Are Fire Doors a Necessity?

Fires are lethal, if you have one in your home it could destroy it, your belongings, take lives even. We believe that fire doors are a simple yet effective solution for containing them and saving lives.

Fire doors can help slow down a fire’s progress and stop smoke travelling through a building, and this can give valuable time needed to get out of the house/building safely. It also helps limit the damage by containing it.

Fire doors are a legal requirement for commercial properties

Fire doors are essential for commercial buildings, but not so for domestic property. However, if you’re concerned they’ll be an eyesore don’t. A fire door can be made to look attractive and fit in with your personal taste without compromising on safety.

Functionality and safety

There is no difference in appearance but in functionality. The materials made to create a fire door are much stronger, robust and burn much slower, which means you have more time to get out. In actual fact, an FD30 rated fire door can fight fire and smoke for 30 minutes longer than a conventional door.

If you’re toying with the idea of investing in a fire door, what is the difference between that and a conventional one?

Fire doors are a legal requirement for some domestic dwellings

If you live in a commercial building, fire doors are a legal requirement, and if you live in a block of flats which extends beyond 2 levels, or if you have a door in your property that leads into a garage, or in a house that contains at least one loft conversion you will need one.

Even if you don’t need a fire door for legal reasons – they’re still a good idea

It’s always a good idea to have a fire door in your home, especially within areas where a fire is likely start, such as a kitchen for instance, or any room where there’s a fireplace. A bedroom is also another area where a fire could break out so a fire door on this room is a good idea.

You can try installing fire doors yourself, but keep in mind that an incorrectly installed fire door will provide less fire resistance than a properly installed one.

The Replacement Door Company – for well-made, functional quality fire doors

Fire doors may be a little more expensive than conventional doors. However, they could save a life – yours, so if you’re in any doubt as to whether you should invest in a fire door then remember how much value you get in return. The safety of your family and your home is important, and a fire door could provide those previous few extra minutes to get out. We believe it’s a worthwhile investment - that’s why we sell them. Get in touch today if you want to find out more about our fire doors and one of our dedicated team members will be happy to speak to you.

The Pros and Cons of uPVC Doors

If you need new doors for your home, you’ll be thinking hard about which materials are best. In today’s post, we’re going to be looking at the pros and cons of uPVC doors and whether they’re a worthwhile investment for you. Read on to find out whether your home could benefit from doors made from this versatile material.

Advantages

British weather

Living in the UK, you’ll be aware of the vagaries of British weather. If you live in a place where you’re battered by wind and rain frequently, perhaps you live by the sea and get the brute of the sea winds, then uPVC may be the material for you. uPVC is extremely resistant to this type of weather and it’s also nonporous, so water will simply bounce right off.

Low maintenance and doesn’t need to be treated

Another advantage with uPVC is that, unlike wood, it’s extremely low maintenance and doesn’t need staining or painting. This means that even after atrocious weather, your doors will still be in good condition, you’ll also find that it doesn’t warp or crack like wood can, so that’s one thing less you have to worry about. uPVC doors are well insulated too and extremely stable.

It’s a durable material

One thing that’s guaranteed with uPVC is that it’s a durable material that can last for at least 30 years, if not longer. With most companies, including us, you’ll get a guarantee of long life, so you have a door that’s not only inexpensive, but will also give you a return on your investment.

uPVC is recyclable

uPVC is recyclable so it won’t have a bad impact on the environment. If you decide to replace it before it’s reached its shelf life, it can be easily broken down and recycled.

Disadvantages

It’s not particularly unique or original

If you’re looking for originality and uniqueness, then uPVC is not the material for you. It can look ugly and unoriginal and is much less flexible in terms of style and design. Unlike wood, uPVC doors can be a little uninspiring, so it may not be the door for you if you’re looking for something that speaks for your personal style and taste. It only really suits generic one style-fits-all houses, so although it’s cheap, it may not be something you want for your home.

At the end of its life it can be discoloured and brittle

uPVC doors can become discoloured and breakable at the end of their lifespan. At some point, it’ll become so broken down you need to replace it all together rather than have it fixed.

Non-sustainable materials

Wood is a sustainable product which can be replaced by replanting new ones each time one is cut down. Not so with uPVC doors, as it’s made from materials which are dependent on oils supplies which will run out at some point. Therefore, uPVC is made from non-renewable materials and this isn’t good for the environment.

The Replacement Door Company – for quality doors made from a variety of materials

Whichever material you’d like your doors made from, we can guarantee that all our doors are quality made, put together by professionals. If you want uPVC doors for your home and you’re convinced they’re right for you, get in touch and we’ll answer any queries you may have. You may have decided on another material, and that’s fine too as we have a versatile range of doors, talk to us and we can guide you towards something that’s right for you.

Which Internal Doors are Right For You?

If you’re choosing internal doors you want to get it absolutely right first time. You’re lucky however, because The Replacement Door Company have a versatile range of styles, tastes, finish and budget, so you can choose something that reflects all three.

Moulded Doors

These are popular and we usually provide these in different finishes too, either woodgrain or smooth.

White Panel Doors

These are great for the home they have a stile and rail construction and they’re not only strong but have sharp clean lines with a door that can expand and contract without warping. There are contemporary and natural styles which also come glazed, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Oak and Hardwood Veneer

This is a door which comes with a thin layer of wood on the surfaced which is either hardwood or oak. They look like proper timber doors but are much less likely to warp or split and as a result are far more durable. There’s a wide range of choices and styles too.

Glazed and Bi-Fold

All our doors can be glazed, or bi-folded. This can leave you with difficult choices, because which one is right for you?

Glazed Doors

These are modern and look really good and can improve the light between rooms make them seem bigger. There are different options for glazing available but they are a little more expensive.

Bi-Fold Doors

These types of door are great for functionality but are usually chosen for their style. They consist of a panelled door which has been cut in two with two panels attached by hinges and there’s a door handle that’s attached to the inner panel. This means that two sections of the bi-fold door can be folded together. This helps gives more room too when it’s folded. They’re really good for wardrobes and cupboards.

Size

All the doors in your house will be the same size although the smaller bedrooms and bathroom maybe slightly different, although this is rare. When measuring, measure from three points on your current door. You can then start choosing your new one.

The Replacement Door Company – where the doors come in all styles and colours

All our doors come in a range of styles, colours and finishes and you can also paint them yourselves. You may need to trim your doors once you get them home and we also sell fire doors, so if you need one in your home or commercial property, let us know and we can help you choose one. If you’re looking for new internal doors for your home, we’ve got a dedicated professional team to help you choose the right ones, so get in touch today.

Why Choose Oak Internal Doors?

Are you looking to replace your internal doors? Our post today is focusing on oak internal doors, and because we want you to be aware of amazing they are. Read on and find out why oak internal doors are a really great choice.

If you’re going for a more classic look, you’ll get it with oak

This type of door offers a classic age old look with an oak veneer that adds that little bit of something else to the overall style of your home. We have a great range of oak door designs styles, so you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Oak doors are in vogue

Oak doors are extremely popular at the moment and we can see why. Their prefinished oak veneer is enhanced with a grooved panel look which creates a really subtle style for each room. They’re also nowhere near as expensive as you’d think, you can have the wood look without the price.

Our oak shaker panel doors are really popular for the kitchen too and really are the cherry on the cake. If your kitchen has some really impressive designs within, then this oak door is going to be a great opener.

A fantastic and truly impressive range of oak doors

We’re really proud of our internal door range and offer a really versatile choice for anyone looking to replace internal doors.

Our oak interior door styles are listed below:

• Worcester glass

• Worcester solid

• Palermo glass or solid

• Pesaro grass or solid

• Verona glass or solid

• Shaker glass or solid

• Pattern 10 glass or solid

• Riviera glass or solid

• Rio glass or solid.

As you can see it’s an impressive range. Whether you have glass or solid panels is entirely up to you, either creates a really impressive look. They all come prefinished, so there’s no work for you to do. Once they arrive all you have to do is hang them to the door frames which is a fairly simple thing to do.

The Replacement Door Company – where great doors are made

Yes, we supply great doors. We’ve spent years cultivating our business, making it thrive. We wanted to create a door company which you could rely on, one where you get great quality doors at affordable prices. All our doors are made from quality materials, we make sure each one is tested and ready to hang so you’ll never have to worry about what quality or workmanship. All you’ll have to do is hang the doors and then sit back and enjoy them. Get in touch today and we’ll help you decide which style of oak door is the right internal door for you.

Weatherproofing Wooden Front Doors

It’s important to take care of all wooden doors, especially wooden front doors. As you can imagine, wooden front doors are the most exposed to the elements, providing protection from weather, noise, protecting your home from burglary and insulating you from cold. Naturally, if your front doors are made from wood, then they’ll be exposed to damp and cold and this can have a detrimental effect on the door. Draught exclusion is the goal then as one reliable method of keeping the cold and damp out where it belongs.

We’re going to be talking about weatherproofing wooden front doors and we hope you find it useful.

Sealing External Frame

There should be no gaps around the edge, otherwise it allows draughts in. Therefore, fill up these gaps with building foam or perhaps sand, silicone or cement. You can go over it with paint.

If there’s a rubber seal, check that it’s still working and if it does need replacing you can buy rubber seal at a reasonable price at most hardware stores. It’s also quite easy to replace.

Draught Excluders

Especially brush draught excluders that can be reasonably bought and can be mounted to the bottom of the door. They’re good at preventing draughts although perhaps not great at preventing water from getting through.

Drop Down Seals

Installed at the bottom edge of door these can’t been seen from the outside or from the inside either. These may be a little better than the brush draught excluders as they prevent water, smoke, fire, air and water from seeping through.

There are different varieties of seals and draught excluders as we’ve seen and they are all of varying price and quality. Although some of them can be used for external doors, most are used on internal ones, therefore it would probably be best to use something with stronger rubber seals on the base of external wooden doors.

Weather Bars

These are good for stopping draughts and cold coming through and are effective at draining water so it will drop on to the sill or threshold outside. Placing them at the edge of the door is best where they are at their most effective. They are also cheap to buy.

Always check keyholes, letter boxes and any other gaps you can spot. This is a really good way of preventing draughts from getting in, so if you deal with this as well as installing weather bars, rubber or drop down seals, or simple draught excluders, you should be in a position to successfully weatherproof your door.

If you need any more help with this then why not get in touch with us here at The Replacement Door Company, and one of our team will be more than happy to help.

The History of Front Doors

Front doors are a way of entering and exiting a house, but did you know doors go back a long way, right back to the ancient Egypt. Back then they were little more than hinged wooden slabs and in India there were doors made of stone. Go back even further and the first wooden doors were built for King Solomon’s Temple.

Bronze Front Doors

As you can imagine, the Romans and Greeks were not only first to come up with the door knocker, they also used different styles of door and these could range from folding, double, single and sliding doors. They were usually made of bronze due to their ability to withstand all weathers and their flexibility. Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised when you think about all the things the Romans have given us e.g. roads, heating, baths etc.

Different Doors For Different Times

Here in Britain, doors have changed over the centuries and been under all different kinds of influence, mostly Royal. From Tudor and Jacobean to Baroque, Georgian, Regency and early 19th century, doors have been plain to ostentatious, exquisitely carved or flanked by pillars. They’ve come in grain or been painted dark colours, and they’ve been either double or single ones. Door handles have been large or small, plain or beautifully detailed. As time went on the carved or plainer front door with a front porch became extremely popular, as were intricate designs such as reeded carved mouldings and geometric panelling.

First Impressions – Always Important

Doors provide more than a way of entering or leaving a building, they are also the first thing that people see when they visit and give the first glimpse of your personal style. Of course, they also give a firm first impression, and no doubt this would have been the case as far back as the Tudor and Baroque period. To have made so much effort with their doors, even that far back in history, is proof, if proof were needed, that people still cared about their homes and the impressions they made on others.

The Replacement Door Company – Quality Doors Built to Last

If you want a new front door and want to make a big impression, then The Replacement Door Company is the best place to contact. We have an expert team of door specialists who’ve been doing this for a while and know the ins and outs of door replacement. We can talk you through your options, and even if you’re not into something more ostentatious like a Baroque design, we can certainly help you choose something special for your home, one which is in keeping with the architectural style of your house.

Fixing Internal Doors That Stick

Do your internal doors stick? This can be a problem and it’s not unusual, in fact it’s quite common. Whatever the cause it can be frustrating, they either don’t close as they should or they won’t open and you have to push really hard from the other side. As this is such a common problem for thousands of people, we’ve come up with a few tips on how to fix your doors should they suffer the same problem.

Why are your internal doors sticking?

Before you can stop your doors from sticking you need to know what it is that’s causing it. You’ll need to carry out a simple investigation into what you think it might be. It could be hinges or jambs which may need adjusting slightly or perhaps the door itself has swollen due to humidity. If your home is suffering from damp, then this will probably exacerbate it.

Hinges or Jambs

If it’s the hinges or jambs which are an issue, then a quick fix with a screwdriver should be sufficient. You can use a hand screw rather than an electric drill in case you damage the door, and screw the hinges in again, gently.

Humidity

If humidity is the cause of your sticking because the wooden doors have swollen, then use a dehumidifier, all you have to do is plug it in and that’s the hard work done, the dehumidifier will suck out all the moisture out of the air.

Damp

The damp will still need to be treated and this can be done in a number of different ways, but if you don’t treat the cause, you will be constantly dealing with the sticking doors problem repeatedly.

Friction

This can be treated with oil, soap or candlewax, it’s only temporary and you may need to do it a few times before you see a permanent solution.

Sanding

this can really help, as your door may need to be trimmed, and you can do this by removing the door and sanding it before rehanging it You can then repaint and finish it afterwards.

The Replacement Door Company – Experience & Quality

Get in touch with us here at The Replacement Door Company if you need any further advice on what we’ve discussed. We’re always happy to help, and if you’re looking to replace internal doors in your home, then always consider us your first port of call.

Front Doors in Winter

In winter, it’s likely we’ll experience different kinds of weather, which will have some impact on our homes. Hopefully, this will only be on the external part of your home, although this brings with it its own stresses, especially if there’s any damage to the roof, doors or garden.

Hopefully, your home won’t experience too much damage as a result of the weather, but your front door will probably take a bit of a bashing. You’ll need to keep an eye on them, so they won’t sustain too much wear and tear over the winter months. We know the weather can have a negative impact on your property, we’re going to be looking at the types of damage it can be prone to and what you can do about it. So, read on and make sure you’re prepared.

Cracks and Sticking

These are two common problems for front doors. Cracking is common after a drop-in temperature. We’ll bang on the central heating as the weather gets colder, and from the inside, as a result, dry air absorbs the moisture from your door. It can then cause cracking and warping. This can really impact on how your door looks, resulting in paint damage because the wood beneath has contracted and expanded.

Sticking happens when the weather gets colder and the wood in your doors contracts. This will eventually have an impact on the size and shape of the door. This means it will eventually be difficult to open and close, raising issues with security and privacy. Hinges could work lose, and of course the frame is also affected. With a weaker, less effective door, you’re looking at a replacement.

Sealing the Doors

As lower temperatures cause such problems do our front doors, there are things we can do to protect ourselves from the frost. We can add a seal to our doors, covering any gaps, and for this you can use sealing strips and/or sealing paste. This will help preserve its shape and appearance and at the same time, improve the soundproofing, stopping cold air getting into the house.

Finishes, Insulation and Tightening

Adding a finish to our doors is really helpful. We can use a wax coating, this can be very helpful in providing a barrier against moisture, avoiding warping and cracking. Always make sure the door is clean before adding a coating and allow it to dry before applying, or you could get trapped moisture. Try draught excluders for added insulation, so you can keep warmer air on the right side of the door, so you’ll be warmer within. You can also try tightening the door too, you can do this by tightening the hinges with a screwdriver.

Replacement Door – Quality Doors For Your Home

Get in touch if you have any questions regarding the topics we’ve covered today, we’re always here to help, and remember that here at The Replacement Door Company, all our front doors are made from superior, quality materials.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Wooden Doors

Wooden front doors serve many functions, although most of the time, we only think of them as gateways, a way of getting in and out of a house or building, but a door needs to be secure, shut out noise, keep the cold out and offer good insulation. It also needs to complement the architectural design of the house as well as fit in with your personal style.

Wooden Doors – Traditional, Beautiful, Elegant

With so much riding on your choice of door, you think that sticking with wooden front doors is perhaps the best option. After all, it’s the safest most reliable way of providing warmth, security, insulation, style and elegance. Wood is the most traditional material to be used for a door, so it seems like a natural choice for everyone.

Door strength – if it’s external, you’ll need strength and durability

With all this in mind, we’ve decided to take a look at wooden doors and at the advantages and disadvantages of timber doors. Today’s wooden doors are made from different pieces of plywood or sometimes laminate, with hardwood adding support. They come with great energy efficient insulation capabilities and as they’re finished off with thick plywood you’re guaranteed a strong door.

It’s important you choose a door that’s made in this way if it’s going to be an external door. The inclement weather during the cold winter months will have an adverse impact on the wood, so it’s important to use to choose 100% solid wood for your front door or any other outer doors. That way you’ll benefit from the beauty of solid wood and have a secure door.

Are Wooden Doors Value For Money?

However, wooden doors can be expensive, especially solid wood, and if it’s been customised, bespoke, then you can add more to the final price. However, if you’re interested in the traditional aspects of wood and you want it to give you external protection, then wood is probably worth the expense. It can also warp and crack over the years and paint can start to peel. You will probably have to add the cost of annual maintenance to your wooden doors as they will need repainting and resealing on a regular basis to keep them in tip top condition.

The Replacement Door Company – Wooden Doors For the 21st Century

If you’re still undecided and you’re looking for wooden doors for your home, whether they be for external or internal use, get in touch. Here at The Replacement Door Company we pride ourselves on our craftsmanship and expertise, so if you’re looking for a wooden front door, you’ll be hard placed to find anyone better than us.

How to Measure for a Composite Door

It’s important you get the measurements as accurate as possible when you’re having a new composite door, because if you don’t, a badly fitting door will cause you all kinds of problems. Poor security, loss of warmth and a reduction in noise protection will leave your home vulnerable, and it will work out more expensive as you try to rectify the situation. It’s better to make sure your door fits as it should.

Correct Measurements are Crucial

If you measure correctly the fitting of a composite exterior door, it’s always going to a much better fit. The fitting of these types of doors is complex and if you do it carefully, any brickwork or any existing wooden frames will accommodate the new doors much better.

Measuring the Width of the Composite Door Frame

Keep in mind that if you choose a composite door you’ll need to measure the width of the door frame because this type of door comes with their own frame.

Other Parts to Measure

The parts you should measure then are the middle, bottom and top widths on the both the outside and inside. If the existing door frame is made from timber it may be best to remove it completely. This will help keep the opening as wide as possible to accommodate the new door. However, if you find that the existing wooden frame will allow for the composite door to open comfortably, then it may be best to leave it, although the door may not open as wide.

Take Off 6mm in Both Width and Height

When you give your door size to the door manufacturer, take off 6mm in both width and height first. You will also find that when you come round to fitting the door, you may need to alter the hinges on the lateral or vertical planes after measuring the sides with a spirit level.

Quality Composite and PVC Doors For Many Years

If you don’t feel confident taking the composite door measurements yourself, then perhaps you should let one of our team do it for you. We’d be more than happy to do it, and that way you’ll be sure of a good fit. All our doors are of good quality composite materials and we can always guarantee excellent workmanship on each of our doors. Get in touch and we can start talking about getting your composite doors fitted as soon as possible.