Entrance doors: types and features, what to choose in the apartment

When choosing a door to the apartment are guided by many parameters. There are many of them, starting from the external aesthetic appearance, and ending with the thickness of the door leaf, on which depends on the safety of the apartment. However, in the choice of a natural obstacle to intruders there are many features that are important to consider. Type of insulation, fastening to the frame, lock - a lot of nuances. And after all, the entrance door is a whole system. If it is of poor quality, you can face serious costs in the future. In this article, let's understand the types and peculiarities of the choice of entrance doors.

Safety and reliability

The door should protect the occupants of the apartment from breaking and entering. Thick metal does not guarantee safety. If all the locks are opened in a matter of minutes, the door itself can easily be pulled out of the hinges and frame. The main feature when choosing a reliable entrance door is to pay attention to the following elements:

• Strong hinges (if the door is of great weight, it is necessary that the hinges can withstand them).
• Several locks of different types.
• The thickness of the metal in the frame.
• The door leaf itself.
• The attachment of the frame to the wall. The diameter and number of pins connecting the door frame to the wall affect whether the door will be easy to kick in.

Soundproofing and insulation

Steel is an excellent conductor of heat. Therefore, if the leaf without insulation in the apartment can become cold and noisy. As insulation, you can choose any suitable material:

• Mineral wool does not deteriorate from condensation and sudden temperature changes, resistant to chemical attack, not flammable. A great option, but expensive.
• Fiberglass is difficult to install.
• Styrofoam gives good thermal insulation and soundproofing, but it is combustible. It should not be allowed to mist up.
• Extruded polystyrene foam is expensive, not resistant to chemical attack.
• Penoplex is similar in properties to mineral wool, but inferior in fire resistance and chemical resistance.

Polyfoam and syntepon are often not suitable for the door to the apartment. For the desired effect, a layer of at least 10 cm is required. Paper and pressed cardboard is the cheapest option. These materials have a low weight. The disadvantage - low indicators for moisture resistance and fire resistance.

Types of doors by the thickness of the steel sheet:

• 0,8-1 mm. - not recommended for entrance doors.
• 1-2 mm. - more often used as internal doors in non-residential premises.
• 2-3 mm. - standard for apartment entrance doors.
• 4.0 mm. and thicker - option for country houses.

External and internal finishing

Exterior finish can be to any taste, but the most important property of the coating should be resistance to temperature fluctuations, humidity and direct sunlight. The design of the door should match the interior of the apartment. The most popular types of finishes for the front door are as follows:

• Powder coating is the most popular option. A special paint is applied to the surface of the door. Under the influence of temperature, a film with an anti-vandal effect is created. Inexpensive and gives good protection from weather excesses.
• Vinylskozha - imitation of natural leather. Inexpensive and relatively durable.
• Doors laminated with PVC-film. You can apply any pattern, imitate wood or leather. Cheap, but not durable.
• Wood is expensive, practical, durable and spectacular. In addition, wood is an additional heat insulator.
• Lacquer - simple and cheap way of finishing, but the effect is not long.
• Plastic panel - not durable and inexpensive. You can pick up to any taste, depending on preferences in the interior.

For reliable protection, the entrance door should have a leaf thickness of at least 70 mm. It is filled with quality fillers for heat and noise insulation. It is important that there are hinge plates and several door locks.