Can I decide about installing an inner porch door later?

Jeepers_Creepers

The problem is your plan for having UFH and tiles.

Whatever side returns you have - wall or glass panel - really need attaching to the floor as well or else it'll be flappin'. How will you attach a later-fit side wall/frame to your tiled floor?

Normally it's screwed down, but you don't wanna do that. It could - I guess - be bonded with a powerful adhesive (I see no reason why not), BUT YOU NEED TO TALK THIS OVER WITH YOUR BUILDER TO ENSURE THEY ARE FULLY ON BOARD WITH YOUR PLANS

tallac

Jeepers_Creepers said:

The problem is your plan for having UFH and tiles.

Whatever side returns you have - wall or glass panel - really need attaching to the floor as well or else it'll be flappin'. How will you attach a later-fit side wall/frame to your tiled floor?

Normally it's screwed down, but you don't wanna do that. It could - I guess - be bonded with a powerful adhesive (I see no reason why not), BUT YOU NEED TO TALK THIS OVER WITH YOUR BUILDER TO ENSURE THEY ARE FULLY ON BOARD WITH YOUR PLANS

Sorry, I realise you mentioned about the builder but I forgot to mention on that. The builder I have is mostly useless when it comes to helping me plan and work things out. I didn't realise this was the case with the builder until much too late into the project. On the whole, they've done a good job but I've had to do a lot of the leg work with the planning. I can't complain too much as the cost of the builder kind of relates to the service. Anyway, I am where I am, and that is I haven't got a lot of confidence in the builder helping me to solve this problem. Which is why I'd rather do my own research and get a door company to come in to give me their professional help too.

Jeepers_Creepers

I hope someone else - an actual builder - will answer to suggest the best way forward.

I am a DIYer. Do you follow/understand the points I was making, tho'?

tallac

Jeepers_Creepers said:

I hope someone else - an actual builder - will answer to suggest the best way forward.

I am a DIYer. Do you follow/understand the points I was making, tho'?

I think I understand. The inner door wouldn't be able to be fixed to the ground in the normal way due to the tiling and the underfloor heating system. So any kind of screws or things going into the floor will be a big no no. However, the inner door isn't really needed for security as the external door will providing that, so I think fixing the inner door down to the floor with strong adhesive would be okay with me if that would work. It still has the brick work on the sides and the top to form a proper secure install. I'm hoping between all of this, it would be sturdy enough not to wobble at all under normal daily use.

Jeepers_Creepers

tallac said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

I hope someone else - an actual builder - will answer to suggest the best way forward.

I am a DIYer. Do you follow/understand the points I was making, tho'?

I think I understand. The inner door wouldn't be able to be fixed to the ground in the normal way due to the tiling and the underfloor heating system. So any kind of screws or things going into the floor will be a big no no. However, the inner door isn't really needed for security as the external door will providing that, so I think fixing the inner door down to the floor with strong adhesive would be okay with me if that would work. It still has the brick work on the sides and the top to form a proper secure install. I'm hoping between all of this, it would be sturdy enough not to wobble at all under normal daily use.

Yes, that's it - more clear than wot I said

It might also depend on the type of sub-floor for the tiling. Is your floor solid or suspended? Yes, bonding the frame shouldn't be an issue normally, but if it's a suspended floor (which is bound to have some flex in it) if movement is transferred to the tiled floor due to the door being slammed shut, for example, I wonder if there's a risk of cracking the grouting? That sort of stuff.

I don't know. That's why you need to talk it through with someone who does :-)

tallac

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Yes, that's it - more clear than wot I said

It might also depend on the type of sub-floor for the tiling. Is your floor solid or suspended? Yes, bonding the frame shouldn't be an issue normally, but if it's a suspended floor (which is bound to have some flex in it) if movement is transferred to the tiled floor due to the door being slammed shut, for example, I wonder if there's a risk of cracking the grouting? That sort of stuff.

I don't know. That's why you need to talk it through with someone who does :-)

That's awesome, thank you for your help and advice. The sub-floor is solid concrete so shouldn't be any flex at all. I think I got enough reassurance now that it's not a problem to do a door install 6 to 12 months down the road when finances allow.

The one annoying thing is, if we had both inner doors and outer doors for the porch then I'd want the inner doors to have privacy glass and the outer door to be clear. However, if there was just an outer door with no inner door then I'd want the outer door to have privacy glass. But I don't want the cost of changing glass so I'll have to use some stick on privacy film on the inside of the exterior door until I get the inner door installed.

Sistergold

tallac said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

The problem is your plan for having UFH and tiles.

Whatever side returns you have - wall or glass panel - really need attaching to the floor as well or else it'll be flappin'. How will you attach a later-fit side wall/frame to your tiled floor?

Normally it's screwed down, but you don't wanna do that. It could - I guess - be bonded with a powerful adhesive (I see no reason why not), BUT YOU NEED TO TALK THIS OVER WITH YOUR BUILDER TO ENSURE THEY ARE FULLY ON BOARD WITH YOUR PLANS

Sorry, I realise you mentioned about the builder but I forgot to mention on that. The builder I have is mostly useless when it comes to helping me plan and work things out. I didn't realise this was the case with the builder until much too late into the project. On the whole, they've done a good job but I've had to do a lot of the leg work with the planning. I can't complain too much as the cost of the builder kind of relates to the service. Anyway, I am where I am, and that is I haven't got a lot of confidence in the builder helping me to solve this problem. Which is why I'd rather do my own research and get a door company to come in to give me their professional help too.

If the builder is good but not good at advice I would expect it will be easier to just have the door fitted now rather than latter, you don’t want to mess up a nice floor and underfloor heating later just incase.