External Door FAQs

We’re going to answer some of the most popular questions asked in relation to external doors and hopefully it will help you to make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right type of external doors for your home, whether that’s for the front or the back of your home. 

We want to make sure we include all the important information that you wonder about prior to buying so you’re not confused about your options. You need time before you buy any item, especially with external doors because they have to cover so many different factors. As you probably know, it’s not just about the aesthetics - it’s about so much more. 

What material should my external door be made of?

There’s a wide range of materials to choose from and they all provide their own advantages and disadvantages. 

Timber - timber is very popular because it’s such a sustainable material and also so beautiful and versatile. For one thing it’s a material that’s environmentally friendly with a long life span and you can change the colour easily by simply painting it. The downside is that it can be high maintenance with it needing treatment and weather can cause it to warp and crack over time. However, despite this it can last many years if it’s well taken care of.

PVCu - this is a weather resistant material that provides value for money in that it’s relatively low maintenance in comparison to timber and is weather resistant. The downside is that it doesn’t have quite the same beauty and sophistication as timber, but it does stand up well to the elements. 

Metal - Metal is strong and very secure in terms of keeping unwanted visitors out, it doesn’t warp and doesn’t require a great deal of maintenance. It provides a contemporary clean look, so if you have a new build home, this would be ideal.

Composite - composite provides great insulation in terms of noise and warmth/cold, it’s also extremely long lasting and very secure. Again, not a particularly beautiful material but the designs are versatile and you can get some absolute gems in terms of colour and design. 

What Should My Budget Be?

There’s a wide variety of doors on offer in different materials as we’ve seen and their prices vary across the board, as you’d imagine. If you have a tight budget then naturally you’re going to be cautious which you choose. PVCu might be a good choice, colours are limited to white, but you can have different panels to vary the pattern and the style of your door. Composite doors as we’ve seen do provide variety and also colour, so you have a little more choice, this might fit nicely into your budget. Timber is always going to be expensive, so if you’re on a small budget this may be something you have to reconsider until you have more to spend. 

What are the Benefits of Different Types of External Doors?

There may be a variety of different things you want from your door. If security is something you’re looking for you could choose something that’s both robust with extra layers of materials, composite comes with extra layers so this may be a good choice. Keep in mind that all doors come with some security if they’re for external use, just make sure you buy from a quality retailer. You may want less maintenance and something that’s easy to take care of which more or less leaves out timber. PVCu may be an excellent choice then because they don't need any treatment, varnish, glaze or paint. Wiping them down with a damp cloth is all that’s required. 

Insulation

Timber is a fine choice despite the expense and the maintenance involved. Not only will you have a great looking door, you’ll be able to take advantage of their excellent thermal properties. 

Noise

This is a big factor in people’s choices and if you live in a noisy area, then you’ll be looking for some noise reduction properties in your external doors. Timber is good for this, it's solid and is far more successful at excluding noise. 

The Replacement Door Company - External Door Experts

We’ve discussed materials, budget and properties, and if you still have any more questions regarding external doors, please feel free to contact us, our team of experts will be on hand to answer your queries. Why don’t you take a look at our versatile range of external doors online and see if you can find something you like after reading our guide.

A Buyer's Guide to Internal Doors

We’re looking at internal doors and what you need to look for when you’re looking to buy. By providing this simple guide you will have more knowledge to hand and be able to make an informed decision without making an impulse buy you come to regret later.

The fun stuff - interiors, colours, style

There are few factors to consider when you’re about to invest in an internal door. Things such as your interiors, colours and preferred style. You’ll also have to consider flooring and the stairs (if you have any) because you’ll probably want consistency throughout your home and want everything to match, so all your doors will be identical. Having said that, you can mix things up with grain patterns or colour keeping the style, or the other way round, just to make things stand out in a unique way. Think about the architecture of your house, is it modern and contemporary or traditional and classic? The internal doors you choose will need to match the period.

There are also some practical things to consider too

You need to think of size, shape and measuring up. Yes, the boring part. You will need to measure your door frames to make sure the doors fit of course, consider width by measuring the bottom, middle and the top, the widest measurement as a guide to the width of your new internal door. Height will again include right, left and centre measurements and the longest length will be the ideal height of your new internal door. 

Use the measurements you’ve just taken to compare to the doors you’ve seen (hopefully on our website) to see if they come in the size you need. You can always trim a door if it doesn’t come exactly in the size you want, obviously you don’t want too much to have to trim off. 

Varied styles, grains, materials and colours

Here at The Replacement Door Company we have a wide variety of styles, grains, materials and patterns. This means you have a lot of choice when looking at our internal doors. You may want glazed glass panels or perhaps you’d prefer sliding panel doors. We also have folding doors, so if you’re thinking of something new for a change, we can certainly provide you with something different.

We have both timber, composite and uPVC, so you can make a decision on what works best for you. Naturally, timber will require a lot more maintenance unlike composite or uPVC but you can paint them unlike the other two. Keep in mind that uPVC and composite come with their own advantages too, they’re strong, resilient, require very little maintenance and come in a wide range of styles.

Talk to the Internal Door Experts

Contact us today to discuss your internal door needs, we’re happy to talk thorough the options available to you and show you some examples of our work. You can also browse our range of internal doors for some inspiration.

How to Stop A Door from Sticking

Do you have a door that’s constantly sticking? Perhaps it’s been happening for a while and you’ve been politely ignoring it, hoping it will go away. You may have reached the tipping point however and have now decided that the sticking door is going to have to be repaired. We concur, because there’s nothing more irritating.

Before you start anything though, you’re going to have to find out where the sticking is coming from. Because if you don’t know where the source is, you’re not going to be able to successfully repair it. Find out where it’s coming from and do this by opening and closing your door a few times. You could also try something like chalk – put some at the outer edges of the door, and then open and close, and where it’s rubbed will be where it’s sticking.

Is it the strike plate?

This could be where the source of the sticking is because it can become loose over weeks, months and years, preventing it from opening and closing smoothly. You may have to do some tightening or sanding things down as the door may not fit as well as it once did.

Another well known issue to cause sticking is when the door is sagging, and this can cause it to stick. It could be that it’s out of alignment because the hinges have become loose and this is one problem that’s easy to solve. Just tighten all the screws so the hinges are tight again and this should remedy the sticking door for you!

It might not be quite that simple, it could be that the door is sticking on the jamb. So, the hinges are nice and snugly fit, and the door is in perfect alignment, but somehow things aren’t as they should be. Perhaps it’s the jamb which is now pulling away from the door frame. You’ll need a drill to put this back in place and a screw if you have one. Drill a hole where it’s sticking on the jamb itself and then put the screw through the jamb so it goes into the frame and this should pull it tight.

Perhaps the door just doesn’t fit any more for different reasons and none of the solutions we’ve mentioned work. In which case if the door doesn’t fit the opening any more it could be because over time its changed shape due to humidity and swelling, or it could be slightly warped or cracked. If it’s a wooden door this is quite likely. What you can do in this case is mark the areas where it’s sticking and then take the door from its frame. Sand the surface of your door where you marked it, you can then reattach it. Do this more than once if it didn’t work the first time.

The Replacement Door Company – for quality internal and external doors.

Is your door beyond repair? You could try replacing it with one of our many high-quality doors. Here at The Replacement Door Company we have a wide selection of internal and external doors. Wood, uPVC, Composite and aluminium materials as well as a wide variety of patterns, styles and if you want glass you can have them with glass panes too. Don’t put up with an old sticking door if it’s beyond repair, replace it with a new one that will give you many years’ service from us here at The Replacement Door Company. Get in touch today.

The Benefits of French Doors

Why would you have French doors?

Well, there are lots of reasons. One being that they are supremely elegant and sophisticated, adding a certain style to your home. People are often put off by having French doors installed because they fear too much cold coming in and that they’ll lose a lot of heat, while others are concerned about security and that they could make it easier to break into their homes.

However, this doesn’t have to happen at all, not if you think it through first.

You can easily have security locks on your French doors and there’s a variety of good quality security locks with adjustable systems that will give you ample security and peace of mind. 

Another advantage of French doors is light.

They’re not just doors but windows too, big windows! All that extra glass will bring much needed light into a room, especially if it’s a room that doesn’t attract much light or sun. When the weather is warm simply opening the doors will give you much needed fresh air and open up nicely on to the garden decking or patio, it will also circulate some fresh air within your home too.

Also, in winter you can simply keep them locked shut. If you make sure your home is well insulated and heated French doors won’t reduce the warmth in your home in the winter months, they’ll allow light in, making the space much more cheerful during the gloomy weather. If it snows, just think of the beautiful landscape your doors open up onto you, safe from your snug little vantage point. You can watch nature respond to the snow from the comfort of inside your home.

French doors give great functionality allowing you an extra form of access into your home.

Additional access can take away the stress of everyone using the same entry points, and at the same time giving you a great entry point for any entertainment you might put on such as BBQs, or full on dinner parties outside. 

French doors are easy to open and close quickly, and this means they’re great for keeping the heat in. Being able to close the door quickly you stop air from escaping, and this is a lot harder with sliding doors due to the time it takes to close them fully. 

French doors last a long time – so you get that all-important longevity.

You can choose a thicker grade of glass that offers higher level of protection, which doesn’t stop you from choosing ones that are high on style as well as security. Timber doors are great, but you can have uPVC which is a great alternative if you’re on a tight budget. They’ll match a more modern home perfectly and look very much like traditional timber doors, so you get authenticity at a more reasonable price.

You can go for stylish additions such as decorative glass, different colours and finishes that will give a truly gorgeous touch of uniqueness to your French doors. uPVC doors are great for noise reduction, and they’re very secure as well as being efficient when it comes to energy and insulation. On both timber and uPVC, you can have them open inwards or outwards, it’s entirely up to you which ones you want to go with. 

The Replacement Door Company – for a versatile range of high-quality French doors.

Take a look around our website and get in touch if you have any questions about what we’ve discussed today. If you have difficulty choosing one, we’d be more than happy to go through your choices and the type of room you’re thinking of fitting them in, so you make an educated choice. Pick up the phone today!

Giving your doors the right care this winter

Winter can be brutal to the external part of your home especially at this time of year when there’s the familiar rain, wind and frost. It’s important therefore to give your doors the maintenance that will see them through the winter months and give you the kind of longevity you want from your external doors. As you can imagine, the right kind of maintenance can prolong the life of your doors, so by keeping up on repairs you get more out of your door in the long run. If your doors are beyond help, then why not browse through our extensive range of both external doors for a new one?

External Wooden Doors. As you can imagine wooden doors need a lot of care and attention.

They will have been treated prior to you buying your doors from us, but they will need ongoing maintenance and re-coating and refinishing at some point in the future. Always remember to clean and wash your door before external conditions start to erode the wood. Clean it thoroughly at least twice a year, just using a cloth lightly moistened in water, you can also use a soap to help rid your door of a build up of dirt but try not to use anything too abrasive. 

Has There Been Water Penetration?

Always check to see if there’s been any water penetration, which can be quite serious for wooden doors. You’ll need to really get that moisture out and once you’re done, fill up the hole and then seal it off and sand the area. If you’ve been doing repairs of this nature, you’ll need to finish off with a re-coat. Check to see whether the original finish was water or oil based.  

uPVC Front Doors.

The care your doors require if they’re uPVC is a little different to wooden doors. With uPVC Front Doors you’ll need to think about testing for alignment and also oiling the locks around twice a year. Examine the locks and bolts carefully for wear and tear, and spray some oil into the bits that move, you can also spray it into the keyholes. Wipe away any excess oil with a piece of tissue. Clean around the door with a damp cloth. 

Test the door for alignment.

Close the door and let it shut by itself and see whether it closes easily without rattling or slamming shut. Test the handle, bolts and rollers to see if they are at all stiff. If you need to use force for the bolt-work to operate effectively then it may mean that they are not properly aligned with the plate in the frame itself. If you feel it’s a real worry and you’re not sure what to do, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at The Replacement Door Company. 

Composite External Doors.

All you’ll need to clean your composite external doors is a cloth and a bucket of water. They’re really simple to take care of and this can be done by just washing down the door and the glasswork. Once you’re done, go over it with a dry cloth to take away any water stains. 

The Replacement Door Company – for quality doors.

If you have any queries about what we’ve talked about today, whether it’s composite external doors, uPVC doors, or external wooden doors, give us a call. If your doors are irreparably damaged beyond repair, take a look around our versatile range of both external and internal doors, and choose yourself a new one. We have doors for all budgets and tastes so don’t delay.

When Do Your Doors Need to Be Replaced?

Do you know when to replace your doors? Are you aware of the signs to look out for? In today’s post we’re going to be exploring the signs of when your doors need replacing so you’ll be well prepared. All our doors are made to last, so they shouldn’t need replacing for some time. However, if the doors on your house were there before you bought the property and are now a little past their sell by date, but you’re not sure whether they’re ready to be replaced, then this post is for you.

Stand and look at your door – what do you see?

One of the best and simplest ways to check whether your doors need replacing is simply to look at it. There are signs you can look out for such as light coming through the bottom of the door or at the sides. You can use candles and place them near the seals of the door and they should reveal any drafts. 

Is your door noisy?

If it’s starting to rust, then your door may be on its way out. Also, does it dent easily? That’s not a good sign because it’s likely that it’s not that hard to break into. As well as drafts coming through have you noticed any moisture seepage? It might not just be coming through the door but into the actual interior of the door itself. 

Struggling to open or close?

If it feels that opening and closing your door is like Mission Impossible, then it might be time to replace it. When it’s not functioning as it should and you’re struggling to get through and out of it then it either wasn’t installed properly or it’s shifted due to repeated exposure to the elements. It all leads to the same struggle every time whether you’re leaving or entering the property. 

Is your door warped or cracked?

Your door can take some rough treatment over the years. It may have been endlessly slammed and kicked and as well as that there’s the British weather which will have beaten it into submission. If you have a door that’s expanded and then contracted over and over again, it’s probably had quite an impact. This could allow moisture, heat and warmth to escape so keep an eye out for that.

The Replacement Door Company – for quality external composite doors, wooden front doors and external uPVC doors in a variety of different styles, colours and finishes

If you recognise these signs in your doors, then it’s likely it’s time now to replace them. Take a look around our site and see if one of our doors takes your fancy, then give us a call. We’ll be happy to talk you through your choices and once you’ve made a concrete decision about which one you want, or perhaps it’s more than one, you can get your door in place in time for the new year! New door, new you!

Are Domestic Fire Doors Necessary?

We believe Fire Doors are necessary because they can save lives. Your safety, and that of your family, is paramount, so don't be fooled into thinking it's something that won't affect you. Fire doors are one of the most successful ways of protecting your family from fire and can give you precious time to get out in time before a fire takes hold. 

Fire Doors Can Save Lives

By limiting how far the fire can travel it can give you and your family the time needed to escape and get the emergency services there to rescue you, even if you're still trapped within the house itself. It could also be the difference between your house becoming decimated by fire or surviving intact with minimal damage. A well-contained fire is one that can be handled safely by the fire service and this could save other people in surrounding properties as well as yourself. 

Worried that you'll have an ugly fire door in your home?

Well, don't because here at The Replacement Door Company we have some gorgeous designs. It won't be a conventional fire door that you'd see in a commercial building unless that’s what you’re looking for. They come in a variety of different styles and sizes so you'll be able to find something that fits right in with the theme, decor and style of your rooms. You can also match fire doors to existing interior doors so they all fit in, without looking odd and out of place. 

Where should you have fire doors?

Fire doors are a requirement in commercial buildings and you'll find the details about this in the British Building Regulations. If you're in a residential property and you're a landlord, then you'll need to have them in any property which has more than two levels or counts as a block of flats. There should be one near a kitchen, and anywhere where there's gas or electric appliances being used regularly. Ideally, a bedroom should have one too in case there's a fire while you're asleep.

Give yourself the chance to escape unharmed with a fire door

Fire doors really can give you and your family a fighting chance and can help you avoid fire and inhaling harmful smoke. You can also have fire doors with smoke and intumescent fire seals as this will help prevent any heat, smoke or flames from entering the rooms. If you're unsure of anything to do with fire doors and where you should locate them, you can speak to us here at The Replacement Door Company, or you can also get in touch with the Fire Department and get them to give your home a free assessment and tell you where the potential hazards are and where to put fire doors, they can also tell you about smoke and fire alarms if you don't have any already. 

The Replacement Door Company - for stylish fire doors for your home, commercial or residential property

Take a look around our website and find your perfect quality made fire door. If you're unsure of anything, give us a call and one of our team will be more than happy to discuss your needs and help you make an informed choice. Don't place your family, friends, workers or tenants in danger, have fire doors fitted and give yourself peace of mind. 

Choosing the Right Internal Door Colour

As well thinking about style and function when it comes to internal doors, you also need to think about colour. Colour is one of the most important aspects because one shade off and it could throw the whole theme and style of your room. We’ve discussed style and function before, but today we’re sticking with colour and some tips on choosing the right one of you.

Statement colours and picking up snatches of colour from your rooms

You can stick with timber shades of brown, however if you’re looking for something different then you can choose a statement colour, but make sure it matches everything in the room or at least mismatches in a good way. The colours will need to pick up at least something that’s currently in the room. Also there’s reason why, if you’ve got two doors opening on to a room, that they’re both in different colours. 

Pink, green and blue – be daring if you want

Pink is big in 2019 and possibly into 2020. Pale shades and coral too will be popular and emerald green and mint shades of green will work too. Think about turquoise blues with shades of aqua and marine or darker inky shades of blue.

Timber shades of brown

You can stick with traditional timber if that’s what you prefer, and dark oak is full of character and looks great opening on to a room full of lighter colours. Or you could try a lighter brown like pine or ash with a darker room. Hues are important and can have a dramatic impact. You want to make sure they both match so that there’s warmth in both room and door and the same if it’s colder hue.

Black, grey, neutral colours

Black or grey is good too and will match beautifully if you already have black going on in the room and you can also add one to a neutral white room too for a dramatic look. Neutral colours are not as difficult to match as colours are so you can mismatch them without fear of them clashing. Use the black or white shades to compliment strong colours within the room such as a vivid dark blue or shades of aqua green. 

The Replacement Door Company – for quality interior doors

If you’re thinking of changing your interior doors you couldn’t come to a better place than The Replacement Door Company. We’ve a wide variety of interior doors you can have as they are or paint to match your rooms, with a versatile range of styles and materials, you’ll be spoilt for choice – in a good way. Take a look around and if you have any questions give us a call.

Reasons to Invest in a Composite Door

If you’ve been hung up on timber doors for a long time (pardon the pun) then you need to start thinking about some of the advantages, and some of the perfectly good reasons why you should invest in composite doors. We love them and believe they are every bit as attractive, aesthetically pleasing and as practical as timber ones.

Composite doors, as you can imagine from the title, are doors which are made of many different materials and as a result create a strong and functional door. They also look pretty impressive; all those different materials are wrapped in a glossy surface which will give a really attractive touch to your home. The exterior of your home, if your doors are for the exterior, will look gorgeous and make your home look like its in perfect condition. It looks much like timber, even though the exterior surface is made of uPVC.

What’s more, your composite doors will give you first class thermal insulation with a dense foam core so heat cannot escape and cold cannot enter, and it also works in reverse, so when the summer’s hot, it’ll keep your home nice and cool. You’ll find that you can save as much money on energy bills as you would with doors made of wood.

Composite doors are also relatively maintenance free; you won’t have half the maintenance you’d have with timber; plus, all the treatments you have to apply if they’re external doors. Composite doors practically take care of themselves. All it really requires is the occasional wiping down with a damp cloth and this should be more than sufficient to get rid of stains and grease.

Because they’re so well made, they’re perfect as an external door. They’re resistant to bad weather and provide excellent security and protect against noise, so if you’re on a busy street you’ll be protected from the sounds of both cars and foot traffic.

If you’re looking for a made-to-measure door then you can easily have your composite door customised to suit your tastes and in a variety of different grains, colours and styles. They can match any home, regardless of whether they’re traditional older builds or newer more contemporary ones. Bespoke doors are never a problem with composite – you can design them in a unique way just like you can with timber, it’s just as versatile.

They’re also renowned for being extremely durable and can last anything up to 25 years so any investment on your part will be worth it over the long-term, you’ll easily get your money back on that, especially when you see how energy efficient they are!

The Replacement Door Company – for composite external and internal doors. If you’re looking for a bespoke door or one of our simple ready-made beautifully designed composite doors, we’re here to help. Talk to us about your ideas and if you decide after reading this post that composite might be for you, then we can help you choose the right type of door. Don’t settle for timber if you don’t have time for the maintenance it usually requires, choose composite and pick from any one of our quality, durable beautifully designed doors!

Benefits of White Internal Doors

Whatever your reasons you may have been reluctant to have white internal doors up until now. We’re going to talk to you today about some of the benefits of these types of doors. Rather than just sticking to brown or black, a white door can really add light and give the illusion of space to a room. Why stick with what you’ve always had when you could have something different and unique.

Timeless, modern, classic, white doors can be everything you want them to be.

White is as timeless as they come and can look every bit as contemporary as you want it to. Whether you have a modern or classic design for your door, you’ll have something that really looks good all the time, showing off your décor and furnishings beautifully. You can have a shaker door or something that’s cut just a little bit different for an ultra-modern feel. 

The complementary whiteness of a pure white door.

White doors can add such a light feel which we’ve already touched on as well as complementing any other colours in your room without taking over or taking the attention away. Try if you can to stick to the same white, don’t go for different whites throughout the house, cream or off-white will stick out, and this applies to your skirting boards too. 

White doors can be versatile and oh so stylish.

White doors are versatile, so that say for instance, you’re a landlord and you’re thinking of redecorating for your next tenant, the doors can be left alone because they’ll go with anything. You may want to give them a clean, but that’s about all they’re going to need.

You can keep things nice, simple and streamlined if that’s what you require.

Neutral colours are often the colour of choice for rented flats and houses so white is perfect if it has to be matched with magnolia and off-white walls. White internal doors can keep things nice and streamlined – leaving you to think about other aspects of the house rather than worry about the décor. 

Why not be adventurous in your choice of internal doors?

If you’re trying something more modern you can go for something a little more adventurous, with some unique door designs rather than a more minimal look. If you’re looking to make a statement, you can with a white door. You can have glass panels, curved groove designs cut into the door, you can have them as double doors rather than one single door and you do go for glass you could have it frosted or stained, it’s entirely up to you.

Traditional or contemporary – white internal doors always work.

Even something more traditional can still look good in white if it’s matched against a more classically decorated and furnished room. White is so versatile it’ll go with any style or colour. So, whether your rooms are more art deco than industrial minimalism then you’ll find that white internal doors can still work beautifully.

The Replacement Door Company – for your white internal doors.

If we have you convinced now of the benefits of white doors, why not get in touch once you’ve found something on your website that takes your fancy and get in touch, we’d love to hear from you and one of our dedicated team members will be more than happy to help you. Give us a call today!