Entrance doors for apartments: types, what is better to choose

Entrance door protects the home from intruders, drafts and precipitation. Therefore, it must be reliable. Attractive design - an important factor, because the owners of the house or apartment see the front door several times a day. It should be liked. If its surface is easy to care for, it will be easier to keep clean. Determine a quality front door can be determined by several criteria.

Types of entrance doors

Mainly, entrance doors differ in design and type of material. These factors significantly affect the reliability and appearance of products. The main types of entrance doors by material:

• Metal entrance doors are the most durable, especially if the thickness of metal is not less than 1.5 mm. Between the sheets of metal laid insulation: foam rubber, mineral wool or polypropylene. Metal doors can be armored, shockproof and fireproof.
• Plastic entrance doors consist of a metal base covered by a polymer material on the same principle as plastic windows. They may have tempered glass inserts or combined with metal. Plastic doors are not very reliable. That is why they are installed in private houses, where there is a reliable fence and installed alarm system.
• Wooden doors made of solid wood look expensive, and cost the same. They are environmentally friendly. The leaf is varnished or painted. The sash is quite heavy, since the material weighs a lot.
• Doors made of metal frame and MDF boards covered with PVC-film are the best budget option. The metal base gives strength, the wood chip board insulates and insulates against sound, the PVC film or laminate creates a protective and decorative coating. Veneer may be used for finishing. However, these doors are installed only in apartment buildings or in private houses with a veranda. The material can deteriorate from excess moisture.

By design, entrance doors can be multi-layered. Several stiffeners and layers of insulating materials are placed between sheets of metal or MDF boards. Such products are durable, protect against drafts and noise.

How to choose entrance doors

Pay attention to such characteristics:

• The width of the box should correspond to the thickness of the wall, then the installation will be easier.
• Before buying carefully measure the parameters of the opening in the wall, so that the door was suitable in height.
• The thickness of the leaf from 60 to 90 millimeters gives high strength and insulation against noise.
• The strongest door leaves have four stiffening ribs. Two are arranged vertically and two horizontally.
• The lock must be of good quality, with locking mechanisms not only in the center of the leaf, but also at the bottom and top. It is desirable that there are two separately located locks.
• The hinges should have a smooth quiet running, without creaks. Hinges concealed mounting increases security, as intruders will not be able to cut them.

The design of entrance doors can be the same on both sides or differ inside and outside. The coating must be combined with the facade of the building and with the interior decoration. Smooth surface without roughness is easier to clean. Wooden and veneered doors require special care. A wide range of entrance doors of different construction and design is available in stores.