When decorating a home, most owners focus mainly on design, functionality, the cost of furniture, household appliances, finishing materials, and the like. Everyone has their own taste, and unequivocal recommendations are hardly appropriate here. But if the question is how to choose the front door to the apartment, then other criteria come to the fore. And the advice of a professional in this case will not be superfluous.

The circle of search for the optimal model will be sharply limited if we take into account an important detail. The door purchased for installation at the entrance to a private house or apartment should not only be beautiful and comfortable. Its main function is to ensure maximum protection of the opening from any attempt of unauthorized entry into the home. Therefore, when evaluating how a product is of high quality, first of all, it is necessary to take into account its reliability. In this regard, there is no worthy alternative to metal structures.

Features of choice

When determining for themselves which metal door is better, not everyone takes into account a number of specific factors that are far from being of secondary importance. Bust, unjustified excesses in any business will not lead to anything good. The same applies to the arrangement of the entrance to the dwelling. Professionals recommend analyzing the following points:

• passport data of the sample in the "technical characteristics" section. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the protection class. If it is below 3, then such a door is unlikely to be classified as “reliable”;
• design features of the model;
• the number and type of locking devices with which the product is completed.

Choosing an entrance door, paying attention only to its massiveness and external design, means making a big mistake. In terms of security, such a model may not meet the basic requirements for a frame or canvas. In addition, excess weight, often unjustified, will lead to an increase in the inertia of opening / closing the sash, increased wear of the door hinges, frame deformation and jamming of the crossbars. And it’s not worth talking about the convenience of using such a design, especially if there are small children, elderly people or people with disabilities among the household.

What should be considered when choosing

Metal

The quality of the entrance door not least depends on the type of sheet steel.

• Hot rolled. By its shade (such a metal is darker), it will not be possible to identify it, since the sample has a decorative design. But the passport will tell you a lot. If it indicates that the material complies with GOST No. 19903, then this is hot-rolled steel. It costs less, but a number of significant disadvantages do not always justify the savings. Considering the question of how to choose a metal door, experts warn: this alloy is more susceptible to corrosion. If such a model is suitable for an apartment, then it is better not to purchase it for installation at the entrance to a private house. The design, taking into account the influence of atmospheric factors, most likely will not last the period declared by the manufacturer.

• Cold rolled steel. This material complies with the requirements of GOST No. 19904. This alloy is more expensive, but has an undeniable advantage - resistance to moisture. For a private house - the best option for the front door.

Studying the features of the metal, you need to pay attention to its characteristics regarding the percentage of alloy components. It is optimal if the carbon in it is not more than 0.6%, and alloying additives - up to 11. Such a door is sufficiently strong, without increased ductility. Therefore, it is quite resistant to mechanical stress.

Box

It can be made of bent sheet iron, angle or profiled pipe. The latter option is preferable, since such structures are less susceptible to bending or twisting deformation (item 1).

If we evaluate the strength of the block, then in the first place is a frame with one weld. When choosing an entrance metal door, professionals advise paying attention to this. If there are 4 joints (at the corners of the frame), then such a product in terms of strength has average characteristics. Among cheap models, there are often samples whose blocks have 6 or 8 welded sections.

As a rule, their side racks are made of separate parts. These doors are considered less reliable, and are only suitable for an apartment in the entrance of a high-rise building. Moreover, the safety of the home is guaranteed if another (internal, wooden, durable) structure is installed at the entrance. Only in this case the savings can be justified.

• An important role in ensuring security is given to platbands and vestibules. At a high-quality door, they are necessarily metal, therefore, they make it as difficult as possible to access the hinges and other critical sections of the structure.
• It is better not to install cheap U-shaped boxes at the entrance. The absence of a metal nut is evidence of the insufficient reliability of the model.

canvas

• steel thickness. This characteristic (in mm) is also reflected in the passport for the product. It varies between 0.8 - 4. When deciding how to choose a metal front door, you need to know that an acceptable sheet thickness for an apartment is 2 - 2.5. If it is less, then such designs are suitable for utility buildings or office buildings. More - for country houses, where the increased strength of the canvas is one of the main selection criteria.

• Stiffening rib. On the one hand, the more of them, the stronger the structure. But at the same time, its weight also increases. And this not only complicates installation, but also leads to a decrease in the life of the product. Professionals pay attention that the minimum number of ribs that ensure the reliability of the front door is as follows: vertical - 2, horizontal - 1. For an apartment, this is considered sufficient.

There are different designs of ribs. The best option is long products with a complex configuration. In terms of strength, it is no worse than a profiled pipe or corner, but it weighs much less and does not weigh down the front door.

• The number of sheets of metal. First of all, this applies to their fastening from the outside of the frame and the inside. In some models, the latter may be absent, and the underside of such a door is a material that fills the inside of the sash. Options - solid wood (boards), chipboard, MDF. This design feature does not greatly affect the correct choice of the entrance door to the apartment, but if we are talking about installing it in a private house, you should pay attention.

The absence of metal from the back side of the web leads to a decrease in its ability to withstand the influence of atmospheric factors. Here it is also important how the filling material is finished. Lamination is more reliable, but a film or a layer of paint is unlikely to ensure the long-term preservation of a tree or a product based on it. Samples in a combination of metal (outside) + slabs (on the back) are only suitable for apartments with a vestibule at the entrance.

An entrance door is considered to be of high quality, the front side of which is a solid metal sheet. If it is from separate fragments of metal, fastened by welding, the reliability of the web is sharply reduced.

• Internal filling. It largely solves the problem with sound insulation, and also regulates the level of heat loss. Expanded polystyrene or mineral wool is laid in the doors for apartments. But in any case, the presence of seals is mandatory. They level possible drafts in the opening area and provide additional warming of the apartment. The best option for RTI is in the form of a tube; profiled tape wears out faster.

It is not difficult to check the quality of the insulation: just lightly tap on the canvas. If it is high, then the sound will be muffled. Otherwise, either the insulation is absent, or it is of generally unknown origin. This is typical for "made in China" models.

hinge type

• Hidden. It's impossible to cut them. And this is known to those who are trying to get into the apartment. And therefore the very desire to do this involuntarily disappears.

• Mounted. This is the traditional execution of loops. Their replacement (if necessary) is easier, and they are cheaper than hidden analogues. But if we are talking about a door at the entrance, then such canopies provide reliable protection for the opening if the design of the model has anti-removable crossbars. Without them, such loops are ineffective in terms of security.

Number of loops

Two pieces for a web of standard weight (70 kg) are enough. If the door weighs more, then at least three. Moreover, it is desirable that in the design of the loops there are support bearings. This significantly increases the resource of canopies.

Locks

One on the front door is clearly not enough; two is optimal. But there are a number of nuances that should be taken into account.

• Any lock can be opened; it's just a matter of time. But if the door for the apartment is selected on the basis that the locking devices are of different types, then this will greatly complicate the work of the attacker. One master key will not open all the locks.

• Too original configuration of the working part of the key is a guarantee that it will take more time to select the appropriate device. But not everyone takes into account the reverse side of this issue; if it is lost by one of the family members, it is extremely difficult to make a duplicate even according to the existing sample. Not every master will undertake this, and it will cost a lot. Most likely, the lock on the front door will have to be changed.

• At least one of the locking devices must be equipped with crossbars. Moreover, with the fixation of the canvas at several points and in different directions, and not only at the place where the lock fits to the block.

Knowing the main criteria for choosing a door at the entrance to your house or apartment will help you not to make a mistake with the purchase. It remains only to add that it is necessary to pay attention to the type of outer coating of the canvas. Unfortunately, in our porches there are still lovers of leaving their autographs or “wishes to humanity” on anything, including doors. Optimally, if the sash and the box are made in an anti-vandal version. Then you don’t have to constantly think about how to mask the scratches or small dents that have appeared.

The theater begins with a hanger, and the house begins with the front door. The TAM.BY team launches a new special project "Door reception". In it, we will tell you how entrance doors are made, tell you which models are highly durable and reliable, and explain how to properly care for one or another of their types.

Let's start by figuring out how to choose a quality front door. Alexander Petrovich, Deputy Development Director of the Steel Line company, the No. 1 manufacturer of entrance metal doors*, helped us with this.

The first factor to consider when choosing an entrance structure is where it will be installed. Doors for an apartment and a house differ significantly in technical characteristics. They have different requirements and are produced using different technologies.

How to choose an entrance door for an apartment?

A high-quality apartment door should have the following characteristics:

— reliable sound insulation: you should not hear how the elevator opens or the neighbors in the entrance are talking;

— burglary resistance: the door must be strong so that it cannot be opened;

— tightness: a tightly closing door will protect you from a cold draft, as well as smells from the entrance;

— durability: it is important that the locks work properly, the coating of the handles is not erased, the finish is not damaged, and that the door closes softly and quietly all the time you use it;

— modern design: the front door is one of the elements of the interior, so it should be in harmony with the decoration, furniture, interior doors.

Each of these parameters is influenced by various factors that must be considered when choosing an entrance door.

Noise isolation

The sound insulation index for an apartment door must be at least 32 dB. This indicator is influenced by the thickness of the MDF panels, the number of sealing contours, the accuracy of the construction and the type of filler.

Metal transmits sounds much better than MDF. Therefore, panels should be installed on both sides of the door. The minimum thickness of MDF, which will provide good sound insulation, is 10 mm. But 16 mm thick panels cope even better with this task.

The more sealing contours on the inlet structure, the more reliably it protects against extraneous sounds. A quality door should have at least two of them. But even ten sealing circuits will not provide proper sound insulation if there are gaps between the door leaf and the frame. Therefore, be sure to pay attention to the accuracy of the manufacture of the structure.

As for the filler, the best option is mineral wool. Its thickness must be at least 50 mm. It is necessary to remember one feature of this material: from vibration, mineral wool settles over time and lets noise through. To avoid this, the filler must be fixed along the entire height of the door leaf.

Burglary resistance

Burglary resistance determines the reliability of the input structure. It is influenced by various characteristics of the door leaf, box, locks.

The first step is to evaluate the thickness of the steel: the optimal indicator ranges from 1.0-1.5 mm. Structures assembled using the spot welding method are stronger than those made using manual arc welding. The seams in the latter are fragile and over time the door can be deformed. But the most reliable structures are made using bending technology. This means that the canvas and the box are made from a single sheet of steel, bending it using high-precision equipment. The more bends, the stronger the geometry of the structure. The principle of automobile crash tests applies here: the more stiffening ribs a car body has, the more reliable it is.

Resistance to burglary also depends on the accuracy of manufacturing the input structure. If there are gaps in it, the attacker will be able to get to the edge of the canvas with a crowbar and bend it.

It is important that the door is equipped with anti-cuts and steel plates in the lock area. You also need a mortise armor plate for a cylinder lock. Unlike the consignment note, the mortise armor plate is installed in the body of the lock, so it cannot be knocked down.

Also pay attention to the burglary resistance class of locks: it must be at least the third. Locks of the fourth class are even more reliable. Products of Russian, Turkish and Italian production have proven themselves best. It is worth buying locks from trusted brands that have been on the market for a long time.

tightness

If the door is sealed, it will reliably protect against drafts and odors from the entrance. The manufacturing accuracy of the input structure largely determines its tightness: the smaller the gaps, the better. You also need a durable seal that does not wrinkle over time and does not require complex maintenance.

Pay attention to the tightness of the door leaf to the box. It is best to purchase designs with a porch regulator. Thanks to him, you can adjust the tightness of the door leaf and be sure that the door closes hermetically during the entire period of operation.

It is important that there is an overlay with spring-loaded curtains on the lever lock. When closed, they close the hole for the lock and do not let air out of the entrance, which cannot be said about curtains without springs.

Durability

The service life of the input structure largely depends on the quality of the loops. If something has happened to the locks or the handle, they are easy to replace. But if the hinges fail, you will have to buy a new door.

In order for the hinges to serve as long as possible, they need to be periodically lubricated. It is inconvenient to remove a heavy door leaf every time, so it is better if special holes for lubrication are provided on the hinges.

The design of the loops is also important. Over time, the house shrinks, which can change the geometry of the opening. In this case, the hinges on the support bearing work unevenly and quickly grind off. Hinges with a steel sphere at the base are considered much more reliable. They self-center and continue to work evenly in any position.

The door to the apartment should not rust. A high quality polymer coating is responsible for this. Before buying, pay attention to whether there are inclusions, hairs, crumbs and other changes on the surface. If you find them, you have a short-lived coating in front of you. Most likely, the door was painted by hand in violation of technology. The first signs of rust will appear on the canvas within a year.

How to choose the front door for the house?

The door of the house, unlike the apartment door, goes directly to the street, and not to the entrance. Therefore, the entrance structure must provide good thermal insulation. It should not freeze and pass cold air even at very low temperatures.

Another important characteristic is weather resistance. The door of the house is operated in different climatic conditions: it is affected by the sun's rays, frost, rain and snow. Therefore, the entrance structure must be made of weather-resistant materials.

steel door

The main advantage of a steel door is a high level of burglary resistance. Other characteristics vary depending on the quality of the input structure.

When choosing a steel door for your home, pay attention to the sealing system. Mineral wool is not suitable for outdoor structures, as it absorbs moisture and loses its heat-shielding properties. It is important that the door has a thermal break: this will protect it from freezing.

Before buying a door, check with the seller if there is a layer of insulation between the stiffeners of the door leaf and the interior trim. If it is not there, then the canvas will freeze through the ribs. Frost forms in places where the metal parts protruding into the house (they are called moldings) are in contact with the outer sheet of steel.

Remember that no matter how good a door is in terms of thermal insulation, it will not perform its function if it is not installed correctly. For any outdoor structure, "warm installation" must be carried out.

In order for the door not to rust at high humidity outside, it must undergo a special anti-corrosion treatment. The threshold and joints of the box elements are considered the most vulnerable zones: it is in them that corrosion begins. The first rusty smudges can be seen already six months or a year after the installation of the door.

Choose doors whose vulnerable parts are treated with a zinc-containing solution. Even more reliable designs are made of galvanized or stainless steel. They are not afraid of atmospheric influences.

Door panels should be made of heat and moisture resistant MDF. This coating has a greenish tint. It is treated with a special composition and resistant to moisture.

aluminum doors

Photo stroy-podskazka.ru

Aluminum doors and galvanized steel doors are durable and strong options for home and office. Such structures are not afraid of changes in temperature and humidity, are fireproof, are not subject to corrosion and distortions, and provide a high level of sound insulation. Also, aluminum doors retain heat well, but they must have a thermal break.

The advantages of aluminum door structures include the fact that they do not require complex maintenance. It is enough to lubricate locks, hinges and other moving parts with machine oil or grease once every six months.

Aluminum entrance doors have only one significant drawback - their high cost. In addition, they are inferior to steel structures in terms of burglary resistance.

PVC doors

Photo sp-kazan.com

Plastic entrance structures are rarely installed in residential buildings. They are more suitable for office and industrial premises. Nevertheless, PVC entrance structures provide good heat and sound insulation. In addition, they are resistant to any weather conditions.

Plastic doors are characterized by low burglary resistance, so it is not recommended to install them in the house. In addition, a small variety of finishes is unlikely to allow you to choose an option that fits perfectly into the interior.

Wooden doors

Photo md-experiment.org

Entrance doors made of natural wood are suitable for those who love classics and elegance. But this is far from the most practical option for the home.

Wooden doors are environmentally friendly and beautiful. In addition, unlike metal, wood is not afraid of corrosion. However, natural wood doors have a number of disadvantages. They have poor fire resistance properties. But the problem can be solved by processing the door leaf with special tools. Another disadvantage of wooden doors is instability to external influences.

Due to fluctuations in humidity and temperature, the door leaf may swell or, conversely, shrink. And this means that the structure will not close well. In addition, temperature and humidity affect the coating of a wooden door: it can crack and wear out. If these defects are not eliminated in time, moisture can get on the wooden sheet and cause it to rot.

Competent care of a wooden door will help to avoid many problems. Remember that wooden doors do not tolerate changes in temperature and humidity, so you should not put heaters, humidifiers, air conditioners next to them.

If the coating of a wooden door is severely worn or scratched, it should be completely renewed. But it is better to entrust this work to professionals.

“Steel Line” has been making entrance doors for more than 20 years. We are known at 14 corners of the world. We control the high quality of our dzvyarey and with soul we put ourselves and the skin at the stage of creation. We commend our buyers for the title of the No. 1 gatekeepers of metal gates in Belarus*.

*on the contest "Choice of the Year"

The nuances of choosing an entrance door: choose, but check

Any dwelling begins with the entrance, so the appearance and reliability of the front door immediately set the general tone and can tell a lot about the owners. When choosing a door, everyone wants to solve two, at first glance, opposite tasks: to attract respectful glances from neighbors and to frighten intruders. And it is quite possible!

Our landmarks in the real sea of ​​entrance doors that the modern market offers will be the words "reliability" and "relevance": in addition to the quality of construction and finish, it is important that the chosen door meets the conditions of its operation.

Differences of entrance doors: not a single cladding

Let's forget about the design of the door for a moment and consider the problem based on the functional and technical characteristics of the product.

To choose the right door, you need to know what is hidden under the facing panels and other finishes. So, the entrance doors are different:

• By material. The most traditional are wooden doors. Currently, they are purchased either as a temporary or country option if they are made of ordinary wood species, or for premium private houses - if we are talking about solid wood of noble species. Wooden doors have been preserved in many apartments in old houses, but at the first opportunity they are now trying to replace them with metal ones, which are the undoubted leaders in the entrance door market. There are also impact-resistant plastic entrance doors reinforced with metal inserts. It makes sense to install them in protected areas, where the probability of intruders appearing is quite low, or in houses with common sections for two or three apartments. Then a metal door is placed in the vestibule, and a plastic one can be installed in the apartment. Safety glass doors are typically installed at the entrance to a secure residential or commercial building.

Among wooden doors, oak is considered to be the strongest and most durable. However, the longevity record belongs to doors made of sycamore (German maple), found during excavations in Switzerland - they are more than five thousand years old, but they are perfectly preserved.

• By appointment. First of all, it is worth distinguishing between temporary and permanent doors. If you are building or renovating, it makes sense to put a wooden or thin metal door until you get around to installing a permanent one. The latter must withstand external shock loads, be non-combustible, and reliably provide heat and sound insulation. Depending on the specifics of the building or premises, one of these qualities may be more important than others. In accordance with the functional features, shockproof, armored, soundproof, fire (technical) entrance doors are distinguished. By appointment, entrance doors can be for residential or commercial premises, external (at the entrance to the building) or internal (at the entrance to individual apartments, offices, floors, vestibules).
• Opening method. Basically, hinged doors are used at the entrance to a building, apartment or office, but sometimes you can also see sliding doors - as a rule, these are glass entrance doors to office and shopping centers. According to the location of the hinges, the doors are divided into left-handed and right-handed, into rooms that open inside or outside.
• By the number of leaves. The most common are single-leaf doors, but sometimes the geometry of the doorway involves the installation of double-leaf or semi-leaf doors. A half-leaf door consists of an ordinary single-leaf door and a fixed narrow part that fills the remainder of the doorway. Such doors can be seen at the entrances to the entrances and in the vestibules of residential buildings.
• The shape of the opening. Standard doors have a rectangular shape, there are also arched ones - with a semicircular extension upwards. This is a matter of purely aesthetic preferences and design: sometimes a rectangular opening is increased to an arched one, and sometimes vice versa - an arched one is aligned to a rectangular one.
• According to the degree of resistance to opening. For residential premises, doors of 1-4 classes of burglar resistance are used, and there are 13 of them in total. The higher the burglary resistance class, the more expensive the door, so when choosing it is worth observing a reasonable measure. Doors, starting from the 5th class of resistance to breaking, are installed in special rooms, for example, in bank vaults.

The established stereotypes about the unequivocal superiority of European-made doors over Russian and Chinese ones should be taken critically. The fact is that the products of each country have their own strengths and weaknesses. So, European doors are prestigious and technologically advanced, Russian doors are optimal in terms of price-quality ratio, Chinese doors are ideal for temporary use or summer cottages.

For houses and apartments, swing single-leaf metal entrance doors are currently predominantly chosen. Let's take a closer look at the features of their design.

The main structural elements of the front door

The reliability of the entrance metal door depends on the characteristics of the door frame and leaf, hinges, locks and fittings.

door frame

This is a frame made of metal profile, which is installed in the doorway. It is on it that the door hinges are attached, and on them, in turn, the door leaf is hung. The door frame carries a large load, so the thickness of the steel in its metal profile is greater than in the frame of the door leaf. In modern models of door frames, a protected cavity is often made for the tongues of the lock and anti-burglary pins, crossbars, which complicate the opening of the door, even if part of the wall has been knocked out by intruders.

Door leaf

• Steel cladding and stiffeners. The door leaf consists of a metal frame reinforced with stiffeners and lined with steel sheets. Inexpensive Chinese doors, which are often set as temporary, are a frame made of a corner and metal sheets up to 1.2 mm thick. A reliable steel door is made of a stamped or rolled profile, the thickness of its skin is from 1.2 mm. European technologies involve the manufacture of doors from thinner steel sheets than Russian ones.
• Filler. A hollow steel door easily conducts sounds and does not protect from the cold, so the space between the steel sheets is filled with mineral wool, polystyrene foam, rigid polyurethane, non-combustible mineral wool board.

accessories

• Loops. Ideally, they should not only support the weight of the door, but also be adjustable so that the structure does not warp. The most reliable, but also the most expensive - hidden adjustable hinges made of steel. They differ from traditional loops in that they are almost impossible to cut. One such hinge costs an average of 2,000 rubles or more, which is an order of magnitude higher than the cost of a conventional door hinge. Mounting hinges with adjustment will also be more expensive. However, the reliability and smooth running of the door when opening and closing are sufficient arguments in favor of hidden hinges for many.
• Doorhandle. It must be durable and combined with the fittings as a whole. For example, if you are installing brass hinges, it would be logical to choose a handle from the same material.
• Peephole. It can be cut into the door to the height you specify or be installed immediately at the standard level. The viewing angle is typically 180°. Keep in mind that the peephole should be selected not only for the appearance, but also for the thickness of the door.

Locks

A pair of locking mechanisms - lever and cylinder - has already become a classic of protecting the door from burglary. It is important that all family members feel comfortable using both locks. Everyone is familiar with the situation when only one of the two locks is used in practice, since the second turned out to be inconvenient.

Manganese armor plates can be additionally placed on the door in the area of ​​the locking mechanisms so that the lock cannot be drilled out or knocked out. On door structures of the 2nd-3rd classes of burglary resistance, such overlays are installed by default.

When choosing locks and accessories for a door, be guided by the principle of price matching: it makes no sense to hang a cheap door on expensive hinges and vice versa. An expensive lock on a door made of thin steel can easily be cut out by intruders, and a cheap one can be opened with any thickness of steel. Such discrepancies are sometimes involuntarily evident.

How to choose an entrance door?

First of all, it is necessary to build on the conditions in which the door will be operated. If you live in an apartment without a vestibule, and access to the entrance is not limited, you will need a powerful steel door with anti-removable hinges. The same can be said about the door to the entrance itself. Finishing the door to the apartment in this case is secondary - as a rule, they are limited to powder (hammer) enamel. You can make a choice in favor of inexpensive leatherette upholstery. However, such a coating is not very aesthetically pleasing and is not protected from vandalism. The presence of a tambour door somewhat expands the choice of possible decorative finishes, and also allows homeowners to pay more attention to door soundproofing, handle design and other properties.

Paint is an inexpensive quality coating of steel doors that many people find boring. However, steel cladding can be made with decorative reliefs, it does not have to look like a smooth sheet. Powder paint is sometimes called hammer enamel. It is baked after application in special industrial chambers, forming a relief. A variety of textures will help you choose a budget door to your liking. In addition, powder enamel is almost not subject to mechanical and chemical damage.

For a summer residence, an inexpensive wooden or metal door without decor is suitable. In this case, you should be guided by common sense so as not to get into a ridiculous situation when the door becomes the main object of intruders. If your dacha or private house is located in a gated community, you can pay more attention to the decor when choosing a door. In prestigious cottage settlements with professional security, the front door often performs exclusively aesthetic and heat-insulating functions, which means that it must be chosen based on these characteristics.

How much will you have to pay for the door, its delivery and installation? Prices for the same doors from different sellers can vary by one and a half to two times, and the low price of the door itself can be offset by an inflated price of delivery and installation. Do not forget to check and compare all the conditions for buying a door, ask for reviews about the manufacturer and the seller.

Choosing a new metal door is not an easy task. Now there are a huge number of companies on the market that produce doors, various types of locks, etc. In order to choose the right door, we will determine what criteria it must meet and what to look for when choosing.

Criteria for choosing a metal door

• protection functions - the door must resist not only the "smart" breaking of cunning thieves (which is achieved by the complexity of the locks), but also brute physical force (the door design must be strong and reliable);
• service life - the longer the better. Manufacturers provide warranties for their products. Unfortunately, some doors only have a 1-year warranty.
• the quality of filling the door - such important points as heat and noise insulation depend on this indicator;
• appearance - in this matter you are limited only by your imagination, but still you should pay attention to the fact that the door does not creak, does not knock and is made of non-toxic materials.

Doors of which manufacturing country to choose?

When choosing a door, the first question often arises is the choice of the manufacturing country. At the moment, we can choose from products made in Russia, China and European countries. Of course, everywhere there are both pluses and minuses. Doors made in China are cheap, but their protective function leaves much to be desired - they can be put in place of some wooden, but not iron, door. Doors of European manufacturers are somewhat more expensive than domestic ones. They also have certain sizes that do not always fit our openings. And if you want to put such a metal door not in an apartment, but in your house, then it is worth considering that the climate of our country and the country of origin can differ significantly. With doors made in European countries, our Russian ones can easily compete. Doors are manufactured using various technologies, surpassing foreign ones in a number of characteristics.

1. The design of the door itself:

• the frame must be bent-welded. Check with the consultant that there are no corner frames, profile pipes, etc.
• it is better to choose a rubber band around the perimeter of the door, i.e. a seal, tubular, and not in the shape of the letter Ш (these are placed in refrigerators), this will ensure the absence of drafts.
• canvas - the door must necessarily consist of two sheets. Whole-bent (1.5 mm) or bent-welded (2 mm) canvas is up to you to choose, it's not so important. Filling the door - preferably mineral wool (stove) - this is where such a moment as sound and heat insulation manifests itself.
• the presence of stiffeners inside the door - enough 2-3-5.

2. Protective features:

• it is advisable to choose a door that includes 2 locks:,. You can choose Italian manufacturers (Cisa, Mottura) or Russian (Guardian).
• hinges can be ordinary (service life 5-7 years), with bearings (the door will run more smoothly), hidden (they will not allow you to remove the door even if the hinges are cut; the same can be achieved with anti-removal pins), adjustable hinges (the most durable ).
• to prevent the door from bending, you can install a T-shaped molding.
• pocket for crossbars - even if you knock out part of the wall near the castle, it will not allow you to hammer the crossbars back into the castle. There are also vertical crossbars that can be used to lock the door from below and from above, but it should be noted that in case of fire they often fail and can completely block the door.
• Armored pads - you can refuse them without a twinge of conscience - they only protect against hooligans.

3. Finish:

• it is better if the outside (especially if you put a door in your own house) will be powder coated with a polyester weatherproof coating. You can put panels, but then you should choose weatherproof ones. Even moisture-resistant laminate and veneer will not last more than 2-3 years (but for a door in an apartment building this is a good option). Preferably - MDF - beautiful appearance, good heat and sound insulation characteristics.

The right time to choose a metal door

If you are making repairs and thinking about installing a door, then it is better to install the door directly not at the very end of the repair, when the fine finish has already been completed. Pay attention to the weight of the door - a reliable and durable door should weigh 80-100 kg.
So, do not rush when choosing a metal door. Prioritize - what is more important to you - appearance, protection, price? Consider all the little things - even in which direction your new door will open. And based on your requests, study the models offered by manufacturers. Knowing the main points that have been outlined in this article will help you make the purchase enjoyable for both you and your wallet.

Summarizing

So, we have considered the main criteria that affect the choice of a metal door. Of course, the right choice is primarily influenced by awareness, because a knowledgeable person will always find an acceptable option in terms of price / quality ratio in any price segment. , because there will be many more interesting articles on doors, locks, protection methods and so on ahead. Do not miss!

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