Entrance street doors: characteristics and operating features of doors for a private home

Entrance doors to a cottage, like apartment doors, serve as a boundary between the outside world and the interior space of the house. There are special requirements for their aesthetic and practical characteristics. The main feature of metal street entrance doors is that they are used in more severe conditions than the entrance door to an apartment located in the entrance. After all, it doesn’t rain, it doesn’t snow, it doesn’t heat up from the sun’s rays in the summer heat.

And a good street door, like a faithful guard, withstands the vagaries of nature and retains its impeccable appearance, remaining a reliable outpost for many years. In order to avoid mistakes in choosing outdoor metal doors, it is important to realize: not every entrance door can be used in the “building-street” mode.

The cost of a wrong choice

Owners who have not taken into account all the nuances of choosing the right metal doors for a cottage often encounter the following difficulties:

• Fogging from inside.
• Freezing and icing of individual sections of the door leaf and frame.
• Deformation of the decorative panel due to exposure to moisture, which is easily absorbed.
• Delamination.
• Changing the original shade of the color of a decorative coating.

As a result, not only the appearance of the door suffers, but its functionality is also impaired. To avoid problems, you should carefully study all the parameters of the product when purchasing.

If we draw a parallel between outdoor insulated metal doors and a person’s outer clothing, we can say the following. When choosing a jacket for rainy weather, we prefer the item to be made of water-repellent fabric. And for its inner part (lining) this effect is not required, the fabric simply must be pleasant to the touch and practical to wear. As for the door, the influence of precipitation and other natural phenomena occurs both on the outside and on the inside. After all, for example, when opening a door to the street in frost, snow or rain, we also test the strength of the decorative panel installed on the inside of the door. Entrance doors freeze, are exposed to ultraviolet radiation and deteriorate. One of the common problems with outdoor doors is condensation.

Negative consequences

Freezing can have negative consequences. The following are worth noting:

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1. Energy loss. A freezing structure poorly insulates the room from the outside world, which is cold in winter. In this case, the heating runs idle - the generated heat evaporates outside. As a result, the door freezes even more - a vicious circle that should be resolved as soon as possible.
2. Reduced service life. Prolonged exposure to temperature contrast negatively affects the performance characteristics of the door and worsens its properties.
3. Damage to fittings and cladding. During freezing, handles, locks and facing materials are subject to destructive effects - they quickly deform and subsequently become partially or completely unusable.

The appearance of fungus and mold growths around the perimeter of the frame is a predictable effect when the front door freezes. The above problems are good reasons why it is necessary to begin eliminating freezing in a short time, especially if plastic entrance doors freeze - they are more susceptible to deformation due to ice freezing than metal ones and fail, requiring replacement.

We advise you to study - Types of refrigerators for household use

Where does condensation come from?

An accumulation of wet drops can be seen on the linings, handles, eyes and the inside of insulated street entrance doors. Why does this phenomenon occur? The steel from which doors are made has high thermal conductivity. It is almost three hundred times higher than the thermal conductivity of wood. When cooled, the metal becomes a conductor of cold. Frost appears. The main reasons for condensation on the door:

• There is high humidity in the room.
• There is too much difference in air temperature in the house and outside.

“Cold bridges” are formed by the door frame, stiffeners and other parts, despite the use of thermal insulation material. Condensation has a negative impact on the condition of the door, so it is worth taking care to prevent it.

Video description

About the choice of doors from various materials in the video:
And a few examples in the photo:

Few people use door knockers, but they look very nice Source timgori.pw

Although half of the door area is occupied by glass inserts, it is quite difficult to break into. Source stroy-masterden.ru

Forged elements will never go out of fashion Source formywife.info

The door design is ideal for a home with a second light Source deavita.fr

The door design looks very “powerful”, despite the transparent wall Source masterlad.prom.ua

An effective solution is to separate the layers

Entrance doors with a thermal break prevent the inside from freezing due to the fact that the metal installed on it does not come into contact with the street side. Metal doors with thermal break help prevent 3 problems:

1. Freezing.

2. Blowing.

3. Icing.

This is achieved due to the fact that the outer and inner parts of the entrance street doors with a thermal break do not touch each other. A special layer with low thermal conductivity is installed between two layers of metal, so materials with high thermal conductivity do not transfer their temperatures to each other. The formation of “cold bridges” is excluded.

Dimensions

A certain standard has been established for the size of entrance doors. In accordance with it, the parameters of the canvases should be as follows:

• Width. Minimum 90 cm, maximum 100 cm (for single-leaf structures). The width of one-and-a-half-piece products can be 131, 151 or 155 cm, and double-leaf ones - 191 or 195 cm.
• Height. According to standards, it should be 207 or 237 cm.
• Thickness. There are no strict requirements here. The thickness of the canvas depends on its type. And here we need to add that the larger it is, the better the heat and sound insulation and the better the quality of the door.

Standards are gradually becoming a thing of the past. More and more manufacturers offer door leaves with any dimensions. And this is completely justified, because the buyer can choose the design of the product so that it fits in size and appearance.

So as not to spoil the beauty

Doors that separate the room from the street can be divided into the following types:

• For technical purposes (door to a storage room, barn or basement).
• Entrance door groups (a comprehensive design solution that is used to design entrances to shopping and office centers and administrative buildings).
• Doors at the entrance to a cottage, house, entrance.

The price for high-quality metal entrance insulated street doors with interesting design solutions is, of course, an order of magnitude higher than the cost of technical doors. Therefore, it is important for owners to keep the product in its original form so that it can serve reliably for many years. When buying entrance doors with a thermal break for a country house, entrance, office or other street doors, it is important to take measures to protect the external coating:

• Install a canopy that will protect the doors from rain, snow and hail. It will also prevent the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation on sunny days. If there is a second floor balcony directly above the door, consider that the problem is solved. It or other architectural forms can serve as a natural barrier for protection. The main thing is not to allow the door to suffer from weather conditions.
• Order a special weather-resistant door treatment, which is successfully used. This is the application of anti-corrosion primer or the double painting method.
• When installing outdoor metal doors with a thermal break, as well as doors without this function, it is better to choose a panel treated with a special protective varnish.

The Guardian catalog has many interesting options for decorative panels that have undergone weather-resistant treatment. For example:

• From ship plywood: Italy, Aquitaine.
• From MDF: Mistral, Premier, Provence – painted; Vega, Italy, Legend - veneered; Maya 02, Mistral – laminated.
• Made of plastic: Vega, 16 FP.
• From the array: Senator, Verona.

When choosing a polymer powder coating, pay attention to the information specified in the catalog. Not all options can be used for double painting. And 28 (light February) and 29 (red anthracite) are not used for street doors. Black and brown moire are not used for interior decoration. Silk coatings are not used for certain types of door blocks (DS 1, DS 6, DS 10).

What materials can you choose from?

The main entrance to the house attracts the most attention from the street. When it comes to choosing a material, you need to consider cost, functionality and visual appeal.

Plastic

The material of such structures is sheet plastic and PVC profile, with or without double glazing. The thermal insulation properties of double-glazed windows reduce heat loss. Street doors for a private home made of PVC have their advantages:

• relatively low cost and ease of installation;
• durability;
• sound insulation;
• no corrosion.

Cons: the structure can become deformed under prolonged exposure to the sun; When melted, toxic substances are released.

Aluminum

A popular option with many benefits:

• Resistance to environmental influences (higher than plastic and wood).
• Strong, durable, environmentally friendly, fit well into any interior.
• Soundproofing.
• Thermal insulation. This is achieved thanks to thermal break technology (a polyamide insert that separates the profile metal and eliminates the cold bridge).

The wooden model goes well with stained glass inserts Source hullcoexteriors.com

Tree

No matter what material appears in the home construction industry, there will always be consumers who choose classic natural wood models. The wooden entrance door to a private house is made either entirely from solid wood of different species (does not contain any additional elements), or from a combination of wooden boards and metal elements. Their advantages are:

• Attractive appearance and variety of models.
• Low thermal conductivity.

Some serious disadvantages prevent you from enjoying the classics:

• High price.
• Expensive maintenance - wood inevitably cracks and deforms, so it needs periodic treatment.
• Low security level (easy to hack).
• Low fire safety.

Using fiberglass Source pezcame.com

Fiberglass

Such designs, due to their high insulating properties, are among the most energy efficient doors on the market. The benefits don't stop there:

• Safety: they have the strength of steel structures, but without their tendency to corrosion.
• A variety of styles, the ability to imitate natural wood.
• Easy to care for and resistant to dents.

Metal (steel)

The most popular models, thanks to the many options, optimal price ratio and level of security provided. Besides this they:

• have excellent thermal insulation;
• fireproof;
• does not require maintenance (periodic lubrication of hinges and locks is carried out).

There are few disadvantages:

• possible corrosion in budget options;
• The canvas is susceptible to scratches and dents.

Finishing option for steel entrance doors Source erp-mta.ru
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in installing windows and doors

Features of the door leaf include:

• Thickness. Entrance doors for a private house are assembled from metal sheets 1.5-2 mm thick. If the value is larger, the door hinges need to be strengthened.
• Made from high quality steel. The design has stiffening ribs and protection of external hinges (anti-shear).
• Locks. Certified options are desirable. The locking area is reinforced with a metal plate or box.
• Noise and heat insulation. The space between the stiffeners is filled with non-flammable sealant - mineral wool or polyurethane foam.

Professional advice

Technologists strongly recommend not installing doors with untreated decorative panels:

• In areas where the air temperature may fall below 10 ºC degrees Celsius and rise above 60 ºC with a relative humidity above 60%.
• In places where the sun's rays fall freely.
• Near heat sources.

If you ignore the advice given, this is fraught with unpleasant consequences: the wood may dry out, the color may fade, the plastic will peel off, the film may swell. Take care of your metal insulated street entrance doors if you undertake repair and construction work that is accompanied by dust and increased humidity. Such a “shake-up” will not be useful even for the highest quality and most expensive product.

Safety

The main requirement for the entrance group is its safety. One of the components of this very security is a reliable, high-quality lock. Currently, two types of elements are in demand: cylinder and level. The latter are products with movable elements: crossbars that fix the canvas when closing. The likelihood of opening such a lock is reduced to zero. The likelihood is also reduced by the fact that the most vulnerable part of the lock - the shank - in structures of this type is made of hardened steel. It will take at least an hour and a half to open such a door, and the result will not always be positive.

The cylinder lock is so named because of the shape of the internal mechanism, which resembles a cylinder. To determine the reliability of such a lock, just look at the number of cutouts on the surface of the key: the more there are, the more reliable the design.

The best solution to completely secure your property from unauthorized access is to install two different locks: cylindrical and lever. As additional protection, latches, anti-removal pins and other elements can also be installed.

If the doors are without thermal break

If you do not plan to buy entrance doors with a thermal break, then take care of your own comfort and durability of the product in the following ways:

• Order door frame insulation.
• Avoid the door peephole. It would be better if the door was solid so as not to cause icing.
• To avoid freezing of the vertical crossbar rods to the box, choose locks without a vertical drive.
• Create a vestibule (it should be sealed and not heated).

How is installation done?

Whatever the street doors for a private house, the work proceeds according to the same plan:

• Dismantling the old structure (optional) and preparing (leveling) the opening.
• Checking the completeness and operation of the lock.
• Installation of the box (frame). The correct position (coincidence of the planes of the box and the opening) is checked with a building level.

The level checks vertical and horizontal planes Source bulgara-ny.com

From us - a guarantee, from you - implementation of recommendations

Over the many years of existence on the market, Guardian products have gained a solid reputation. Manufacturers are confident in the quality of the product, therefore they provide an official guarantee for purchased insulated entrance doors with a thermal break and other types of products. Basically, it ranges from one and a half to three years for the coating, up to five years for the metal structure of the door block, and from one to five years for locks, fittings and components.

Not only buyers, but also manufacturers are interested in ensuring that products serve for many years without complaints. But if the door damage occurred due to failure to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, the warranty will be void. In particular, claims will not be accepted if a steel door block was installed for use in the “building-street” mode without pre-treatment for weather resistance.

Selection of swing iron structures for a private country house

Sometimes external doors for a private house are designed in the form of hinged double-leaf models, which have their own advantages:

• the doors open easier due to the distribution of the load on the hinges;
• the design takes up less space when opening;
• the façade makes a solid impression.

Models are available with sashes of different widths or with symmetrical sashes, as well as with fixed side transoms, allowing you to narrow a large opening.

Double-leaf entrance doors for a country mansion Source genduk.hk.access.ly

Preparation for purchase: no spontaneous decisions

Guardian street entrance doors have prices that are suitable for buyers with different budgets: from economy to premium. In order to purchase exactly the product that suits your functional characteristics, you should clearly define the purchase criteria. Arm yourself with a pen and paper (or an electronic medium on which it is more convenient for you to take notes) and answer the following questions for yourself:

• What price for insulated street entrance doors is acceptable to you?
• Which option do you prefer: a door with a thermal break or another door, but with the creation of the conditions recommended by the manufacturer for its operation?
• Which decorative coating options presented in the Guardian catalog did you like? Decide on color and design solutions.
• Your requirements for burglary resistance. For example, if this is a door to an entrance, then it does not require such enhanced security measures as a door to a cottage. Or if your living space is provided with a reliable alarm system and is constantly guarded, the issue of protection against intrusion should also be approached carefully. In cases where ensuring burglary resistance is a pressing issue, the company has developed powerful protection systems.
• What additional options do you need? took care of creating additional options for street doors. These are reliable stainless steel thresholds, trims, extensions, drainage systems, closers. The installation of windows, shelves and transoms can add special charm and personality to the entrance doors.

Having answered these questions for yourself, you can safely dial the phone number of a dealer in your region and place an order. If at the time of the call you still have doubts, you can get qualified advice from a manager.

We will be glad if our advice will help you make a successful choice of a street door.

Color and style

The main thing you need to consider when going for a new door is the style of your interior and the architectural features of the building. It is difficult to imagine a high-tech front door in a classic mansion. Or in a Scandinavian interior, a baroque design.

Appearance is one of the most important criteria that guides us when choosing a particular model. The product must correspond to the chosen design direction, match the color of the exterior of the house, the decoration of walls, floors and ceilings, and be in harmony with window frames, baseboards, interior doors, and furniture.

Options with imitation wood patterns can be safely called universal, as they are appropriate in almost any style. The finish, made in light colors, is suitable for modern classics, minimalism, country, marine, Scandinavian, eco-style. Dark wood of noble shades will fit perfectly into the interiors of the Baroque or Rococo era. The effect of aged wood will emphasize the atmosphere of Provence.

Wood textures will not fit into anything other than high-tech. Painted products with glass and chrome inserts would be appropriate here. High-tech doors can be white, black, blue, red, glossy or with a metallic sheen.

In order for the doors to fit perfectly into the interior, it is enough that they match the color of the baseboards, trim or stairs. Platbands made in the same color as the furniture design will help to combine linens with cabinets of a different shade.

Door frame

The installation box has its own design features that should be taken into account when choosing an entrance door.

Fixing anti-removal bolts. To provide more reliable protection against burglary, special pins are provided when installing external hinges. They are attached to the side end of the canvas, and holes are made in the box. In this case, the burglar will not be able to open the door even if he manages to remove the hinges.

Seams and mounting points. The box is a completely closed circuit with one connecting weld, which is located in the area where the hinges are installed. In this case, the door frame must have at least 6 mounting points for fastening to the wall. Of these, 4 are on the hinge installation side and 2 are on the lock rail.

Contour and thickness of metal. A high-quality door frame is made from profiled metal with a wall thickness of 3-5 mm. Usually this is a steel profile pipe of square or rectangular cross-section.

Caring for wooden doors

If you properly care for your doors, they will last for decades.

• From time to time, doors need to be cleaned using special products. Regular powders are not suitable. You need to buy products suitable for wooden doors.
• If scratches appear, they need to be sanded. Then lubricate with special wax.
• It is recommended to clean hinge locks every two to three years.