisable to install armored doors in an apartment

Cold rolled steel is preferred. It is superior to hot rolled steel in strength and corrosion resistance.

The next important parameter is the type of door frame. They are:

• O-shaped (with a threshold): strong, keep their shape well;
• U-shaped: budget option, may deform.

Also, the boxes are divided into:

• bent: preferred;

  

  A bent door frame is considered the most reliable

• welded: less durable due to the brittleness of the seam and the risk of deformation due to local stresses in the metal that occur during welding.

The most unreliable option is boxes with uprights welded in two parts.

The strength of the steel is not a guarantee of the door's reliability. It is desirable to have the following anti-burglary structural elements:

1. Anti-removable anchors. These are the pins at the end of the door leaf from the side of the hinges, which, when closed, enter the holes in the box. Do not allow to break open the door by cutting or knocking down the hinges with a sledgehammer. In door units with hidden hinges, anti-release anchors are not required.

   

   Anti-removable pin will not allow to cut the hinges

2. Thick (3mm) magnesium or nickel inserts in the lock area. Do not allow to quickly dismantle it by drilling.
3. Armored linings on the cylinder lock face. Do not allow to knock it out with a hammer blow.
4. Profiles that make it difficult to dismantle the platbands. Burglars attack them in order to gain access to the gap between the box and the wall, which will allow them to thread a crowbar through it and pull out the box.

The best insulation for metal doors is mineral wool, which also provides sound insulation. But in street structures there is a possibility of moisture condensation, therefore, foamed polymers (foamed plastics) are preferred here.

The lower the temperature drops in winter, the thicker the insulation layer is needed (up to 4 cm).

The thickness of the insulation layer for a wooden door depends on climatic conditions

Wooden insulated doors

Wooden entrance doors, unlike internal ones, are not hollow, because in this design they do not have sufficient strength. Therefore, the insulation fixed to the canvas needs sheathing. It is more correct to place it on the outside for the following reasons:

• together with the upholstery, it will protect the door from atmospheric phenomena;
• less steam from the living quarters penetrates into the insulation (it is important for mineral wool and other hygroscopic materials).

Wooden doors need cladding

Usually they use soft insulation (batting or foam rubber) and upholstery with artificial leather. The latter is fixed with decorative carnations tied with nylon thread in the form of rhombuses, so that a convex pattern is obtained.

The simplest design of a wooden insulated door is suitable for self-production

Metal-plastic entrance doors

Metal-plastic doors lose in strength to steel and wood, but they have an attractive appearance and are absolutely immune to corrosion, dampness and temperature extremes. Therefore, in territories or in rooms with security, they are often installed at the entrance.

The metal-plastic door is hollow, so the insulation is placed inside between the sheathing sheets. But not only its thickness determines the thermal resistance of the structure. The type of profile also matters. The frame of the leaf and the door frame are made of a bent galvanized profile, divided by partitions into several chambers. More cameras means a warmer door block. Their maximum number is 7.

And the metal-plastic door can be insulated

In the presence of security, bars or blinds, doors with a glass unit are often installed. The thermal resistance of the latter also depends on the number of chambers, but not only. Along with the usual ones, energy-saving double-glazed windows are produced, which have two differences:

• the inner space is filled with argon, xenon, or other inert gas;
• the glasses have a transparent metallized coating (i-glass) that reflects infrared rays (transfers heat).

Such a double-glazed unit exceeds the usual thermal resistance by 20-30%.

Entrance doors with thermal break

In the construction of an ordinary metal door, no matter how well it is insulated, there is a "cold bridge" - a frame. Thermal break doors do not have this drawback. In this case, the canvas is divided into two parts - external and internal, and a polyamide insert is installed between them. Thanks to it, doors conduct heat worse than products with a solid frame.

Doors with a thermal break are inferior to conventional insulated doors in strength, since the inner and outer frames are not connected into a single structure

The disadvantage of doors with a thermal break is the high cost.

Electrically heated doors

The use of such doors is advisable in regions with harsh winters, where even a thick layer of insulation does not protect against condensation. Electric heating is of little power and only runs a few days a year, so keeping the door dry in this way is inexpensive.

Double warm doors to the terrace

An effective way to insulate a doorway is to install double structures. A strong and reliable product is mounted outside, while inside it is made of low-strength, but warm material, for example, plastic or wood.

Double door blocks fill the openings of not only terraces, but also apartments

There are several advantages of this solution:

1. Ease of use. In warm weather, the owners keep the heavy outer door open during the day, closing it at night or during the absence, and use the light inner door. This is especially useful for frequently used structures, such as those facing a terrace.
2. Effective thermal insulation. The air gap between the door leaves plays the role of additional insulation, increasing the thermal resistance of the entire unit.
3. Lack of condensation. The temperature in the gap between the doors is intermediate between cold outdoor air and warm indoor air. Because of this, the temperature drop on the outer and inner surfaces of each door is less sharp, so that moisture does not condense on any of them, even in the most extreme cold.

Making and insulating a door with your own hands

A home craftsman does not have special equipment and therefore can make a door only in the most primitive design, for example, weld a frame from a steel corner and attach a thick steel sheet to it. But you can insulate any door yourself.

Insulation of an entrance metal door

If you wish, you can make your own insulated metal door or upgrade an existing one.

How to insulate a homemade door

The product is a frame made of a corner or a professional pipe, sheathed on one side with a steel sheet.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. The door is removed from its hinges and placed on the floor or workbench with the outside facing down.

   

   Insulation for a metal door must be cut into pieces according to the measurements taken

2. The inner space of the frame is measured.
3. Insulation of the required thickness is selected, cut according to measurements with an allowance of 2 mm (for a tight fit without gaps).
4. Cover the door trim surface with polyurethane foam or liquid nails.

5. Insulation is glued.

   

   You can fix the insulation with foam

6. If the insulation plates turned out to be narrow, the gaps remaining between them and the frame are filled with the same material: for foam plastic - with polyurethane foam, for mineral wool slabs - with scraps of mineral wool mat.
7. Drill holes in the frame for screws and cut a thread in them with a tap.
8. Fasten the casing with screws.

Sheathing in a metal frame looks more attractive:

1. On three sides, a U-shaped galvanized profile with a groove width of 10 mm is glued to the frame with mounting glue.

2. Cut a sheet of film faced plywood of the appropriate size and insert it into the profile, as in a frame.

   

   Even a metal door can be finished with MDF

3. On the 4th side, the closing fragment of the profile is glued.

A hole for the lock is cut in the insulation and casing.

Video: insulating a metal door

Factory made door

Branded doors are sheathed with steel sheets on both sides. Usually they have insulation inside, but it can be ineffective (corrugated cardboard) or low quality (crumbling mineral wool).

Insulation of folding doors is simple:

1. The casing is removed.
2. Corrugated cardboard or other insulation is removed, if there is one inside
3. New material is placed in the frame.
4. The casing is returned to its place.

If the door cannot be disassembled, proceed as follows:

1. Crumble the granulated polystyrene foam into separate balls.

   

   Styrofoam can be cut into balls and poured into a small hole in the door

2. A hole is drilled in the upper part of the door.
3. Pour polystyrene granules into it.

Instead of expanded polystyrene, you can also fill in ecowool - insulation, which is finely chopped paper.

Insulation of a wooden door

Wood surpasses steel in thermal resistance, therefore, for such a door, a thinner insulation is required. Soft materials (foam rubber, batting, etc.) are used in order to form a beautiful convex diamond-shaped pattern on the surface. They act in the following sequence:

1. The door is freed from the handle (from the outside), the mask of the lock, the peephole, removed from the hinges and placed on the table with the outside side up.

   

   Felt or batting is used to insulate a wooden door

2. The insulation is laid out in an even layer.
3. Cover the canvas with leatherette and shoot the edges of the latter to the ends of the door with phosphated or oxidized stainless nails (black) or staples.

4. On the front side, several fasteners with decorative caps are evenly driven in, so that they press the insulation somewhat.

   

   Dermantin needs to be fixed with nails with decorative caps

5. A nylon thread, a thin stainless wire or a fishing line in the form of a diamond-shaped pattern is pulled between the nails, so that it is somewhat pressed into the insulation.

Important recommendations:

• the edges of the leatherette upholstery at the ends of the door should be folded before fastening;
• When driving a nail, a steel lining is placed on its head in order to avoid accidental hammering on the upholstery.

Video: upholstery of a wooden door

Insulation of the slopes of the entrance door

In addition to the door block, it is useful to insulate the slopes adjacent to it. Ignoring this need threatens not only with heat leaks, but also with blackening of the slopes due to moisture condensation on them.

The procedure is as follows:

1. The slopes are cleaned of tiles, paint, plaster (if loose).
2. The surface of the wall is treated with a deep penetration primer, for example, Ceresit CT 17.
3. After the walls have dried (2-3 hours are required), sheets of granular polystyrene foam are glued, applying glue to them with a spatula.
4. After the glue has dried (usually it takes a day), the foam is screwed to the wall with special disc dowels (also called umbrellas) with a wide head that does not push through the material. The holes for the dowel sleeves are drilled with a perforator.

5. The surface of the insulation is covered with a plastic plaster mesh fixed to the dowel caps.

   

   For insulation of slopes, polyurethane foam or foam rubber is usually used

6. Further, the slopes are putty. It is important to choose the right mixture: depending on which side of the door frame the slope is located, choose a putty for external or internal work.
7. The dried putty is sanded with fine-grained sandpaper, then primed and painted in 2-3 layers. The paint is used of high quality - the cheap one will swell or darken due to temperature changes. Therefore, it is better to opt for products from well-known brands like Tikkurila. Water-based paint is suitable.

Video: insulation of door slopes

Installation and operation of insulated doors

Installation of the door block is done as follows:

1. The box is installed in the opening and fixed by inserting special wedges into the gap between it and the wall.
2. They put the box in a strictly vertical position, controlling the process with a plumb line or level.

3. Drill holes in racks or mounting plates (available on some models) if they were not made during production.

   

   For ease of installation in racks, holes must be made

4. Through the holes, markings are applied to the wall.
5. Take out the box and drill holes in the wall for the sleeves of the anchor bolts.
6. Insert sleeves into holes.
7. Install the box again and fasten it with anchor bolts, controlling the verticality with a level or plumb line.

8. Fill the gap between the box and the wall with polyurethane foam. Key point: with a lack of foam, cold will penetrate through the gap. But an excess of foam is useless: when it dries, it significantly increases in volume. The correct way is to apply in several doses in small portions.

   

   Gap foam can't be saved

9. After the foam has hardened (it takes a day), its excess is cut off. The protruding wedges are also cut.
10. They insulate the slopes.
11. The door leaf is hung.
12. Glue the seal around the perimeter of the box.

During operation, you should follow the recommendations:

1. Lubricate the hinges regularly, otherwise they will quickly wear out and squeak.

   

   The service life can be extended by lubricating the hinges.

2. Lubricate the seal with silicone oil annually. So it will retain its elasticity longer, while without lubrication it will soon become hardened due to natural aging.
3. If the canvas is insulated with mineral wool, try not to clap them strongly: when hitting, the cotton wool settles, as a result of which non-insulated gaps are formed.

Video: errors when installing a thermal door

Reviews

With the current high cost of energy, everyone seeks to insulate their home. Installing a special door or upgrading an existing one is an important step in this process. Following the advice of experts, you can create a reliable barrier to the cold.