New Composite Front Door advice

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RajaStyle
RajaStyle Posts: 353 Forumite
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in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
Hi All

Buying a new front door for the first time and just looking for some advice.

Any tips ? questions to ask ? are they all the same ? What best to look out for or get so lasts a good length of time.

Just general advise. Some people mentioned Rockdoors as being the best but even they have bad reviews when you google them ... so a bit confused on how to go about getting something decent and at a fair price.

Thanks in advance
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  • Lizabeth21
    Lizabeth21 Posts: 161 Forumite
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    I have two composite doors- my front door looks like new my back door is faded (both are navy) - I didn't know to ask (my back door faces south with no porch and front faces west(ish)) about fading. Also when in strong sunlight (heat) will they warp? (Front door hasn't but back door has). Neither of these may be an issue for you. If I ever did replace my back for it would go back to white!
  • RajaStyle
    RajaStyle Posts: 353 Forumite
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    Lizabeth21 wrote: »
    I have two composite doors- my front door looks like new my back door is faded (both are navy) - I didn't know to ask (my back door faces south with no porch and front faces west(ish)) about fading. Also when in strong sunlight (heat) will they warp? (Front door hasn't but back door has). Neither of these may be an issue for you. If I ever did replace my back for it would go back to white!

    Did you get any warranty ? Or does that not cover warping ?

    What would be a good light colour besides white do you think ?
  • Furts
    Furts Posts: 4,474 Forumite
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    My composite front door is a red DoorStop. It has faded. Endless issues over quality, but that is the norm for composite doors. The general quality of composite doors is dire. There is not a make I would recommend as better than others. Which is why I ended up with a DoorStop - cheap!

    A well measured, well fitted, door treated with care and great respect, with an adequate porch protection that is not subject to direct sun or heat should last the course for most consumers. White would be the best colour here.

    Beware of all the nonsense printed about draft stripping and security. Look carefully at the gaps, at the lock quality, at the glazing cassette detail and fitting, and at the general construction and you will quickly see the issues here.
  • Lizabeth21
    Lizabeth21 Posts: 161 Forumite
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    Yes we did get 10 year warranty (out of warranty now) unfortunately like many local company's it folded leaving the warranty worthless. However my front door I'm very pleased with but as stated it is protected from the elements though it is open to them. The doors cost 1k each
  • SplanK
    SplanK Posts: 1,152 Forumite
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    I had 2 Rockdoor ultimate doors fitted last year. Not a single problem with them.



    Rear is white/white with larger upper window. Fully exposed
    Front is white inner and dark grey outer under a storm porch and gets some evening direct sun.

    Not as expensive as I thought they were going to be either, IIRC they were around £850 per door fitted. Shop around. For exactly the same door, some places were quoting £1500!


    With doors, not only does the quality of the door count, but the installation. A bad install of any door will give you problems.
  • thebaldwindowfitter
    thebaldwindowfitter Posts: 1,532 Forumite
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    Most of the doors which Furts is refering to as being the same are made with Nan ya slabs imported from china ie door stops etc whereas Rockdoor Solidor and Apeer are more bespoke you pay for what you get .We install Rockdoor and have done for may years .A lot of problems do come down to instalation on all doors blue doors do have problems especially if prone to low direct sun at any point during the day .It is always advisable to fully engage the lock as much as possible this keeps the door in line with the frame rather than the seals pushing the door away from the frame when left only on the central latch .Incidently we fitted the doors for Splank
    if you think peoples advice is helpfull please take the time to clicking the thank you button it gives great satisfaction
  • RajaStyle
    RajaStyle Posts: 353 Forumite
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    Splank / Bald the Rockdoor ultimate were £850 fitted ? Which area was this ?
  • TheCyclingProgrammer
    TheCyclingProgrammer Posts: 3,702 Forumite
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    I’ve got two Door Stop doors. Our back door has had relatively few issues, aside from some movement in the first month.

    Our front door has been an ongoing saga of both fitter and manufacturer issues. We’ve had one replacement frame and two replacement slabs to date as well as several glass replacements. Quality control issues include scratches on glazing, a snapped weld on the frame, a greasy stain on the first replacement slab and leaking glazing (front AND back door) caused by the glazing wedges not being sufficiently tight.

    Fitter issues have included bodging trying to fix the leaking glazing with silicone leading to the first replacement slab as they couldn’t remove the black silicone, bowing frame on the front door causing the hooks to foul on the keeps, fitting the replacement frame badly so the bottom corner sticks out about 5mm on the outside, requiring an unsightly amount of silicone outside and a gap between the frame and our skirting that needed filling, badly refitting the internal beading after tightening the glazing wedges on our back door and not siliconing then causing them to come away from the door.

    I would not recommend Door Stop, nor our fitters Front Door/Door Store Essex (in Basildon) who now seem uninterested in fixing any issues with our door (the last time I spoke to them I was told somebody would come out and they never did, I had to fix the issue myself).

    What I WOULD recommend is the Yale Keyfree lock which I had fitted to our front door. It’s so convenient. I’m considering getting one of their other smart locks for the back door.
  • thebaldwindowfitter
    thebaldwindowfitter Posts: 1,532 Forumite
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    Lancashire area
    if you think peoples advice is helpfull please take the time to clicking the thank you button it gives great satisfaction
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 6,964 Forumite
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    I suggest getting a steel door, am very happy with mine. Expensive though, but I don't plan to ever sell this house so expect it to outlast me.
    Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 2023
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