Plastic entrance doors to private houses are increasingly beginning to compete with metal ones. Modern technologies make it possible to make them no less reliable and durable, and if we add to these important advantages the best heat-saving and sound-insulating properties, the ability to adjust, non-corrosion and other advantages, it becomes clear why country property owners choose them. However, when purchasing both a metal and plastic door, it is easy to make a mistake and purchase a product of not the best quality.
Metal-plastic entrance group Source lorel-spb.ru
What types of plastic doors are there?
The main load-bearing part of the doors is a powerful steel frame located inside the structure and rigidly connected to an external plastic profile. They also produce plastic-aluminum and plastic-wooden entrance doors for private homes. As a rule, aluminum panels are fixed on the outside of the door leaf, and wooden panels on the inside.
Sectional view of a door made of wood and plastic Source 1okna.at.ua
A feature of any design is the presence of several air chambers inside the profile that retain heat. The more there are, the better the heat saving effect.
Such doors can be equipped with any locks - mechanical single- and multi-point, special anti-burglary, automatic.
Plastic door profiles can be given any shape - regular rectangular, arched, with a beveled top edge.
In addition to standard single-leaf doors, you can order double-leaf doors with the same or different widths of the doors, and the door can be built into a frame of double-glazed windows. Unlike plastic windows, double-leaf doors are made with a hinge - instead of a fixed vertical jumper between the sashes, they are equipped with a movable profile attached to the sash, which remains closed (passive) during normal operation. The active sash is equipped with a lock and handle; it can not only open, but also recline.
Double-leaf sliding door Source techkomplect.ru
The filling of the canvases can be transparent, opaque or a combination. Regardless of the type of filling, insulation of plastic doors is not required.
- The opaque filling is warm insert sandwich panels; additionally, overlay panels of various designs can be used.
- Transparent filling is a single- or double-glazed unit with triplex, mirror, tinted or embossed glass.
Additional thermal insulation is provided by rubber seals along the entire perimeter of the frame and box Source oknaking.ru
Installation features
The installation of a plastic entrance door with glass must be carried out with the utmost precision; this work should be entrusted to professionals.
Installation is carried out in several successive steps:
- The first step is to install the door frame.
- Specialists install vertically located load-bearing elements. After this, horizontal elements are attached to the vertical elements.
- The next step is glazing the canvas. Glazing is carried out only if the canvas is brought to the installation site disassembled - with the double-glazed window removed. The glass unit must be secured to the profile using a sealing compound, and then covered with a horizontal strip in the center of the panel. But, in most cases, the manufacturer delivers ready-to-install entrance doors with built-in double-glazed windows.
- Installation of fasteners. At this stage, the type of parts used matters:
- If there are hinges, the frame is first mounted, and then the sashes are attached to the hinges. The canvas is hung first on the lower hinges, then it is closed and the hinge at the top is secured with a pin;
- in the case of a rail-carriage mechanism, you need to install tracks;
- With a carousel system, it is necessary to install the shaft and install the blades.
- At the final stage, work is carried out to seal the door.
Advantages of plastic doors and their disadvantages
If you compare metal-plastic entrance doors for a private house with metal and wooden ones in terms of characteristics, you can find many differences. Some of them are better, others are worse, so when choosing a particular design, those that are most important for each home owner are compared.
Advantages
Perhaps the main advantage of plastic doors is their aesthetics and varied design. The vast majority of private houses are equipped with plastic windows, which, despite all their advantages, do not always look harmonious in an ensemble with an entrance door made of other materials.
This solution looks much more advantageous Source okna-magnit.ru
For reference! By ordering doors and windows as a set, you can save not only money at a decent discount, but also time searching for or ordering doors from another company.
In addition to the standard white profile, doors can be made of painted in any color or laminated, imitating different types of wood. And the internal filling can be continuous or divided by imposts (partitions) into segments of different sizes and shapes.
In addition to unique external parameters, plastic structures also have improved performance characteristics.
- They do not release heat, do not freeze, and condensation does not form on them.
Insulation for the entrance door is not needed; its functions are performed by the air chambers inside the profile and double-glazed window, seals that ensure tight pressing of the panel to the frame, and a “warm” threshold.
Profile for a warm threshold with a thermal break Source osnova.company
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in doors, windows and related work
- Allows sunlight to enter the hallway.
The hallway or vestibule usually has no windows and is artificially lit. Glazed doors solve this problem and visually expand the space.
- They isolate noise from the street well.
This is facilitated by a double sealing circuit with a multi-layer threshold, and the presence of several air chambers in which sounds are dampened.
- They serve for a very long time.
Entrance doors made of solid wood for a private home can swell and deform when the weather changes and the building shrinks. Metal ones are susceptible to corrosion. Both require regular repairs and renewal of the protective coating. This does not threaten plastic structures.
- They are easy to care for using regular detergents.
- The canvas is adjustable.
Any house, especially a new one, is subject to shrinkage, during which the doors may stop working properly due to misalignment with the frame. In metal-plastic structures, both hinges and locking fittings are easily adjustable, and the blade can be shifted both vertically and horizontally, as well as change the degree of pressure.
Methods for adjusting hinges Source lifehacker.ru
- You can install it yourself by removing the sashes and leveling the frames without unnecessary load.
On a note! Plastic has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, which could cause an increase in the dimensions of the canvas and problems with its entry into the frame. But the internal steel frame, fastened to the profile with self-tapping screws, does not allow it to change dimensions with temperature changes, eliminating this problem.
Aesthetic side
In addition to design features, it is also important to consider how it will look as a result. The colors, shape, presence or absence of glass inserts may differ - all this must be taken into account.
Arched option
Door without glass inserts
Glass inserts are the best way to get a more beautiful result, but at the same time make it more expensive. If you are limited on finances - or do not trust glass - it is quite possible to order without it. This solution will have the following advantages:
- lightness - glass adds additional weight, without it the mass decreases;
- low price - pure plastic is much cheaper;
- simplicity - no frills of design, which can sometimes look great.
This option lets in a lot of light
But there will also be disadvantages:
- simplicity - looking good in minimalism, in most styles it will look unattractive and uninteresting;
- low variety - most often single-color plastic structures are produced in white, since in this form they are most popular (they are placed in doors and offices).
Unusual opening option
To give it some aesthetics, if you are not satisfied with a smooth, even surface, you can use:
- embossing - as a rule, produces the simplest geometric patterns formed by differences in surface height;
- photo printing - allows you to cover the door with a special film that will give any color, any pattern, any design, even a night city or streams of rain;
- fake natural material - the same film allows you to imitate wood or stone quite passably.
Or you can leave it monochromatic, emphasizing its simplicity instead of hiding it - this can give an unexpectedly interesting effect.
In the style of minimalism, nothing superfluous
Advice If you are in doubt about whether to take a door without inserts, look at photographs with examples on the Internet and evaluate the impression they make.
Video description
The advantages of plastic entrance doors are described in this video:
Flaws
The main disadvantage of plastic structures is the instability of the outer surface to mechanical damage, the appearance of dents and scratches if used insufficiently carefully.
In addition, the PVC entrance door to a private house can be deformed under uneven load. For example, when blocking in the open position without disconnecting the closer, trying to close the door.
But the main problem is related to poor quality execution. During an external inspection of products, it is difficult to determine the thickness of the plastic and the reinforcing frame, and the strength of the connection of the internal elements. Therefore, you need to order them only from manufacturers with an impeccable reputation.
Non-standard opening and layout on glass
The construction of PVC profiles with glass is suitable for cottages with an unusual structure. In addition, you can find the color of the frame with the decoration of the package with a decorated layout. Choose an energy-saving glass package. The entrance structure must retain heat and not consume it.
What to look for when choosing
If you don’t want to think about how to insulate an iron door or protect a wooden one from rotting and drying out, consider installing a modern metal-plastic structure at the entrance to the house. To ensure that it is of high quality and meets all your requirements, when choosing, pay attention to the following points.
Design Features
The main structural elements of the front door are a plastic profile of frames and sashes and a steel reinforcing frame. It is better not to skimp on their quality and choose profiles from leading manufacturers with a well-known name. Only in this case can you be sure that they will be durable and reliable, and the coating will not lose its attractiveness.
The most important criterion is the thickness of the door profile, which should be greater than that of the window profile, since plastic entrance doors for a private home experience much greater loads than window sashes.
- The minimum thickness is 70 mm; such doors are installed as backup doors in the vestibule or at the exit to a closed veranda.
- The profile of the door facing the façade of the house must be at least 90 mm.
Profiles come in different thicknesses and with different numbers of chambers Source atlantik74.ru
The number of air chambers is of great importance for heat and sound insulation, of which there should be at least five in the profile of the front door.
Strength, rigidity and reliability of the structure are ensured by the internal steel frame. The thickness of the steel used to reinforce the entrance doors must be at least 2 mm, and the frame itself must have a closed rectangular or square cross-section. Some manufacturers use L-shaped or U-shaped reinforcement to reduce costs. It is difficult to verify this, which is why confidence in the good reputation of the seller is necessary.
Closed reinforcement of PVC profile Source valenteshop.ru
Equipment
The degree of performance and burglary resistance that a plastic door to a private home will have depends on the quality and functionality of the fittings and locks. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the type, quantity and adjustment capabilities of door hinges, and choose suitable locking mechanisms.
Colors
The style and character of the room determines the color scheme of all furnishings in the rooms or building, this also applies to doors. Since plastic is easy to paint, the possibility of making doors of different colors will not raise any doubts.
Doors in this regard may have the following characteristics:
- The glossy surface of the door can have the desired shade, it all depends on the desired effect.
- A matte finish will add a resemblance to rubber and make the color softer and warmer.
- The ability to add texture and any color can create the effect of wood, stone, metal or other material.
Briefly about the main thing
With the advent of modern metal-plastic profiles for the manufacture of sealed door and window blocks, there is no longer a need to think about how to insulate a metal entrance door or maintain a wooden door in good condition. Plastic structures do not have many of the disadvantages of their steel and wooden counterparts - they perfectly insulate heat and noise, are adjustable if necessary, are characterized by a long service life and ease of maintenance, and a huge number of design solutions. But all their advantages appear only if they are manufactured with high quality and installed correctly.
Recommendations for increasing service life
Use only light detergents; options for washing acrylic bathtubs, dishes and the like work well.
Pay attention to how tightly the door is pressed against the frame. The stronger it is, the longer it will last.
Plastic doors need adjustment.
Care Tips
Let's look at this point in more detail. Many people probably remember how, as a child, they had to paint windows and interior doors every summer. And the paint in those years had a smell that was difficult to remove. It was necessary to update the appearance of the metal entrance door.
Plastic has recently come to replace metal and wood. But even over these two decades, the buyer has already appreciated the fact that nothing needs to be painted.
- No, of course, a plastic door can be painted at home, if the need arises. Water-dispersion or acrylic paints are suitable for this. In this case, you can choose any color, as long as it matches the interior.
- But in most cases, it is enough to simply remove dust from the surface or wash it. Plastic does not absorb moisture, so you can safely take a rag and use a cleaning agent.
- There are brave souls who laminate plastic products at home. This is the process of applying film to windows or doors. In this case, you can choose a color film or a film with a pattern. But still, painting and lamination should be carried out in extreme cases.
Door locks
It is impossible to fully consider all the nuances of installing locks due to the large number of their varieties. Each model has its own individual characteristics, which affects its installation and further operation, but there are basic rules recommended for compliance:
The lock must match the door
A fragile door leaf or lock (even two), made of unknown materials, will equally be a weak link in the protective properties of the entire structure, a tasty treat for a burglar.
Type of lock and need for a latch
An apartment door requires a mortise lock, the mechanism of which is placed inside the door leaf. Mounted or overhead analogues are not reliable and their use should be abandoned immediately. The latch greatly simplifies the operation of a modern door, and in particular its locking. If there is no latch, then in order to turn the lock, the door leaf will have to be pulled or pushed.
Number of locks
Two issues are taken into account here - safety and prudence. In the first case, we take into account the fact that two locks mean double work for a burglar - two sets of different tools, twice the time required to open them, and, accordingly, increased chances of getting caught in the red. The second reason is a banal reinsurance - if one of the locks breaks, then it can be slowly repaired or replaced, using the other one at the same time.
Lock type
If you install two locking mechanisms, then there is no point in purchasing the same types of them - if a thief knows how to open locks of a certain design, then the loss of time will be insignificant for him. For this reason, it is recommended to install mechanisms of different designs - cylinder and lever.
The cylindrical one is considered more difficult to open intelligently - its secret part consists of many so-called pins. In order for the lock to turn, they must be placed in a certain order. The disadvantage of a cylinder lock is its relative fragility and location - the secret mechanism “looks out” beyond the door leaf, which is why you can simply try to knock it out.
The lever lock consists of thick plates called levers - hence its name. It is easier to open such a lock, but it is much more difficult to break into it, since its mechanism is completely hidden in the thickness of the door.
Design
Modern doors made of metal-plastic are widely used both in administrative and commercial buildings, as well as in country and apartment buildings. There is a simple explanation for this - they are not only functional and practical, but also suitable for most design projects.
Plastic goes well with brick, concrete, stone and even wood. The main thing is to remember the color ratio.
White plastic in wooden structures looks unattractive. Accessories play an important role in the design of a room. Even if it is a small room, you can always decorate it correctly.
Kinds
By type of construction they are divided into:
- Foldable. They have the shortest service life.
- Sliding.
- Swinging open. The most popular models.
- Depending on the door leaf. Has many options. There are models entirely made of plastic, and some with various inserts.
Also divided into:
- Single leaf.
- Bivalve.
Materials
For quite some time now, the debate has not subsided which is better - veneer or plastic. Proponents of the first claim that wood is an environmentally friendly material. Supporters of the second turn this plus into a minus.
Indeed, precisely because of their natural origin, such products must be carefully looked after, treated annually against pests and painted.
But when using a colored PVC profile, you can achieve not only the desired result indoors, but also forget about painting like a bad dream. At the same time, the façade of the building can also be painted in any color. As a rule, if it is an apartment building, then a universal white profile is used.
In order to at least partially resolve this dispute, designers, together with manufacturers, recently presented a special version, which uses white plastic on the outside and MDF lamination on the inside.
This product is not afraid of either rain or ultraviolet radiation, and in the room you get the feeling that the door is made entirely of wood.
When the customer does not need to hide the room from prying eyes, he prefers all-glass plastic doors. Although they cost a little more, transparency is guaranteed.
In the opposite situation, experts recommend installing a technical product (with a complete replacement of glass with a sandwich panel). In this case, in addition to solving the problem, it is also possible to save money.
Remember that if careless installers are too lazy to tear off the special protective film after installing the plastic product, you need to do this yourself.
And preferably within a month, otherwise the film may completely ruin the appearance of the window or door. This is especially noticeable on large structures.
Balcony
The balcony door is an important part of the room and interior. Characterized by the lightest weight. A profile similar to a window profile is used. Keep in mind that the handles for opening and closing the door are located only on the side of the room.
Pros:
- long service life;
- many options for color, design, texture, etc.
- ease of use;
- look good with plastic windows;
- many opening and closing functions, there are modes for ventilation, windows and many others;
- increases the degree of natural sanctification;
- retains heat.
Minuses:
Opens only indoors. This will have to be taken into account when arranging furniture.
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