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.

Care and maintenance

Every front door needs proper maintenance and care, even if minimal. In the case of structures made of glass and metal-plastic, the only thing you should take care of is keeping them clean. Products made of wood and metal, experiencing the negative influence of weather conditions, require much more attention. Their durability, appearance, technical characteristics and service life directly depend on this:

1. Metal doors, due to the strength of the material, do not require close attention. Its main enemy is moisture, which provokes corrosion. To protect the structure from direct contact with snow and rain, it would be a good idea to install a canopy. This relates more to preventive measures, but thereby reduces subsequent maintenance to a minimum. When cleaning from pollutants, use special products without aggressive substances that can harm the surface. Do not use hard scrapers.
2. Wooden doors are especially in need of care - the material is short-lived and susceptible to the harmful influence of negative climatic conditions, especially in regions close to Siberia and Scandinavia. The main condition in this is not to violate the integrity of the varnish coating that protects the tree, if it is not massive, but made of timber. In case of mechanical damage, polishes are used to fill the smallest cracks and protect against moisture penetration into the structure. Treatment is carried out at least 2 times a year. When cleaning, use products for varnished products.

Attention should be paid to the composition of detergents. It is important that it does not contain acidic or alkaline components that can damage both the coating and the wood.

When choosing an entrance door, you need to pay attention to all characteristics. You should not respond to tempting offers from intruding sellers - promotions, discounts, sales. All this is a clever marketing ploy, the purpose of which is to sell low-quality products, made from cheap materials, with violations and flaws in the design that were not visible from the beginning. By purchasing certified products, you can be sure that they will last for many decades, maintaining the same characteristics.

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.

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. The best option is 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.

A more detailed article about choosing a lock for the front door.

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.

Installation Features

Manufacturers of entrance doors in Russia, whose rating is at the top of the list, have a developed service network. Therefore, it is better to entrust the complex procedures of installing a heavy steel structure to real professionals. Nevertheless, it would be useful for the consumer to know the basic methods used for their installation. These are primarily 4 main methods:

• Anchor.

For fixation, steel anchor dowels with a length of at least 12-15 cm are used. In this case, each side of the box is attached to at least 4 such elements. The method is simple and quick, but is used only in dense material for relatively light structures - up to 100 kg.

• Reinforcing pin.

For fastening, reinforcement pins with a diameter of 12 mm and a length of up to 20 cm are used. Each post of the box is attached to 4-5 such pins and then welded. The method is suitable for thick walls made of foam or aerated concrete.

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.

By style

Previously, doors were used exclusively to protect the house from the entry of strangers. Today, such products are an integral element of the exterior of the house. They can say a lot about its owner. Therefore, when choosing, it is worth considering the design of the door leaf.

Modern doors

In order for the door to become a real color of the house, it is best to opt for modern designs. They are made from various materials and have certain design features.

In a private home you can use the following products:

• Modern combined doors. Several materials are used to make the canvas. A composition made of metal and glass would be a good option - such doors look very modern and elegant.

• Hinged doors. The canvas is mounted on hinges. Despite the heavy weight, the door easily rotates into the desired position.

• With additional sash. For creative people, the best option would be to install an additional decorative sash.

• Doors with glass inserts. Using glass, you can dilute the monotony of the canvas and make it more attractive and solid. Inserts can have different shapes, sizes and placement methods. There is no need to worry about the reliability of such a door, since it uses tempered and high-strength glass that can withstand various loads.

Article on the topic: ?Comparison of manufacturers of interior doors [Choosing the best?]

In fact, there are a lot of door design options. Therefore, everyone can find an option that suits this or that style.

Presence of stiffening ribs

The second important parameter that ensures geometric immutability and burglary resistance is the number and location of stiffeners - additional rod steel parts that are welded inside the frame frame. There are 3 main types of door leaves based on the location of these elements:

• Without stiffeners.
• With ribs in the transverse direction - as a rule, according to the height of a standard door with dimensions of 900 x 2000 mm, 2 to 3 ribs are installed.
• With ribs in the longitudinal and transverse directions - mutually perpendicular profiles guarantee absolute rigidity of the door leaf and increased resistance to any mechanical influences.

Stiffening ribs on the frame

According to the cross-sectional shape of the linear element, there are 2 categories of stiffeners:

• Products made from hot-rolled angle, square or rectangular pipes. It is considered the best option for the combination of performance properties and low cost.

Rectangular tube frame

• Made from a cold-formed profile that has not been subjected to heat treatment, which significantly increases bending strength and also reduces the ultimate flexibility of the product.

Cold formed frame

Consumers should remember that all hot-rolled products have increased dead weight, which makes the door difficult to operate.

Briefly about the main thing

Taking into account the following number of factors allows you to accurately understand how to choose a metal entrance door:

• Purpose.
• Installation location.
• Durability level.
• Reliability of fittings.
• Assembled weight.
• Finishing and decoration.
• Fire safety.
• Heat and sound insulation.
• Sealing contour.

When choosing, it is also necessary to evaluate the main technical characteristics - the thickness of the sheet material and the number of its layers, the structure of the sheet and the presence of stiffeners, the type of hinges and locking mechanisms used, the parameters of internal and external finishing, as well as the quality of seals and insulation. Doors are installed in various ways depending on the installation location and wall material, but must be carried out by qualified specialists.

Ratings 0

Read later

No. 3. Number of stiffeners

Between the outer steel sheet and the inner panel, no matter what it is made of, there must be stiffening ribs that are necessary to achieve maximum strength and resistance to mechanical stress. Stiffening ribs can be located vertically, horizontally or diagonally : it is important that they are located evenly throughout the entire structure, which determines its burglar-resistant qualities.

The minimum set of stiffeners is two vertical and one horizontal . It is better if there are more of them, but without going overboard, because they significantly increase the weight of the entire structure.

Stiffeners can be produced:

• made from an ordinary corner and a rectangular pipe - this is a classic and very reliable option, the main disadvantage of which is its high weight;
• from rolled products with a complex profile. It has much less weight, but due to its complex profile it is difficult to bend, so its strength is high.

Type of external finishing of the canvas

The outer side of the door structure is the calling card of the living space, which obliges the owners to think about decorating this surface. Among the most popular methods of finishing the front side of the front door are the following types of materials:

• Hammer paint. The simplest and cheapest finishing option is that the paint and varnish composition is applied directly to the degreased metal surface, reliably protecting it from corrosion.

Hammer painting

• Natural wood. This type of finishing is usually used in business-class apartments or in private residential buildings. The materials used are carefully prepared panels made of valuable wood, which are fixed to the metal with hidden fasteners.

Refers to goods of a higher price category. To protect the wood from rotting and loss of its original appearance under the influence of an aggressive environment, the material is coated with several layers of varnish, and, if necessary, a pigment composition is applied to the front surface.

Natural wood finishing

• MDF panel. Unlike the inside, on the front surface of the door, this material can only be used when installing the product in an apartment. The structure of the panel absorbs moisture, which leads to its destruction when installed outdoors. As a rule, the panel has a machined surface, imitates panels, and is also covered with a high-strength colored laminated film.

MDF panel from the front side

• Lamination. Polymer flexible films with a matte or glossy tint are widely used when finishing doors in economy class apartments. The material can be equipped with a self-adhesive surface and can be installed with your own hands. However. in most cases, lamination is fixed under the influence of elevated temperature, in factory conditions.

Lamination on the door surface

• Powder polymer coating. It is applied to a prepared metal surface using a spray gun, since the molecules of the dry substance have magnetic properties.

After application, the product is placed on hangers in a thermal chamber, where the powder melts and sinteres at a temperature ranging from 180 to 200 oC for 20 to 40 minutes. The coating is characterized by a uniform layer, an attractive semi-gloss shine, as well as increased wear resistance and mechanical strength.

Powder coating

• Leatherette upholstery. This finishing option has been known to many consumers since Soviet times - batting is glued to a metal sheet, which is covered with leatherette. After fixing the material, its surface is tightened using nails and wire.

Leatherette screed

• Carriage tie. This finish is a premium type of upholstery. For the screed, natural leatherette or high-quality leatherette is used. The stitching of the canvas is carried out in the factory, the product looks more voluminous and noble compared to the classic leatherette finish.

Carriage tie

Products such as carriage screed or upholstery contain internal filler, which helps to increase thermal insulation properties and absorb vibrations.