Composite doors have taken the market by storm and for very good reason! These modern doors are certainly built to last and have become highly popular choices for front and back doors throughout the UK and beyond.
As the name suggests, composite doors are built using a variety of materials and typically feature an intelligent insulation and foam core enclosed with a Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) skin. This makes composite doors extremely durable, virtually weather resistant, and up to 10 times more energy efficient than traditional doors.
For this reason, homeowners with composite doors cut down hugely on their door maintenance costs, as well as save significantly on energy bills due to improved insulation.
Why make the switch to composite doors?
If that alone isn’t convincing enough, let’s break down some of the main benefits of composite doors to truly show you why they are a worthy investment for your home.
Weather resistance
None of us are strangers to seasonal weathering and damage to our doors. With humidity, traditional doors swell and warp with heat, dealing significant damage over time to its durability. Paint layers also fade and chip through sun exposure, not to mention the unavoidable rot and rust issues.
On the other hand, GRP composite doors are virtually weatherproof! A key advantage to these modern doors is their extreme durability to weathering damages, effectively nullifying your maintenance costs with one swift investment. It is commonly understood that a household can get up to 35 years of use from a composite door, making it a very smart, long-term term, and cost-effective investment for your home.
Unmatched energy efficiency
A common blunder by households aiming to improve their energy efficiency is neglecting their front and back doors. Luckily, certain A-rated GRP composite doors boast unparalleled energy efficiency through airtight insulation, draught-proofing, and multi-layer glazing.
As such, more heat is retained in your household and more money is left in your pocket from reduced energy bills! Additionally, the ingenious foam core design of composite doors has proven to be up to 10 times more energy efficient than traditional doors.
High durability and security
Typically, composite doors are much sturdier and more robust than their traditional counterparts due to a combination of materials in their build. The door frame is often reinforced with galvanised steel, and a metal mesh within the high-density foam core, allowing these modern doors to double as a great security layer for your home.
In addition, most GRP composite doors feature multi-point locking systems as a standard, which further ensures your home security in comparison to traditional single locks.
Endless design choices!
From a stylistic perspective, composite doors give you the option to truly customise your home’s appearance in the way you want. With a nearly endless selection of styles and designs to choose from, and just as wide a range of customisable accessories, you can prioritise a design that harmonises with your home, without sacrificing any durability, energy efficiency, or security with your investment.
Composite door designs also come with variations that mimic the look and feel of classic wooden doors, allowing you to opt for a more classic home appearance if the more modern and contemporary designs aren’t for your taste.
Drawbacks to composite doors
Outweighing the benefits these intelligently designed doors offer is quite an uphill battle. Nevertheless, let us look at some of the drawbacks – if any – that can be associated with composite doors.
Higher market prices
The only significant downside to composite doors is their higher price tag. When shopping for new doors, homeowners can often be enticed by the lower prices of traditional doors without taking into account “why” composite doors cost that much more.
The reason is simply that, you pay for what you get! Composite doors virtually eliminate routine maintenance and upkeep costs due to their impressive weather resistance and robustness. In addition, the intelligent design prioritises high-level energy efficiency, thus helping you save plenty of money in the long run in both maintenance and energy costs.
Although it’s difficult to give an accurate estimate of a composite door price given the types, sizes, and designs vary, one could expect to pay somewhere in the £1,000 range per door.
This range can vary depending on several factors and it is best to consult with a professional local installer to get the most accurate price quotes for your home.
Potential creaking
Whilst composite doors are resistant to weather damage such as swelling and warping, the combination of materials may still expand and contract depending on the weather.
During hot summers, the sun beaming on your door all day will result in its slight expansion, as well as its contraction during the night. During this contraction, it is possible to hear the door make cracking or creaking noises.
Whilst not a downside that affects the durability or function of your door at all, it can be a pet peeve for some homeowners which deserves a mention nonetheless.
The verdict on composite doors
With everything taken into account, composite doors emerge as a highly valuable long-term investment for the betterment of your household. They provide resistance to weathering, durability, and security, and improve the overall energy efficiency of your home.
The steeper initial investment may seem like a burden, but with a lifespan of 3 decades or more, composite doors will surely save you a lot of money and peace of mind in the long run.
Considering composite doors for your home already? If so, it is highly recommended to consult with a professional local installer, so that you may receive the most accurate quote prices that suit your household.
