Reliability and good thermal insulation are the two main requirements for communal entrance doors. A huge variety of such products only makes it difficult to choose. Someone falls for the “bait” of advertising, someone is tempted by discount prices or a beautiful appearance, and some simply succumb to the persuasion of cunning sellers.
But most often in this way people get only problems. If you cannot decide which entrance door is better to put into a private house from the street, we offer you the basic rules for choosing such structures.
In this material we will talk about metal and metal-plastic doors. The use of wooden doors as entrance doors is currently not advisable in terms of fire, strength and other characteristics. The main problems that the owner of a street front door can expect are condensation, ice, corrosion and a spoiled appearance. In this article, we will tell you how to solve all these problems.
Metal entrance doors
Most consumers prefer metal door structures, considering them to be stronger, more durable and reliable. But is it really so? What characteristics will indicate that this or that door is really made with high quality, will be able to protect the house and its inhabitants from uninvited guests, and will last for a long time? How to get rid of the problem of freezing metal doors? About all this in order.
Entrance door design
Consider the question of which entrance doors are best placed in a private house in terms of the reliability of their design. The strength of the door depends on two main factors - design features and manufacturing technology.
Preference should be given to entrance doors, for the manufacture of the leaf of which a steel sheet with a thickness of 1.2 to 2 mm is used. The thicker the steel, the stronger and more rigid the door.
- Stiffening rib
- From the inside, the structure is reinforced with metal stiffeners.
- There are different systems of stiffeners:
- longitudinal (only vertical elements are available),
- transverse (only horizontal),
- combined (there are vertical and horizontal ribs, there are even inclined ones).
Vertical stiffeners are designed to withstand torsional loads. They do not make it possible to bend the lower or upper corner of the door leaf.
Horizontal elements do not allow the canvas to be pressed through or squeezed out of the box.
But the best option is a combined system of stiffeners, because. it has the virtues of both types. You can see this system in the picture below.
Entrance doors can only have an outer metal leaf or be equipped with a sheet on the inside. The connection of structural elements is carried out by spot welding.
Armored doors can provide increased security. They are made using the same technology as safes. Concrete is poured inside the structure, making it bulletproof. Such doors are usually equipped with safe types of locks and have a number of security options. But this article is not about that.
Additional protection systems
In addition to the reliable design of the door and frame, reinforced hinges provide protection against burglary. There are various models of hinges: conventional, safe, ball or with support bearing. The last option is considered the most effective.
The number of hinges depends on the design of a particular door - its dimensions, metal thickness, type of exterior and interior finishes. Even if the door is not heavy, it must be equipped with at least three hinges, and it is better if they are not accessible from the outside.
Canopies on bearings
Metal entrance doors should also be equipped with powerful anti-removable pins (2-4 pcs.). They are located at the end of the door on the hinge side and are passive crossbars that fit into special holes in the door frame. The pins hold the door securely when it is in the closed position. Even if the attacker manages to cut off all the hinges and open the locks, he will not be able to open or remove it.
Exterior finish
Before choosing the front door to a private house, it is necessary, first of all, to take into account the architectural features of the entrance itself. In direct contact with the street (visors are not taken into account), the door lining must withstand not only significant temperature changes, but also the influence of precipitation, as well as UV rays.
So, for doors that are in contact with the street, it is strongly not recommended to use wood chipboard materials (chipboard, MDF, etc.), even if there is a PVC coating. They do not tolerate the influence of moisture, and under snow and rain will quickly become unusable.
Door locks
It is difficult to imagine a front door without two or three locks. It is these mechanisms that provide 60% of the protective functions of the structure. Therefore, when choosing a front door for a private house, it is necessary to pay special attention to the locks. Doors must be equipped with two different types of mortise locks at once, most often, lever and cylindrical.
But there are cruciform and disc locking devices. We will not discuss the topic of electronic locks, but will consider only mechanical options for locking mechanisms.
The most important element of any castle is the crossbar (in a simple way - the deadbolt). It is he who does not give the opportunity to open the closed door. For intruders, the deadbolt is the main barrier blocking unauthorized access to the home. High-quality and expensive mortise locks for entrance doors are equipped with crossbars made of hardened high-strength steel. Most often they have a cylindrical shape and can freely rotate around their axis, so it is not possible to cut them.
Accessories
Hinges, a lock and a handle are considered fittings. Doors are equipped with at least three anti-removable hinges that can withstand a large door weight (50-70 kg).
The standard kit includes one lock with a multi-point mechanism. Locks of this type, in addition to the main locking point (the place where the key is turned), actuate powerful crossbars made of high-strength steel located along the perimeter. These elements protect the door from burglary and ensure a tight fit of the sash to the frame. Optionally, the door can be equipped with an additional short lock (with one locking point).
It is also recommended to equip the door with a door closer so that the heavy sash does not shake the entire structure if it is closed carelessly.
Source: secure-house.co.uk
