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Types of entrance doors for a private house. How to choose the right entrance door to a private house or apartment. Beauty is a powerful force

Any door must be strong and reliable. And the street entrance door in particular. A wide variety of materials and models makes this choice very difficult.

There are many problems with entrance doors. These are short strength characteristics, susceptibility to corrosion and condensation.

Installing a wooden front door also has several disadvantages. Surfaces require regular updating paint coating, are easily damaged mechanically. Wood is also a fire hazard.

The advantages include a presentable appearance and environmental friendliness. Only with proper processing and high-quality material can such an entrance door be a reliable barrier against intruders. Using solid wood is not something everyone can afford.

Red species, oak, and maple are especially valued. Most economical option is pine. If desired.

Advice! Aluminum profile will increase the strength of wooden door panels.

Metal doors

A metal front door inspires confidence among many just by its name. It is widely believed that such blocks are the most durable and reliable. What are the disadvantages of using them and is it all that simple?

Characteristics of entrance door designs

How strong the front door will be is influenced by the following points:

• Production process
• Design qualities

It is clear that the greater the thickness of the steel, the higher the strength of the door. Good properties will have surfaces with a thickness of 1.2 mm. length 2mm. Steel ribs will increase rigidity and strengthen the structure.

Stiffener systems:

1. Longitudinal (vertical reinforcement elements)
2. Transverse (horizontal reinforcement elements)
3. Combined (combination of several types)

A longitudinal system of ribs will protect the door from bending corners. Transverse - will make it difficult to push through the door surface. Combining both stiffener systems will achieve optimal results.

The highest strength of the canvas can be achieved by armoring. The manufacturing technology will be exactly the same as that of bulletproof safes. Filling the structure with concrete solution provides the necessary strength.

If you can work with metal and want a unique and durable door, you can make one yourself. Follow the recommendations for.

Special protection

Using reinforced hinges - good way Increase intrusion protection.

Hinge modifications:

• Regular
• Ball
• Safe

The most effective are hinges with a support bearing. This type will withstand the weight of heavy metal doors. They are also used for swing gates and massive garage openings.

Anti-removal pins - bonus resistance of the block to burglary. Reinforcing passive crossbars connect the closed door leaf with the frame. Deadbolt - retractable deadbolt cylindrical, performing the function of a locking mechanism. Mounted on the hinge side on the vertical profile of the box or panel. If the locks and hinges are broken, the door will not be able to be opened or removed from the hinges. The pins will hold the door in place.

Insulation of metal door blocks

To rid the door leaf of frost and ice, you will need a layer of thermal insulation. Up to 25% of heat escapes through doorways. The metal has a high degree of thermal conductivity and is prone to freezing.

Advice. A canopy or canopy over the front door is additional protection from bad weather.

Insulation materials

• Fibrous (mineral and basalt wool)
• Panel (extruded polystyrene foam)

The disadvantage of using mineral wool is vapor permeability. When exposed to moisture, the material shrinks. In this case, thermal protection will be incomplete and ineffective.

Basalt wool does not accumulate moisture and does not shrink. It has low sound permeability and good vibration resistance.

The closed structure of the foam will not absorb evaporation and moisture. At the same time, foam boards will provide good sound insulation.

Not as economical as polystyrene foam, but more effective - extruded polystyrene foam and polyurethane foam.

Issues with freezing of metal entrance doors

Control measures.

1. Cut off the possibility of contact of the front door with the warm air of the living room. If the house has a vestibule or veranda, install a metal-plastic door on the side of the heated room. Low thermal conductivity metal-plastic will not allow cold air to penetrate inside and will solve the problem of freezing of the external entrance door.
2. You can opt for door designs with thermal inserts made of polyamide. The material absorbs the impact very much low temperatures nyh modes. For example, having -25ºС outside, from the room side the canvas will have a positive 10 degrees. This profile will cost twice as much as a regular one. But the castle area will still be subject to freezing.
3. Electric heating system. A heating wire laid around the perimeter of the door, near the locks and inside the frame itself will be an effective barrier against ice. Additional electricity consumption is a disadvantage of this method. But even at the lowest temperatures, the door will always remain dry.

Advice. A double, or better yet, triple insulation circuit will ensure minimal heat loss through the gaps between the leaf and the door frame.

Metal door finishing

From the outside, the front door is constantly exposed to a number of external factors. These include sudden changes in temperature, sunlight, and precipitation. The finishing coating must withstand the impact without damaging the block as a whole.

Finishes made from materials like chipboard or MDF are absolutely not suitable. Even with PVC coating, such a finish will not cope with rain and snowfall. The coating will become unusable and will not protect the metal from corrosion.

Hammer painting - great way for finishing the front door from the street side.
After drying, such paint will have an interesting “hammered” texture. Silicone resin and metal pigments in the paint will provide reliable protection against moisture. The paint dries quickly and is easy to apply. The ability to repel dirt makes the coating easy to clean. Painted metal doors look very beautiful. The color remains saturated for quite a long time. The paint is applied in several layers with a roller or spray.

Vinyl cladding. Viniplast - non-flammable material made of thermoplastic. Has good strength and elasticity. Viniplast will perfectly withstand various atmospheric precipitations. A serious disadvantage is poor frost resistance. At -20ºС the material becomes brittle and can crumble with minor mechanical stress.

Waterproof finishes made from shiplap panels of oak, alder, and pine will give the doors a chic appearance. The panels are made from high-quality wood using moisture-resistant glue. The impression of natural solid wood will cost accordingly.

Door locks

About 60% of heat loss through a doorway occurs through locking mechanisms. When choosing a door, you should pay attention to what kind of locks are installed. Best option- These are two different types of mortise locks. The most reliable are lever and cylinder types. Both of them have a fairly high degree of protection against hacking. It is physically impossible to break a lever lock, and it is very difficult to find a master key for a cylinder lock. Disc and cross-shaped opening mechanisms are also quite common.

Locking mechanisms are divided into classes according to the degree of resistance to burglary. For entrance doors it is recommended to use 2-4 groups. The lock class is indicated in the product passport.

What to choose other than metal doors?

Metal-plastic doors have enough high performance in strength, durability, reliability. Of course, a steel door will exceed these characteristics. But the doorway is not the only way for an intruder to enter the house. So you can argue about which material is better.

PVC doors are widely used in low-rise construction. They are not subject to condensation and icing in cold weather.

Choosing a metal-plastic entrance door

There are similarities in the production technology of PVC windows and doors. But in general they differ significantly. High requirements for strength door structures, allow production only from special reinforced PVC profiles.

Door block

For high-quality PVC entrance doors, a profile of five chambers is used. Its thickness should not be less than 70 mm. Metal frame strengthens the structure from the inside. The fittings are located around the entire perimeter of the door. Strong fastenings at the corners are responsible for the rigidity of the frame. This frame will allow you to install powerful hinges and anti-burglary locks on the door.

Attention! When ordering a door, pay attention to the number of cameras.

A rubber seal is used for heat and waterproofing. It is located on all sides of the canvas and frame. Plastic doors for country and private houses they are equipped with additional profile reinforcement. This reinforcement provides additional protection against penetration.

Various options can be with finishing, triplex inserts or armored glass. Triplex is a multilayer glass made by pressing. These materials will withstand strong mechanical impact from the outside. Will provide a good view outside the door. Sometimes stained and tinted glass is found.

For reliability, give preference to models with a glazing surface of no more than a third. As a rule, upper part relegated to glass.

PVC profile doors can be:

• Single leaf
• Double-leaf (for wide openings to evenly distribute the load on the hinges)

Choosing an entrance door to an apartment is not an easy task and raises many questions. You need to know what qualities a design should have and what to look for when choosing. The front door is the keeper of the hearth, preventing noise, cold and uninvited guests from entering the home. It should also look presentable, as it acts as the calling card of the apartment.

Requirements for the entrance door to the apartment

Any premises, residential or industrial, greet the visitor with the front door. Choosing an internal opening door for an apartment is not difficult now. However, manufacturers offer a wide selection of products, the differences between which are in materials, dimensions, colors and styles.

Many people are unable to make an informed choice due to the large variety. This is especially true for those who buy entrance doors to an apartment for the first time. To avoid errors, you should take into account the requirements for any input structures:

1. General reliability parameter. Entrance doors perform many functions, but the main one is to protect your home. For this reason, the chosen design must be durable and high quality, capable of protecting against intruders.
2. It must be possible to inspect the external area. It is better if the entrance door to the apartment is equipped with at least a small peephole. This will allow you to see the situation outside your home or on a flight of stairs.
3. Noise and heat insulation. The product prevents noise and cold from entering the house, increasing living comfort.
4. Appearance. It is better to choose a beautiful entrance door to the apartment so that its style fits into the interior of the home.

Before you go to the store to buy, you need to consider other points:

1. Price of the canvas. It all depends on the quality of the design. If you choose a door for summer cottage or in an old abandoned apartment, it is not necessary that it be highly durable. Cheaper analogues will also work. But if the product is installed in a new building apartment or a residential country house, then more expensive variations can be considered.
2. Opening dimensions. The canvas should easily “fit” into the doorway. Therefore, before purchasing, you should take all measurements in advance.
3. Selection of accessories. We are talking about locks, hinges, eyes, handles and so on. This takes into account the type of construction and your own preferences. Of course, it is better to choose the appropriate fittings for a good entrance door to your apartment, suitable in quality and style.
4. Availability of certificates and guarantees. This is an important point during the purchase, ensuring that all installation and operation issues are resolved.

Types of entrance doors

On construction market a wide range of entrance structures, also produce designer canvases and technical models. They are classified depending on the material used in their manufacture.

Metal entrance door

This is the most popular type. Manufactured using special technology from durable materials. There are models that are additionally coated with an anti-corrosion compound, which allows the blades to be used in different conditions. climatic conditions, extending their service life.

Thickness metal sheets also matters: for European entrance doors it is 1 mm, for Chinese ones - from 0.5 to 1 mm, for domestic ones - from 1.5 to 3 mm. The strength characteristics of the entrance structure depend on the thickness of the metal. European models have standardized sizes, while our manufacturers also produce non-classical options.

The customer can choose the design and format of insulation.

Before choosing a metal door for your apartment, you need to familiarize yourself with the classification by level of complexity:

1. Economy class. These are simple and affordable products made from single-sheet steel 1 mm thick. For decoration, only painting is used, without insulation or sound insulation. A separate variety is metal sheets for apartments, assembled from two sheets (each 1 mm thick). For such products, finishing, heat and sound insulation filler is provided.
2. Middle class. These are products made from two sheets, each 1.5 mm thick. The finishing can be any and depends on the customer’s preferences.
3. Elite class. Entrance doors with reinforced construction, with sheet thickness up to 2 mm. They are finished with natural or artificial materials, covered with wood and veneer.

The following finishing materials are used: thermal film, polymer or powder paint, plastic or wooden lining, vinyl leather, auto enamel, varnish, MDF overlays and other materials.

Important! In order for the selected metal entrance door to successfully perform its functions, it is important to install it correctly.

Wooden entrance door

Not long ago, wood was used as the main material for the production of entrance structures. Now the user has a choice, where each product differs in its performance properties. However, wooden panels are considered luxurious and practical classics. Thanks to innovative technologies, their functions and properties have been improved by an order of magnitude compared to the first models, and as a result they last longer.

Wooden products are no longer as popular as before, this is due to the fact that the market offers large selection artificial materials. But some customers prefer natural massif tree. Considering design features, we can distinguish three types of wooden entrance doors:

1. Shield ones. To assemble these products, boards up to 4 cm thick are used. The frame is assembled from solid wood elements glued together. Some manufacturers supplement such entrance doors with an aluminum frame, which not only retains heat, but also extends the life of the product.
   
   
2. Paneled. In terms of design, they are similar to panel ones. They weigh an order of magnitude less, which makes transportation and installation easier.
   
   
3. Solid. This option is now the most common. For production, a solid solid wood is taken.
   
   

What materials are wooden entrance doors made from:

1. Oak. This is a highly durable and durable breed that can last for several decades. Interesting feature– oak hardens over time, which makes the canvas even more stable. The result is the most expensive entrance doors to the apartment.
   
   
2. Ash. Similar to oak, durable and practical material. A popular option due to the variety of colors.
   
3. Beech. It is better to install such a door to an apartment in multi-storey building. Beech does not tolerate moisture well, so it is not used for country houses.
   
4. Pine. The key advantage is the affordable price. Pine - soft material, so canvases from it are made especially for apartments.
   
   

Wooden doors to apartments are preferred by those customers who prefer environmental friendliness and a natural appearance.

Entrance door to an apartment with a mirror

This type is gradually gaining popularity. Many customers prefer just such entrance doors to their apartments, explaining their choice by the small size of the hallway. Nowadays a mirror can be mounted in both wooden and metal products.

An entrance door with a mirror looks organically in any interior, often acting as a key decorative element. The design is interesting for its decorative effect, but can also perform other functions:

1. Practicality. When leaving the apartment, you can always look in the mirror and evaluate your appearance. Of course, for this you need to correctly place the lighting sources so that the light falls on the person.
2. Visually increases the space. The light, when reflected, creates the illusion of a large corridor.

Important! To ensure the desired effect, you must carefully choose the shape and size of the mirror you install. This will highlight the style of the apartment and decorate the interior.

The mirrors themselves are practical products. Indeed, in a small hallway it is sometimes difficult to place a separate large mirror. But the door panels are just the right size.

Width of the entrance door to the apartment

Standard dimensions are determined by GOST standards, regardless of the material of construction. The main parameters are as follows:

1. Height. The standard parameter is in the range from 2070 mm to 2370 mm. To determine a specific value, take into account overall height ceiling and door leaf width.
2. Width. The minimum parameter is 910 mm. For single-leaf doors - 1010 mm, one-and-a-half doors - 1310, 1510 and 1550 mm, double doors - 1910 and 1950 mm.
3. Thickness. There are no strict regulations regarding this value, since everything depends on the material of the canvas for the apartment. The thickness should be sufficient for the front door to perform its main functions.

Important! For entrance structures standard size more than for interior ones. This is done so that a person carrying a load can freely pass through the opening.

How to choose metal entrance doors for an apartment

The most common are metal structures. Most often, a steel door to an apartment is chosen, which provides adequate protection for the home. There are both global and domestic manufacturers on the market, producing products of different styles and sizes.

Metal has long been used to make entrance doors to apartments. This is the most durable material that provides protection against burglary. For this reason, it is popular for both residential and production premises. When choosing an iron door for an apartment, you should pay attention to the base material. The following metals are used to make products:

1. Aluminum. Such products vary in texture and shades. Aluminum is a metal that is easy to process, so making entrance doors from it is somewhat easier.
2. Steel. This metal is more reliable and durable. In addition to the main function, such entrance panels are equipped with noise and heat insulation. They are more expensive than their aluminum counterparts, but they are also better in quality.

When choosing a product for your apartment, pay attention to the thickness of the base layer - the more, the better design will protect housing. Only two materials are used as a base, but the products differ from each other due to the decorative layer. Used as decoration:

1. PVC panels. Caring for this coating is quite simple.
2. MDF. In addition to being environmentally friendly, this material provides good sound insulation. The most preferred option for office premises.
3. Powder coating. Budget exterior finishing.
4. Panels made from natural wood. Expensive, but environmentally friendly and visually attractive option.

To increase mechanical characteristics entrance door to the apartment, manufacturers equip the products with stiffeners. These elements provide protection against deformation and increase burglary resistance. The more stiffening ribs, the more stable the structure will be. It is worth understanding that due to an increase in the number of these elements, the weight increases, which means that the hinges will experience increased loads and fail faster.

What color should you choose for the entrance door to your apartment?

When choosing a color you need to consider general style home decoration, color flooring material, walls, main furniture. Correct advice that will help you choose the color of the entrance door to your apartment:

1. The best solution is to choose a neutral shade that will not match anything. White, black, gray or beige options look good.
2. It is optimal if the color of the canvas matches the shade of the window frames.
3. Doors decorated with drawings, stained glass or stickers look good. The focus is on design, so compatibility is relegated to the background.

Important! These tips are suitable both for choosing the entrance panel to the apartment and for interior partitions.

Rating of metal apartment entrance doors

The most popular designs are from the following brands:

1. Outpost. This manufacturer produces products at affordable prices. The company is originally from Russia, but production is organized in China, which allowed it to optimize costs. The manufacturing process is controlled, so the products differ good quality, immutability technical parameters and appearance.
2. Torex. The company has been producing apartment entrance doors for over 25 years. Thanks to solid practical experience The fabrics produced have good consumer properties, without overpayment. The range includes fireproof options.
3. Elbor. The year the enterprise began operating was 1976. Not long ago, a comprehensive modernization of the company was carried out, which made it possible to increase production capacity.
4. Guardian. A distinctive feature of this company’s products is their high price, but the consumer properties correspond to the premium class. For the manufacture of entrance doors to the apartment, strict international and domestic standards are taken into account.
5. Became. This is a group of companies that produces entrance canvases for individual orders. A special feature of the products is additional concreting, thanks to which the box is attached much more reliably, while maintaining tightness.

This is not full list companies engaged in the production of entrance doors for apartments.

Where should the entrance door to the apartment open?

In this matter, there is a main requirement - in case emergency the design should not create obstacles during the evacuation of people. If we consider the practical side, then several points are taken into account:

• when opening inward, you will have to stop in front of the door and step back to open it;
• the canvas that opens outward is characterized by burglary resistance, since it is much more difficult to knock it out;
• if the product opens inward, it will not be possible to install an additional door, which will not only retain heat in the apartment, but also reduce the noise level;
• If the room has a small hallway, it is better to choose the option of opening to the outside.

In the case of apartment buildings, the following points are also taken into account:

• when swinging externally, the door leaf should not interfere with the opening of a neighbor’s door;
• if the apartments open onto a common vestibule, then the vestibule door is opened outward, and the entrance door is opened inward;
• if during opening the door touches something, for example, a counter, then it is supplemented with an opening limiter.

For the most part, where the canvas will open is the decision of the apartment owner.

Conclusion

Choosing an entrance door to an apartment is not a problem, since there are many offers: metal, wooden products or designs with mirrors. The main thing is that the door provides adequate protection for the apartment and at the same time matches the interior of the room. You can take into account the rating of the entrance metal doors to the apartment, but it is equally important to install the door correctly.

For any person, the safety of his loved ones is important, so most of us approach the choice of a door with special care. Modern manufacturers offer a huge number of options with a wide variety of characteristics, which differ from each other in their technical characteristics, indicators of quality and reliability, design and, accordingly, cost. As a result, the price of visually similar models may differ significantly.

In most cases optimal solution The question of which entrance doors to choose for a private home becomes an analysis of the models on the market in accordance with the principle of necessary sufficiency. For example, it’s hardly worth it to an ordinary person install a bulletproof structure, which is usually used only in banking institutions.

Which metal entrance door to choose for a private home

To choose the right entrance door for your home, you should pay attention to the fact that in any case it must meet the customer’s requirements according to several basic criteria:

• reliability,
• resistance to burglary,
• effective heat and noise insulation,
• ease of use.

For each of the listed parameters, manufacturers offer many solutions, among which you can choose the option that is ideal for installation for each specific case.

How to choose an entrance door to a private house: basic criteria

Several points require special attention, which are rightfully considered fundamental in this case.

• The selected model, in terms of the degree of insulation and finishing material, must correspond to the product that is planned to be installed in the opening facing the street.
• The level of security of the blade must meet safety requirements: metal thickness from 1.5 mm, the number of layers of steel in the structure (it is recommended to use two), the design of the frame (it must be reliable enough to resist break-ins during operation and ensure reliable operation of the blade while maintaining its geometric parameters), the number of stiffeners in the internal space, the number of hinge groups (determined depending on the weight of the product), their design, the presence of an element for monitoring the situation behind the door - a peephole.
• To ensure the proper level of thermal insulation, the interior space of the door must be filled with insulation with a thickness of 40 mm or more. You can choose an insulated entrance door for your home filled with polyurethane foam, mineral wool or polystyrene foam. Economy class models often use cardboard, which in fact has little effect on both the heat and sound insulation of the room.
• A high-quality door includes seals that will protect the house from external noise and heat loss, which is especially important for private buildings. They can be stacked in several rows (usually no more than 3).
• Canvas weight. The optimal option is 70 kg. It takes into account the manufacturer’s use of two steel sheets with a thickness of 1.5 mm or more, an effective internal filling that will allow the structure to resist burglary if necessary.
• The fire-fighting characteristics of the structure can be increased through the use of fabrics of appropriate special design.
• Anti-vandal materials. Despite the fact that in most cases, for private houses that are located inside the yard, they are additionally protected by a fence, the issue of hooliganism and damage to coatings by strangers is less acute in comparison with apartments, it still makes sense to use ones that are resistant to mechanical damage. Especially when there are animals in the house that can scratch the upholstery.
• A prerequisite for selection is that the product has a quality certificate, manufacturer’s guarantees, and a passport, which will display all the technical characteristics.

How to choose a metal entrance door to a house: division into classes

In this industry, the classification of products in accordance with the price category formed by the materials and technologies chosen for production has become generally accepted.

• Economy class. Models are offered at affordable prices with minimal safety and reliability indicators. The cost is reduced due to the use of thinner metal 1-1.5 mm, a simple locking mechanism. Foam plastic or simply corrugated cardboard is often used as insulation. The outer surface is painted or covered with leatherette. They are easy to hack, although they have a quite presentable appearance.
• Standard. During production, the enterprises comply with all current industry requirements in terms of quality, reliability, resistance to mechanical damage and burglary. An optimal number of stiffening ribs is provided, metal with a thickness of 1.5-1.8 mm is used, and 2 locking mechanisms are installed. For the external decoration of such a door, PVC panels, polymer powder coating, lamination.
• Business class. To increase the reliability of the structure, when forming the frame, a pipe of rectangular or square cross-section is used, and vertical, horizontal, and diagonally directed stiffening ribs are provided. 2 mm sheet metal is used to cover the structure. The package includes two locks. It corresponds to reliability class 3. As finishing material MDF panels, solid wood can be used, it is possible to use inserts made of impact-resistant glass, forged elements, stained glass. Basalt wool or polyurethane foam can be used as insulation.
• Premium class. The products are distinguished by their expensive finishing using natural materials and non-ferrous metals. In terms of their reliability as standard, the canvases in this category differ little from those presented in the “business class” category. But at the same time, the emphasis here is on the use in the manufacture of individual design projects, which will match the design and decoration of the room and the style of the entire building as a whole.

How to choose an iron entrance door to a wooden house

If you have to choose an input iron door to install it in wooden house, it is important to initially take into account that no special requirements are imposed on the design itself in this regard. The only caveat in this case is that you should not use too much heavy construction. Average weight standard door sufficient reliability is 70 kg; this structure can easily withstand it throughout its entire service life.

All the subtleties that occur when purchasing a door are related to the features of its installation. This is due to the fact that any wooden building has a tendency to permanent deformation depending on seasonal factors, weather conditions, and climate characteristics. If the installation is carried out incorrectly, the sash will simply stop opening or will periodically jam, which is always quite unpleasant (especially if you have to resort to breaking in to open the lock).

Regardless of the chosen price category and design features, in any case, a metal entrance door must meet all safety and ease of use criteria and meet the aesthetic preferences of its owners. Practice shows that there are enough options for choice so that everyone can find the ideal option for themselves.

The entrance door in a private house is usually installed at the border between the street and the premises. During the cold season, its outer side is constantly exposed to low temperatures, while the inner side, on the contrary, is warm. Poor thermal insulation of the door or its complete absence leads to condensation accumulating inside, a snow cap and ice freezing, and the door does not protect against the cold.

Helps to avoid all these troubles correct device street door. It is important not only what material is used as protection against freezing, but also according to what scheme it is installed in the door leaf. Optimal design doors for a private home are a layer cake. The first, outer layer is door panel. It can be made of wood or metal. The second layer is insulation. It is important that it has a high density coefficient. Pressed is best mineral wool. The third layer is the air gap. It protects the door from through freezing. It works on the principle of a multi-chamber window, when the air inside the structure prevents cold from penetrating into the room. The fourth layer is insulation again. The last one is a decorative interior panel.

When designing a house, the front door to better plan stand side where less wind. It will reduce the risk of deformation due to rain.

Along the contour, the door leaf must be equipped with a rubber seal that does not allow cold air to pass through at the junction with the door frame. The box itself must also be insulated and equipped with a threshold. Some manufacturers began to supply models with electrically heated boxes This great solution to protect against possible freezing in severe frosts.

Durability

Since the street entrance door is constantly exposed to temperature changes, precipitation, and ultraviolet radiation, it is subject to increased durability requirements. The metal door must be treated with an anti-corrosion coating that is resistant to fading.

Above the door it is necessary to organize a shed or a small vestibule. The canopy will protect the door from moisture and the scorching sun, and the lobby will provide additional thermal protection of the house.

He considers powder coating to be the most reliable. A decorative wood panel must be treated with moisture-repellent impregnation and paint that is resistant to temperature changes. A private home is prone to some movement, which can cause low-quality doors to warp. Therefore, the entrance door must be installed in a metal counter-frame.

Burglary resistance

Anti-vandalism - not the best important characteristic doors in a private house, since there are many more convenient places to enter, such as windows. However, for greater reliability, you can choose a strong input node. The blade must be made of steel no thinner than 2 mm. It is better if the hinges are hidden; the door itself is equipped with two locks different types. One of them is cylinder, the other is lever. Modern market offers a wide variety of biometric and electronic locks, video surveillance systems, including remote ones, security alarms. These are all great ways to protect your property from break-ins and break-ins.

– the face of the house and the basis of its protection. We hope everyone understands well how much the safety, thermal insulation and perception of the appearance of a private home depend on the door chosen. Unscrupulous companies often try to sell us under the guise of a reliable product. Chinese door of dubious quality, tempting with discounts and loud advertising. That is why you need to know for yourself how to choose the right entrance door to a cottage, country or private house, what is important to consider and what details to pay attention to.

No. 1. What are the requirements for the exit door?

Let's start by declaring the variables, or more precisely, let's state the characteristics that a really good front door should meet:

No. 2. Door leaf material

Today we don't have much choice. Entrance doors are often made of the following materials:

• metal;
• tree;
• metal-plastic.

Metal door– a classic, an example of strength and aesthetics. Today, such doors are found in more than 70% of private homes. Wood and MDF overlays, powder painting Other methods of finishing the canvas allow us to talk about decent variety. A strong competitor to metal sheets in lately are considered metal-plastic doors. Looking ahead, we note that they differ better thermal insulation and a slightly lower price, but not inferior in reliability metal doors. Wooden doors are used less and less. Today this is an outdated option, which has a lot of disadvantages, and if such a canvas can be used in an apartment, then in a cottage it is unlikely, except in rare cases.

No. 3. Metal entrance doors

Many people prefer to buy entrance doors to a cottage, country house or apartment made of metal. Such designs have a number of undeniable advantages:

So popular that the range is growing day by day. Next to really high-quality samples, they sell doors that can be damaged with a regular can opener. They are made in China and can be sold both at very tempting prices (which at least slightly justifies their quality) and at the average market price. How to really recognize quality door and not fall for the tricks of cunning manufacturers and sellers?

It is necessary to evaluate a metal door according to a number of indicators:

Metal door design

The door consists of a frame to which the inner and outer leaf of the door leaf are attached. Between the canvases there are stiffening ribs, in the cavities between which insulation is laid. The design is illustrated in the figure.

Metal sheets can be produced made of hot and cold rolled steel. The first option will be cheaper, but this material is more susceptible to corrosion. Cold-rolled steel for the front door in a cottage will be an advantageous option: it is less susceptible to precipitation and more durable.

Steel sheets must have a thickness 1.2-2 mm, or better yet, even more, otherwise the canvas can be damaged without much effort with a sharp knife. Some experts advise installing doors with a steel sheet thickness of about 4 mm in country houses. Please note that only the outer sheet can be metal (then the inner panel is made of MDF, for example) or both sheets. The second option is preferable, since this way the door leaf will be more durable. In some doors between the outer and inner steel sheet have additional layer of steel. From a reliability point of view, this is an ideal option, but it will also cost accordingly.

However, even if only the outer part of the door is made of steel, the door leaf can still remain reliable. The main thing is that The castle area has been reinforced additional sheet of steel or armor plate.

Door frame, to which the sheets and stiffeners will be attached, can be made of solid profile pipe, the ends of which will be connected with only one seam. This is ideal. If four sections of profile are used to create the base, which are welded together, the result is a less strong, but still satisfactory structure. The worst thing is when each side of the frame is welded from a couple or more pieces. In this case, there are too many seams, and each seam reduces the degree of protection of the fabric.

Stiffening ribs strengthen and strengthen the structure. They may be:

• vertical. They resist torsional loads well and will not allow the corners of the canvas to bend;
• horizontal. They protect against pushing and do not allow the door leaf to be pressed away from the frame;
• combined. Such doors have vertical, horizontal, and sometimes inclined stiffeners, so they can withstand any load perfectly.

The more stiffeners there are, the better. The minimum is two vertical and one horizontal. Ribs are usually made from rectangular pipe or corner. This is a classic and reliable option. There are doors where the ribs are made of profile complex configuration. This approach allows you to create an equally durable fabric while reducing the weight of the structure.

Fills the voids between the stiffeners insulation, which increases thermal insulation and eliminates the unpleasant sound of a hollow door. Usually, and are used for this purpose - both options are quite effective. Foam rubber, padding polyester, paper and pressed cardboard are not very suitable for thermal insulation of the front door.

There should be located along the contour of the door leaf seal, which ensures a tight fit of the door to the door frame, protects against noise, drafts and odors from the street. If the seal is of high quality and installed correctly, one circuit will be sufficient, so samples with two, three or more circuits should be treated with caution. It is best if the seal is made of rubber. Silicone and polyurethane behave somewhat worse in this case, and the option with foam rubber and plastic should not even be considered.

Hinges and door frame

If the door leaf cannot be hacked, a thief may try to cut off the hinges. Therefore, it is important to consider the front door as a comprehensive complex design, where every element is important.

Loops can be of the following types:

Number of loops depends on many factors: weight and dimensions of the door, metal thickness, outer and interior decoration. The required minimum is 3 loops. There cannot be less even in the lightest designs. If the canvas turns out to be heavy enough, you can take hinges with support bearings, which will facilitate the process of opening and closing.

The door frame also affects strength and reliability. It must be made of a U-shaped profile with a thickness of at least 3-5 mm.

Door leaf finishing

The door finishing material should be combined with the interior (when it comes to the outside of the door) and the interior of the hallway or vestibule, but this is not the main thing. The exterior finish must be resistant to various weather conditions and be wear-resistant. On inner part so strict requirements do not apply.

To finish the inside and outside of metal entrance doors, the following materials are used:

There are other finishing methods, such as handmade painting, laminating with PVC film or using plastic panels , but in this case I don’t want to recommend them. They don’t look respectable, and they don’t perform very well in operation.

Note also that the metal sheet may have glass insert. It decorates the door, but makes it more vulnerable, so the glass is armored or protected. Forged grilles look great, especially if they are supported by other forged elements in the design of the porch and area.

Thermal insulation of a metal door

Perhaps the only disadvantage of metal entrance doors is their ability to freeze and become covered with ice. High-quality thermal insulation (in the form of a layer of insulation inside the door) can practically neutralize this problem, but sometimes additional measures may be necessary. To get rid of freezing of a metal door, you can use the following tricks:

No. 4. Wooden entrance doors

The safety of metal models is beyond doubt. Durable material, high burglary protection, resistance to fire and mechanical damage - all these advantages have made them a worthy competitor in the market. Can wooden entry doors outperform metal ones? To understand this, you need to understand the main advantages of wood products:

• strength. Entrance models are made as wear-resistant as possible, so they are often made of oak. The material is quite difficult to damage;
• long service life. Wood itself is considered a durable base. Thanks to correct processing surfaces and subject to constant care the canvas can last at least 50 years;
• environmental friendliness. Wood is a safe and hypoallergenic material. It has virtually no analogues;
• visual appeal. The classic shade of oak or pine looks very beautiful on entrance doors and harmonizes with any facade. In this regard, metal sheets will have to be chosen more carefully;
• resistance to corrosion. Wood does not rust (unlike metal). Thanks to this, periodic surface treatment with various anti-corrosion agents will not be required;
• sound insulation. Sufficient thickness of the door provides protection from extraneous sounds even in the absence of filler;
• low thermal conductivity. A wooden door will not become covered with condensation or frost.

On the other side, wooden canvas afraid of precipitation, sudden temperature changes, fire and pests, so it will have to be constantly processed - without them, even a door made of laminated timber will not last long. In addition, if the sash suddenly starts to move, repairs are almost impossible. These shortcomings can negate all the advantages of wooden doors, which is why they are installed very rarely today. If nothing but wood fits the facade, it is better to take a metal door with wooden overlay. The best place for a purely wooden door it will be south side of the house. Naturally, the porch must be reliable.

No. 5. Metal-plastic entrance doors

Only metal-plastic doors can compete with metal doors. They have such advantages:

• excellent heat and sound insulation properties. The canvas does not allow external noise to pass through, prevents the entry of cold and does not freeze;
• good strength qualities. In terms of reliability and safety, such doors, contrary to prejudices, are not inferior to metal ones;
• resistance to negative environmental factors;
• variety of appearance;
• ease of care;
• low cost. Such doors will cost on average 10-15% cheaper than metal ones.

By structure metal-plastic doors resemble those known to everyone: the production principle is the same, but the design is different. The profile for such a door has at least five chambers and is reinforced with steel. It is not made of ordinary glass, but of armored or triplex. The glazing area can be of any size, but for safety reasons it is better that it occupies only a third of the door leaf.

No. 6. Burglar resistance of the entrance door

Large manufacturers certify steel doors according to burglary resistance class. There are 13 such classes in total: doors from classes 1 to 4 are used in everyday life, the rest are armored doors for banks and safes:

No. 7. Entrance door lock

A durable door leaf will protect you from crude burglary methods, and from intelligent ones. The following types of locks are installed on the front door:

• level locks– the most durable and reliable. The degree of protection depends on the number of levers. There can be from 1 to 10. Nice castle has 6 or more levers, and their number can be judged even by the number of steps on the key (one must be subtracted from their number to get the desired value). Lever locks of a crab design are suitable for the front door; when locked, their bolts extend in different directions: it will be more difficult for a thief to find and cut them. Locks with a manganese insert, which will protect the mechanism from drilling, also perform well;
• cylinder lock works on the basis of cylinders located at a certain height. It is difficult to open it with a master key - it is much easier to knock it out, so it is better to protect the mechanism with an armor plate or special balls that will resist the drill. It is better not to use it as a stand-alone lock - only in combination with a lever lock;
• electronic locks, which are opened using a digital code, fingerprint or card, are reliable, modern, but expensive, so they have not yet become widespread;
• combined Several mechanisms are combined in one lock.

Better for the front door put a couple of locks. Level and cylinder are an ideal pair, but it is better to place them at some distance from each other, 25-30 cm will be enough. Choose locks 3 and 4 safety classes and trust products from renowned manufacturers.

We did not mention, but it goes without saying, that before contacting a company that makes and installs doors, you need to know the dimensions of the doorway. If it is very wide, perhaps one leaf is not enough - it will be more convenient to install the door with two or one and a half leaves. Please note that ordering canvas custom size will cost more. Also do not forget about the accessories (handle, etc.), which must also be of high quality.