Most consumers prefer metal door structures like Edwardian doors, considering them to be stronger, more durable and reliable. But is it really so?
What characteristics will indicate that this or that door is really made with high quality, will be able to protect the house and its inhabitants from uninvited guests, and will last a long time? How to get rid of the problem of freezing metal doors? About all this in order.
The best protection
In addition to the reliable design of the door and frame, reinforced hinges provide protection against burglary. There are various models of hinges: conventional, safe, ball or with support bearing. The last option is considered the most effective.
The number of hinges depends on the design of a particular door – its dimensions, metal thickness, type of exterior and interior finishes. Even if the door is not heavy, it must be equipped with at least three hinges, and it is better if they are not accessible from the outside.
Metal entrance doors should also be equipped with powerful anti-removable pins (2-4 pcs.). They are located at the end of the door on the hinge side and are passive crossbars that fit into special holes in the door frame. The pins hold the door securely when it is in the closed position.
Even if the attacker manages to cut off all the hinges and open the locks, he will not be able to open or remove it.
Harsh climatic conditions
In our harsh climatic conditions, the question of which doors to put in a private house so that they do not freeze through is of particular importance. In the absence of an external protective and decorative panel, frost and frost on the metal sheet are common, and especially if the door goes directly to the street.
However, even with double-sided cladding and an unheated vestibule, the interior will not be protected from the cold if the door is not insulated.
An obligatory component of any entrance door is a reliable internal heat-insulating layer. Mineral wool, expanded polystyrene and other materials with low thermal conductivity can be used as insulation. To maximize thermal insulation, it is recommended to place the insulation in the hollow frame of the door frame. When buying an entrance door, be sure to check this point.
The architectural features
Before choosing the front door to a private house, it is necessary, first of all, to take into account the architectural features of the entrance itself. In direct contact with the street (visors are not taken into account), the door lining must withstand not only significant temperature changes, but also the influence of precipitation, as well as UV rays.
So, for doors that are in contact with the street, it is strongly not recommended to use wood chipboard materials (chipboard, MDF, etc.), even if there is a PVC coating. They do not tolerate the influence of moisture, and under snow and rain will quickly become unusable. A worthy “rebuff” to moisture can be provided by hammer coloring.
It is best to use this type of protective coating in our harsh conditions. You have probably already seen this coloring, see examples below: Viniplast cladding also resists atmospheric precipitation well, but it is not frost-resistant enough – already at -20ºС this material becomes brittle and poorly resists even minor mechanical damage.
Refined appearance and excellent protection against moisture to the door leaf can be provided by waterproof ship panels made of oak, alder, walnut, pine. With such a lining, the door will look like it is made of solid wood, but you should immediately take into account that you will have to pay for beauty and reliability accordingly.
A front door with two or three locks
It is difficult to imagine a front door without two or three locks. It is these mechanisms that provide 60% of the protective functions of the structure. Therefore, when choosing a front door for a private house, it is necessary to pay special attention to the locks. Doors must be equipped with two different types of mortise locks at once, most often, lever and cylindrical. But there are cruciform and disc locking devices.
We will not discuss the topic of electronic locks, but will consider only mechanical options for locking mechanisms. The most important element of any castle is the crossbar (in a simple way – the deadbolt). It is he who does not give the opportunity to open the closed door.
For intruders, the deadbolt is the main barrier blocking unauthorized access to the home. High-quality and expensive mortise locks for entrance doors are equipped with crossbars made of hardened high-strength steel.
Most often they have a cylindrical shape and can freely rotate around their axis, so it is not possible to cut them. When locking the door with a key, the bolt enters a specially shaped hole in a metal box, which is strictly opposite to it. The door in the closed state is fixed with a spring-loaded latch.
The movement of the bolt is carried out by a rotary cam made of hardened steel. And the direct “command to action” to the cam is given by the key, which is inserted into the “secret” mechanism.
Burglary resistance class
Each entrance door belongs to a certain security class. Although, only serious and responsible manufacturers certify their products. The burglary resistance of the door structure is determined by tests.
I class – such doors can be easily and quickly opened using manual equipment;
Class II – the design is able to protect against hacking with a simple power tool. Most entrance street doors fall into this category;
Class III – massive doors with double steel skin on the outside and additional reinforcing elements throughout the structure. Hacking will take about half an hour and a powerful (up to 500 W) grinder.
All in all
Of course, it is impossible to answer unambiguously the question of which front door is better for a private house. Many factors influence the choice: for example, the financial capabilities of the buyer, his personal preferences, the features of the house, the climatic conditions of the region of residence, etc.
However, there are mandatory basic requirements, focusing on which, you can choose a reliable and durable door that can not only turn the house into a real fortress, but also become its hallmark.
Source: secure-house.co.uk