When it comes to composite doors it can be difficult to filter through the different advice to find the best door for your home. As with any product, there are always different standards and varieties. To break it down loosely, for composite doors there are several varieties which are: foam-filled, solid wood core and hybrid. This blog will look at the different types and their benefits and drawbacks to help you select the best product for your home.
Foam-Filled Doors
Composite doors with a foam-filled core are much better insulated than an old, panel uPVC one and they offer excellent thermal insulation, meaning they help by lowering heating costs of your hallway and front of your home. Foam-filled composite doors are more lightweight making them quick and easy to install. They are also a cheaper and more affordable option than other composite doors, however, without a rigid structure inside the door’s ‘skin’, they can tend to be a little more lightweight and flimsier than other composite door options. They are also largely acknowledged to be the easiest composite door to break into as they are more easily damaged, which puts them lower down the options in terms of home security.
Solid Wood Core Doors
Solid wood core doors usually consist of a wooden panel in between the door’s ‘skin’ and opinions are divided when it comes to the quality and benefits of this type of composite door. They are seen as being the best composite doors for security with videos online showing people attempting to break in with chainsaws. The solid wood core provides excellent structural integrity, making it more resistant to forced entry compared to foam-filled doors. The solid wood element also offers great thermal properties helping to effectively keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer, as well as offering sound insulation to reduce external noise. Solid wood core composite doors are extremely durable and low maintenance as they are designed to last a long time and withstand the wear and tear of daily use and harsh weather conditions. They also boast a realistic wooden aesthetic whilst requiring much less maintenance than a traditional, solid wood door.
There are some disadvantages of solid wood core doors such as the higher initial cost, which reflects the quality of materials and construction. They are also much heavier than foam-filled versions which require stronger hinges and door frames and may increase overall installation costs. Wood core doors are made from a mixture of materials which can complicate recycling at the end of their lifespan and, due to the characteristics of wood, they can be very prone to warping if moisture enters the ‘skin’ and have received a lot of negative reviews for this over recent years.
Hybrid Composite Doors
These doors combine the best features of various materials to offer superior performance, making them the perfect choice for homeowners looking for an ideal blend of security, energy efficiency and durability. Hybrid doors have a solid core panel wrapped in foam on either side and a robust GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) ‘skin’, which offers a range of benefits:
- Security – The solid core provides exceptional structural integrity making it highly resistant to forced entry. The combination of solid core and robust GRP ‘skin’ would even give a chainsaw a hard time!
- Energy Efficiency – The combination of materials to create the hybrid composite door offers excellent thermal insulation, helping to reduce the household’s carbon footprint with lower energy consumption.
- Quality Feel and Aesthetic – Hybrid composite doors are available in an array of styles, colours and finishes thanks to the GRP outer layer, allowing for a quality feel and aesthetic that can be customised for a traditional or modern design.
- Low Maintenance and Durability – The GRP ‘skin’ is resistant to harsh weather conditions to prevent warping, cracking and swelling and, unlike traditional solid wood doors, doesn’t need to be regularly painted or stained. They only require an occasional clean, saving homeowners time and effort in upkeep.
Although hybrid composite doors are slightly higher in upfront cost, the long-term benefits of energy savings, enhanced security and low maintenance make them a winner every time. They are also heavier than foam-filled doors, due to their solid core, but this adds to their robustness and quality and a proper installation ensures the additional weight is properly supported.
Find The Perfect Composite Door For Your Home
However, with so many different options available it’s vital to get the right solution for your home and needs. Be sure to buy from a reputable company that will guarantee all components and installation for 10 years.
As with any product in the industry, doors are only as good as their components, quality of materials and standard of installation. Here at Haus Installations, we are experts at offering our clients the best solutions for their door installation needs and can supply top-quality products for solid home security.
Our expert team are available to discuss your door requirements and provide a no-obligation, pressure-free quote if you get in touch. Call us on 01905 701201 or email sales@hausinstallations.co.uk today.
