There are different door styles available depending upon the user’s preferences. Some doors are used for external entrances, while some are used for internal purposes.
All doors come with their own pros and cons depending upon their durability and material. They are basically divided into external doors and internal doors. Let us look at a few types of doors that can help you in deciding your suitable door type.
MOST POPULAR DOORS IN THE UK
- Composite Doors
- Fire Doors
- French Doors
- Bifolding Doors
- Panel Doors
- Aluminum Doors
- UPVC Doors
1. Composite Doors
A composite texture or item is obtained by combining a selected number of materials to make the new material a stronger one as compared to its components individually. A composite door is made from a combination of different materials like wood, glass-reinforced plastic, insulating foam, and uPVC to make the door stronger and durable.
Composite doors are very popular in the UK because of their beautiful and luxurious finish that lasts up to 30 years and more. Composite doors don’t fade and peel and crack often. They come in different door styles like modern, country and classic, elegant colors and glass and they do not require additional painting in the future too.
A high-quality composite door not only offers the highest level of security but is durable and weather-resistant too. Composite doors are combined with the benefits of several materials like insulating foam, wood, glass-reinforced plastic, and aluminum. If you are looking for enhanced security with low maintenance for your exterior door, then composite doors are the best investment.
Features:
- Thermally Efficient
- Long-Lasting
- Secure and Sturdy
- Low to no maintenance
- Hard-Wearing
Price Range - £200.00 - £1400.00
2. Fire Doors
A fire door comes with a fire protection system to prevent the spread of smoke and fire. Fire doors help to protect commercial and residential buildings from the spread of fire by trapping fire for a longer period of time. For ensuring safety measures, the maintenance and inspection of fire doors in buildings are done on a timely basis.
Fire doors are designed from materials varying in density for maintaining the integrity of the door. The British Woodworking Federation provides certifications for the ratings for FD30, FD60, FD90, and FD120, whose resistance limit ranges from 30 to 120. These doors are specifically tested from both sides to measure the stability and integrity of the door during the occurrence of fire.
Features:
- Durability
- Security
- Strength
- Minimizes property damage
Price Range - £200.00 - £3500.00
3. French Doors
French doors are suitable for both external as well as internal doors. These types of doors are also known as double doors in the UK. French doors are available in many materials and different door styles depending upon your preference. These doors open both outwards as well as inwards lasting up to 30-50 years. As French doors are primarily all-glass doors, they bring in a good amount of natural light.
The best part of using french types of interior doors is that these doors go with any type of furniture. The french doors tend to make any dull and less-spaced room look more lively and classy. Internal french doors are often found in the entryway between a dining room and kitchen or living room as these doors allow light to flow between the spaces.
Features:
- Energy efficient
- Elegant and classy look
- Durability
- ROI - Increases resale value
Price Range - £300.00 - £1500.00
4. Bi-folding Doors
Bi-folding doors are also known as room-dividers or sliding folding doors because they can fold both inwards and outwards depending upon the available space. These types of doors are suitable for both external and internal doors. These doors last up to 45 years.
Bi-folding doors are available in a variety of materials like aluminum, UPVC, and wood. These types of interior doors are constructed of panels that move along a single track, either left or right. These doors are often used to bridge the space between the garden and the living room.
Features:
- Takes up very little space
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Stylish look
- Easy to install and maintain
- Inexpensive
Price Range - £400.00 - £700.00
5. Panel Doors
Panel doors are a very common type of wooden door that is used as internal doors. These are the most common types of interior doors as they are very ancient and widely used for ages. They look elegant in any style of home. The panel doors are available in wide ranges depending upon the number of panels you wish to have on your door. These doors last up to 5 -8 years.
The more panels on your door, the more traditional look it gives to your door. Panel doors can be either glazed or unglazed. These doors come in various styles and designs. Panel doors are hard in nature and offer extra beauty to your home. There are lots of options available for panel doors like single panel door, double panel door, three-panel door, or even six-panel door.
Features:
- Hard and strong
- Soundproof
- Less maintenance
- Eco-friendly
Price Range - £100.00 - £2000.00
6. Aluminium Doors
Aluminum is both incredibly strong and relatively lightweight. Each pane of glass in an aluminum door is very slim, creating a sleek minimalist effect. It is also highly durable and requires less maintenance.
Aluminum doors are very easy to clean and require very low maintenance. Aluminum doors are the most expensive choice in the door market. These kinds of doors are often used for commercial properties and retail facilities. Aluminum doors have a lifespan of 45 years.
Being a metal, aluminum can be molded and customized according to your personal requirements. This gives you the advantage of customizing your door according to your choice. The tightness of this metal keeps the aluminum door houses warm even without using a heater or any other artificial source of energy.
Features:
- Warm and stylish
- Environment friendly
- Low maintenance
- Long life span
Price Range - £400.00 - £3500.00
7. UPVC Doors
UPVC stands for unplasticized polyvinyl chloride and is a stable and safe plastic material that has become very common as a building material for exterior doors because of its water resistance and recyclable nature. There were times when UPVC doors were the most preferred choice of external doors in the majority of homes.
When these doors were launched, they served as a great alternative to wooden doors because of their low prices. Not only are they cheap and low in cost, they are also weather-resistant and perfume well thermally. They do not look as classy as the other types of doors such as wood and composite doors in appearance.
UPVC doors consist of regular doors having aluminum panels instead of glass to create a decorative external door. These doors are safe and secured, largely thanks to having a highly secure multi-locking mechanism. UPVC doors last for about 35 years.
Features:
- Affordable
- Safe lock mechanism
- Weather-resistant
Price Range - £400.00 - £2500.00
CONCLUSION
There are different door styles to select from depending upon their texture, material, and design. Before investing in either an external door or an internal door, the following things are to be considered.
- Budget-friendly
- Longevity and durability
- Strong and secure
- Less to no maintenance
- Compatibility with existing furniture
FAQs
1. Do doors warp?
Proper care needs to be taken while trimming a door to fit and to ensure that exposed edges (if any) are sealed with a suitable paint or varnish. Failure to do so, could allow heat or moisture to enter the door and cause warping of the door.
2. Is a new external door worth it?
The truth is, an external door replacement is one of the most important and affordable investments you can make for your home. This wise investment will pay for itself in the upcoming years.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: SHABANA KAUSER
Shabana Kauser is the dynamic owner of Emerald Doors, the famous door-selling company in the UK with immense knowledge and experience in working with architecture, interior design, and home decor. She continues to share tips and technical know-how of balancing interior elements, door fittings, room aesthetics, and the like. Personally, she loves coffee, always dabbling with several blends.
