What is a composite door?

Simply put, a composite door is one that is made from a combination of materials. This contrasts with the other prevalent options – hardwood or UPVC doors – which are only made from one material. All substances have their downfalls and the beauty of a composite door is that it can take the best aspects of several materials whilst mitigating their disadvantageous traits.

A standard composite door is 44mm thick – deeper than a standard UPVC at 28mm – making it a sturdy option. Materials which usually make up a composite door include a wood core, insulating polyurethane foam, aluminium inserts for strength and structure, and a glass reinforced plastic outer layer for weatherproofing.

Benefits of composite doors

There are many different types of doors that you can install on your home however they are not all built to the same standards of quality and security. There are numerous reasons for the differences in door quality; from the materials they use to the overall design and choosing a door made from poor materials with a cheap design can leave your home exposed to threats. This is not to say that every home should have a reinforced steel door, just that it is possible to find a great compromise between style, strength and price.

One of the most popular materials to make doors out of is UPVC, the material that is most closely associated with all home improvement products. This material is highly weather resistant and as such, a door made from this material is likely to stay weather tight and last for many years with little need for maintenance.

This is in direct contrast to the more traditional and authentic hardwood doors which require varnishing, painting and weather sealing many times over their life span. Hardwood doors are however, very thick and strong which ensures great safety and insulation for your home. Generally, UPVC doors are quite thin and have less strength when compared to hardwood doors because of the use of a single material.

Overall both UPVC doors and hardwood doors have issues that go far and beyond what we might expect to accept as a compromise but fortunately there is a far better option with far fewer trade-offs; installing a composite door. The main thing to understand about composite front doors is that they are made from multiple materials which ensures great strength, durability and looks.

The core of a composite door can contain wood, insulating materials and many other layers which are all protected by a weather resistant outer skin. The only real trade off with installing a composite door is that you can expect to pay a little bit more than you would for a standard UPVC door however, the benefits far outweigh the additional cost. Any external doors can be switched for a composite variety so you can install composite french doors, composite patio doors and composite stable doors.

Composite doors are ever increasing in popularity and with their wide range of advantages, it’s easy to see why. Here are some of the main benefits:

• Provides a safe, sturdy and robust entrance to your home. The structure of composite doors makes them the most secure option for your home.
• An insulating option which will help reduce heat loss from your home in winter and heat gain in summer. Composite doors are an energy efficient choice.
• They are very low maintenance. Unlike hardwood doors, composites require very little upkeep. Simply wipe down the door with a damp cloth and oil the hinges to keep it in top condition.