As a homeowner, you know that choosing the right elements for your home is of vital importance. I, for one, have always been especially selective when it comes to my home’s fixtures as well as the doors and windows that I choose. When we were having our home built, we knew that if we made the right decision on our home’s doors and windows, we could make use of them for decades.
But with all the materials available, it can be quite difficult to select the right one for your needs. The choices are overwhelming, to say the least. So if you’re at that point in your quest for the ideal door for your home, it might be worth taking a closer look at composite doors.
What exactly is a composite door?
A composite door, in simplest terms, is a door composed of different materials. These materials, when blended together, form a solid door that has the look and feel of a traditional wooden door but with the strength, durability, and even energy efficiency of more modern materials such as UPVC.
Basically, a composite door is comprised of materials that include PVC, wood, an insulating core, and an outer coat of GRP. The GRP coating on the door is often stained, coloured, moulded, and finished to give it the look of the classic wooden door. Whilst it is important to note that the composition and quantity of the material used for composite doors varies from one manufacturer to another, the basic model is the same for each.
The quality of a composite door versus traditional hardwood doors
Most of us like the look and feel of traditional wooden doors. But the problem with wood doors is the fact that they are quite hard to maintain. They often last for only a few years, and are prone to minor issues like scratches and more major problems like splintering, warping, and rotting. Extreme weather conditions can bring out the worst in any wooden door, as it can expand and contract and may be difficult to open or close. Furthermore, the paint and finish on a wood door is likely to fade over a period of time, making it necessary to repaint and refinish it every few years.
Now when it comes to composite doors, the opposite is true. Composite doors do not require too much maintenance. All a composite door needs is some regular cleaning with a liquid solution (warm water and a few drops of dish washing liquid works for me), and it’s good to go. Additionally, composite doors do not discolour, and you also have a full range of choices with regards to design, style, and colour.
Additional benefits of a composite door
Whether you are looking for composite entrance doors or back doors for your property, there is something to be said about the energy efficiency of composite doors. Since these types of doors have an additional layer of insulation built within, less heat will escape from your home, and cold drafts from outside are also less likely to come in. This, in turn, can lower your heating bills dramatically. And since a composite door is not made up entirely of wood, you can rest easy in the knowledge that your door has contributed to the preservation of the environment (less trees felled), even in a small way.
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