New front door required...advice?

[Fab Foodie]

Now then....
We need a new front door, no getting away from the fact. The current one fits the frame badly, lets a fair amount of wind through, blows raspberries when it's really windy and when the sun hits comes out it expands and it's tight to open. All in all it's gotta go. The current one is some kind of composite affair with a foam core, looks like wood but isn't, but it's not UPVC either. It needs to be Mahogany coloured.

Before I enter the Shark infested waters that is the replacement door and window market, is there anything I should know?

Cheers, FF.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Watch out for ridiculously inflated prices some of the big DG companies will try on. They generally prefer to refit a whole house and consider a single door or window below them. I'd ask around for recommendations for a local man. I'd give you a recommendation, but my man only operates in Lincolnshire.

 

[longers]

Wickes might be worth a look.

 

[fossyant]

Go for a small local company - you won't get any messing. Had our windows done a few years back, came round, measured up, asked about the style, and then sent a quote - no sales patter - half the price of a big company.

 

[domtyler]

Have you tried a local joiner for something that will definitely fit?

Failing that, Wickes or any other DIY store will be able to help you out.

 

[Aperitif]

If you go the uPVC route then there are some 'acceptable' mahogany coloured finishes.
One thing to make sure of is that you can 'deadlock' the door by lifting the handle on the inside ie:simple to secure after entry and no one can turn the handle from outside and enter afterwards without using a key.
Multipoint locking is usual...with some styles of door throwing bolts in all directions if you require high level security.
Also we have a chain...and a baseball bat in the umbrella stand (tall flower pot - not that posh...)

 

[snorri]

Agree with the 'go local' advice.

 

[simon l& and a half]

Now then....
We need a new front door, no getting away from the fact. The current one fits the frame badly, lets a fair amount of wind through, blows raspberries when it's really windy and when the sun hits comes out it expands and it's tight to open. All in all it's gotta go. The current one is some kind of composite affair with a foam core, looks like wood but isn't, but it's not UPVC either. It needs to be Mahogany coloured.

Before I enter the Shark infested waters that is the replacement door and window market, is there anything I should know?

Cheers, FF.

You have me beat. Is it metal? Plastic? Wood?

Before you rush off to the joiners with wodges of cash, might I suggest that you make a careful inspection of the door and see where it sticks. Is it at the lock? Assuming the door stays more or less rectangular, is the frame at right angles? Are the hinges aligned correctly? If the door is in a brick wall, does the brick wall show any signs of settlement?

I know that this is all very speculative, and, possibly not happy reading, but it might be worth some thought.

If you are set on a new door then I'd go for a sustainable hardwood, with a bit of meat in the panels. European Light Oak is good. Costs, though.

 

[domtyler]

You have me beat. Is it metal? Plastic? Wood?

Before you rush off to the joiners with wodges of cash, might I suggest that you make a careful inspection of the door and see where it sticks. Is it at the lock? Assuming the door stays more or less rectangular, is the frame at right angles? Are the hinges aligned correctly? If the door is in a brick wall, does the brick wall show any signs of settlement?

I know that this is all very speculative, and, possibly not happy reading, but it might be worth some thought.

If you are set on a new door then I'd go for a sustainable hardwood, with a bit of meat in the panels. European Light Oak is good. Costs, though.

Eeeuuuggghhh, wouldn't it quickly go rancid and fall out? There would be maggots all over the place too, even if it were free range, organic Streatham black spot.

 

[tdr1nka]

+1 with Simon, get the door frame checked as well. If the door has been expanding and contracting the frame will have been doin' allsorts as well.
Last thing you want to do is try to hang a nice new door in a wobbly frame.

 

[Fab Foodie]

You have me beat. Is it metal? Plastic? Wood?

If you are set on a new door then I'd go for a sustainable hardwood, with a bit of meat in the panels. European Light Oak is good. Costs, though.

It'ssome kind of plasticky skin on a foam core, its pretty stiff/rigid and not light either.
The existing door looks like it was a crap fit from the start, I've hung enough doors to know when one's right and this one just isn't.

I'd love a solid hardwood door, but not sure either I or the house can really justify such expense. Other houses in the street have had Mahogany UPVC doors and they seem to fit-in quite well-enough.

 

[simon l& and a half]

You see, that's what worries me. Plastic doors are supposed to be inert. What I'm getting at is this - it might not be the door. It might be the house. Sorry.

One advantage of a hardwood door (and windows) is that you can plane them if your house is of a certain non-orthogonal persuasion. Softwood doors and windows shouldn't, under any circumstances, be planed. The preservative is only in the outer few millimetres.

 

[Maz]

i also went with a local company to get our d/g front door...because it was a non-standard width it had to be custom-made [do wickes do made-to-measure d/g doors?].

ours was a mahogany finish...slightly pricier than your standard white, but a good finish and quite realistic-looking.

 

[bonj2]

B &Q do quite a lot of that sort of thing now adasy

 

[Keith Oates]

When I was in the UK I went down the PVC route and never had any bother afterwards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!