It is important that the entrance doors perform three important functions: they have an attractive appearance, sound and heat insulation, are reliable and protect the owner of the apartment from uninvited intrusion. Under the guise of an expensive and high-quality front door, you can be sold a Chinese fake filled with corrugated cardboard. To prevent this from happening, we will learn to distinguish a reliable door from a cheap counterpart, we will understand in detail all the intricacies of choosing a canvas and accessories.

Material, steel thickness and coating - choose reliable and durable armor

As the main material for the manufacture of entrance doors, wood, tin and sheet steel are used. Let's start with the tree. As a rule, pine is used for the production of such a door. This option belongs to the economy class. The entrance door made of soft wood is not able to withstand a serious load, and it is easily hacked. This option, as they say, is for risky people, most often wooden entrance doors are purchased for a summer residence.

Tin doors also cannot be called durable. Outwardly, they resemble iron doors, but this is only an external impression. In practice, this door is soft and fragile. With slight pressure, dents appear on it. Cutting a lock off a tin door is easy enough using a sharp kitchen or can opener. Instead of an insulating material inside, the door is filled with corrugated canton, which explains the easy entry and movement of the knife.

Therefore, if you really care about reliability, we advise you to purchase entrance doors made of alloyed or manganese steel. They are divided into three main types:

1. 1. DC-1 - consists of 1 sheet of steel with a thickness of 1.8 mm, is built up by 3 stiffeners, among the shortcomings - it has poor heat and sound insulation.
2. 2. DS-2 - represented by two sheets of steel with a thickness of 1.5 and 1.8 mm, also has 3 stiffeners. Equipped with three anti-leaf locks. When you try to remove the door from the hinges, a beam leaves the end part, which completely blocks the system.
3. 3. DS-3 - consists of three sheets of steel, has 4 stiffeners and is equipped with a more advanced crossbar protection system to the side and up. The locks are protected by special plates that prevent them from being drilled out.

Separately, I would like to talk about the thickness of the steel sheet. It must be at least 1 mm, otherwise it is tin, not metal. Indicator - the thickness should vary from 1 to 2 mm. In more expensive models, this is indicative of 3 to 6 mm. However, the thickness of the steel also affects its weight, which means that the load on the door frame and lock also increases, and the door sags over time. Therefore, the optimal indicator for an apartment is a thickness of 1.5–1.8 m. A good door should weigh from 90 to 120 kg, the total thickness of the leaf should be at least 50 mm.

Stiffeners also affect the quality characteristics of the door. In reliable doors there should be at least three of them - two horizontal and one vertical. More expensive models are equipped with 6 stiffeners - two vertical and four horizontal. In this case, the rule works: the more - the better. It is not worth buying models with less than three ribs and oriented only in one direction, for example, vertically.

Now let's separately dwell on the anti-vandal coating. Such a door is covered with hammer paint, which is pre-baked in a special oven. The durable structure that the coating acquires allows it to withstand temperature extremes and precipitation. The paint does not swell and does not fade in the sun. In addition, scratches do not remain on it, so a door with an anti-vandal coating is most often installed in a house where there is a dog, cat or small children, whose playful little hands strive to scratch them.

The door frame also plays an important role in. It comes in single and double. Experts recommend installing the second version of the box, which covers the opening on both sides. A double box is much more reliable and, unlike a single box, it is quite problematic to squeeze it out. The optimal width of the door frame is 120 mm.

Insulating materials of the door leaf - we protect housing from cold and noise

An equally important indicator of a modern front door is 100% protection against drafts and noise. Previously, two doors were installed to achieve this goal. The first, iron, played a protective role, and the second, wooden, prevented the penetration of cold. Today, one door can fulfill these two roles, thanks to the presence of the following materials.

A rubber seal is located along the contour of the door leaf. In modern models, one or even three sealant circuits can be found. A large number of circuits does not indicate increased insulating properties. In this case, it is not the number of contours that plays, but the quality. The use of a high-quality rubber seal and a properly adjusted canvas guarantees complete isolation from drafts. Experts recommend purchasing a dual-circuit sealant. It provides a secure fit, retains heat longer and absorbs extraneous sounds better.

door insulation

The rubber seal plays only an auxiliary role in reliable insulation, and the internal filler takes on the main role. Cheaper models use non-combustible mineral wool or slab, polystyrene. The series of the expensive segment are represented by polyurethane foam insulation.

Did you know that polyurethane foam 1 cm thick is equal to 30 cm of brickwork in terms of thermal insulation properties. The combination with MDF panels and solid wood increases the insulating properties of the material even more.

However, no matter how high-quality and expensive the insulation is, it will not be able to fully show its characteristics if the mounting seams between the door frame and the leaf are partially filled. Therefore, the sealing of the seams should be given special attention and do not spare the mounting foam.

Door lock - what should be a reliable deadbolt?

Whatever systems the craftsmen come up with, the thief will still find a way to break the lock. Here the matter is different: how long it will take him to pick the lock. The main goal of the thief is to do everything quickly and silently. Therefore, he, first of all, focuses on old-style and economy-class doors with flimsy locks. Removing the lock should take no more than 1-2 minutes. A longer invasion attracts a lot of attention. Therefore, the role of modern locks is to complicate the method and time of breaking in order to distract the attacker from any attempts to get inside. Crab locks are considered the most reliable. Its design provides blocking in four directions, locking the latches not only from the side of the lock, but also from the canopies above and below.

Here are the main types of locks and their requirements that can be found in modern doors:

• lever-type bolt - for reliable protection, its crossbars should protrude at least 30-40 mm;
• a cross-shaped cylindrical lock is considered unreliable, except if it is made of armored steel Ts-85;
• cylindrical pin lock (Euro cylinder) must be equipped with hardened steel protective plates that prevent drilling;
• Finnish or cylinder disc lock - the most unreliable;
• cylinder, English lock - also unreliable;
• middle-class disk lock has a protective lining, is made of denser steel, equipped with a key with a large number of serifs, recommended by experts.

For greater security, doors should be equipped with two or more locks. This will increase the labor intensity of the work and the time for hacking, attracting attention. In addition, these locks should be of different types. One of them should be more difficult, the second (additional) should be easier. In the Russian market, reliable locking mechanisms include products from Italian manufacturers Mottura, Cisa, more budgetary Turkish versions of Kale and Russian ones - Guardian.

In addition to a reliable lock, it is important to have additional means of protection - a manganese plate and an armor plate. It is these two elements that protect the lock from drilling. However, the armor plates will not be valid if a cheap thin-walled Chinese analogue is installed instead of the original part with a steel thickness of 3 mm or more. Such an armor plate is a dummy, which obviously will not save your apartment from burglary. When choosing an entrance door, also pay attention to the fastening of the lock. A high-quality lock is fixed both from the front and the front side. If the lock is fixed only from the end, breaking it out is not a problem.

An innovation among locking mechanisms for entrance doors is biometric locks. They are suitable for the "smart home" system, they open according to the programmed fingerprints of the owners of the house. The system also allows you to program an alarm signal that is sent to the security console in case of an attempt to enter the house by unauthorized persons. Compared to other locks, such a system is quite expensive, but the high price hides high reliability, which must be taken into account.

Burglary resistance - which class to choose for home protection?

The quality of the entrance door is also determined by the burglary resistance class. There are 13 classes in total. However, in residential premises, the class of even the most expensive doors rarely exceeds class 4. The remaining classes are used for premises where special security is required - banks, money vaults and other critical facilities. Here are the first four classes:

• 1 class – doors are the most at risk and are easy to open with any standard manual and electric burglary devices ;
• Grade 2 – open with electric tools;
• 3rd grade – for hacking, tools with a power of more than 500 W are used;
• Grade 4 - bulletproof doors, the most difficult to crack.

To make sure that the class declared by the seller is true, ask him for a certificate. The sale of an expensive armored door should not be lower than the third, but better than the fourth class. If you want to install a reliable door, do not spare the money and purchase an entrance door of the 4th class of burglary resistance. It is not easy to open such a door, so it is unlikely that a thief will dare to do it. You will have to use many items: a drill, a hammer, a chisel, an ax, etc. All this creates increased noise, attracts attention.

Also, do not forget that the class of burglary resistance of the door leaf must correspond to the class of the lock. Otherwise, if you installed a door of class 3 or 4, and a lock of the first, you can forget about reliability. Attackers will hack it in no time.

Open and hidden loops - which is better?

Simple and unreliable entrance door hinges - cylindrical type. For attackers, the presence of such loops is a tidbit that is easy to cut with a grinder or break with a crowbar. Hidden analogues help to get rid of the problem of cutting loops. A thief cannot access them, but in most models this mount is flimsy and weak enough to withstand stress and shock. If you still decide to purchase doors with hidden hinges, pay attention to the thickness of the metal of the hinges and the presence of a rigid attachment to the box. If the metal of the hinges is thin, you should not purchase such doors.

The solution to the problem of cutting loops, both open and closed, is the presence of anti-removable pins (anti-cuts) from the end of the canopies. When closed, they fit tightly into the door frame and prevent it from being removed from the hinges. Even if the thief manages to remove the hinges, the locking of the anti-removal pins will not allow him to open the door. In order for the lock to be reliable, the length of the pin must be at least 3 cm, and their number varies from 2 to 5. In addition to good protective properties, door hinges must withstand the weight of the leaf and not deform, evenly distribute the load, for which 3–4 hinges are installed.

Additional fittings - peephole, handle, lighting

Locks and hinges are not the only accessories that you should pay attention to during the purchase. Also look at the additional details of the product, for example, a peephole. The main task of this part is to provide a wide viewing angle. A modern peephole can be:

1. 1. Panoramic with 360° viewing angle;
2. 2. periscopic, when the eyepiece and objective are at different heights;
3. 3. bulletproof;
4. 4. electronic, which has a webcam system and a video intercom.

The latest model with a webcam allows you to take pictures and save images on the screen from the outside of the door. This is quite convenient, especially if you suspect hacking and other situations. Some entrance locks already have a bell installed, which saves time and effort on installing a new lock on the wall. Illumination of the lock is a useful thing that will become an additional plus when choosing a door, especially if it is constantly dark in the entrance in the evenings.

Don't forget about the doorknob. In addition to an attractive appearance, it must also meet all quality standards. Do not jam and be made of material resistant to abrasion and stress. Among the reliable door handles, the fittings of Italian and German manufacturers have proven themselves well, which you just want to put on your door.

The nuances of choosing an entrance door: choose, but check

Any dwelling begins with the entrance, so the appearance and reliability of the front door immediately set the general tone and can tell a lot about the owners. When choosing a door, everyone wants to solve two, at first glance, opposite tasks: to attract respectful glances from neighbors and to frighten intruders. And it is quite possible!

Our benchmarks in the real sea of ​​entrance doors that the modern market offers will be the words "reliability" and "relevance": in addition to the quality of construction and finish, it is important that the chosen door meets the conditions of its operation.

Differences of entrance doors: not a single cladding

Let's forget about the design of the door for a moment and consider the problem based on the functional and technical characteristics of the product.

To choose the right door, you need to know what is hidden under the facing panels and other finishes. So, the entrance doors are different:

• By material. The most traditional are wooden doors. Currently, they are purchased either as a temporary or summer option, if they are made of ordinary wood species, or for premium private houses - if we are talking about solid wood of noble species. Wooden doors have been preserved in many apartments in old houses, but at the first opportunity they are now trying to replace them with metal ones, which are the undoubted leaders in the entrance door market. There are also impact-resistant plastic entrance doors reinforced with metal inserts. It makes sense to install them in protected areas, where the probability of intruders appearing is quite low, or in houses with common sections for two or three apartments. Then a metal door is placed in the vestibule, and a plastic one can be installed in the apartment. Safety glass doors are typically installed at the entrance to a secure residential or commercial building.

Among wooden doors, oak is considered to be the strongest and most durable. However, the longevity record belongs to doors made of sycamore (German maple) found during excavations in Switzerland - they are more than five thousand years old, but they are perfectly preserved.

• By appointment. First of all, it is worth distinguishing between temporary and permanent doors. If you are building or renovating, it makes sense to put a wooden or thin metal door until you get around to installing a permanent one. The latter must withstand external shock loads, be non-combustible, and reliably provide heat and sound insulation. Depending on the specifics of the building or premises, one of these qualities may be more important than others. In accordance with the functional features, shockproof, armored, soundproof, fire (technical) entrance doors are distinguished. By appointment, entrance doors can be for residential or commercial premises, external (at the entrance to the building) or internal (at the entrance to individual apartments, offices, floors, vestibules).
• Opening method. Basically, hinged doors are used at the entrance to a building, apartment or office, but sometimes you can also see sliding doors - as a rule, these are glass entrance doors to office and shopping centers. According to the location of the hinges, the doors are divided into left-handed and right-handed, into rooms that open inside or outside.
• By the number of leaves. The most common are single-leaf doors, but sometimes the geometry of the doorway involves the installation of double-leaf or semi-leaf doors. A half-leaf door consists of an ordinary single-leaf door and a fixed narrow part that fills the remainder of the doorway. Such doors can be seen at the entrances to the entrances and in the vestibules of residential buildings.
• The shape of the opening. Standard doors have a rectangular shape, there are also arched ones - with a semicircular extension upwards. This is a matter of purely aesthetic preferences and design: sometimes a rectangular opening is increased to an arched one, and sometimes vice versa - an arched one is aligned to a rectangular one.
• According to the degree of resistance to opening. For residential premises, doors of the 1st-4th burglary resistance classes are used, and there are 13 of them in total. The higher the burglary resistance class, the more expensive the door, so when choosing it is worth observing a reasonable measure. Doors, starting from the 5th class of resistance to breaking, are installed in special rooms, for example, in bank vaults.

The established stereotypes about the unequivocal superiority of European-made doors over Russian and Chinese ones should be taken critically. The fact is that the products of each country have their own strengths and weaknesses. So, European doors are prestigious and technologically advanced, Russian doors are optimal in terms of price-quality ratio, Chinese doors are ideal for temporary use or summer cottages.

For houses and apartments, swing single-leaf metal entrance doors are currently predominantly chosen. Let's take a closer look at the features of their design.

The main structural elements of the front door

The reliability of the entrance metal door depends on the characteristics of the door frame and leaf, hinges, locks and fittings.

door frame

This is a frame made of metal profile, which is installed in the doorway. It is on it that the door hinges are attached, and on them, in turn, the door leaf is hung. The door frame carries a large load, so the thickness of the steel in its metal profile is greater than in the frame of the door leaf. In modern models of door frames, a protected cavity is often made for the tongues of the lock and anti-burglary pins, crossbars, which complicate the opening of the door, even if part of the wall has been knocked out by intruders.

Door leaf

• Steel cladding and stiffeners. The door leaf consists of a metal frame reinforced with stiffeners and lined with steel sheets. Inexpensive Chinese doors, which are often set as temporary, are a frame made of a corner and metal sheets up to 1.2 mm thick. A reliable steel door is made of a stamped or rolled profile, the thickness of its skin is from 1.2 mm. European technologies involve the manufacture of doors from thinner steel sheets than Russian ones.
• Filler. A hollow steel door easily conducts sounds and does not protect from the cold, so the space between the steel sheets is filled with mineral wool, polystyrene foam, rigid polyurethane, non-combustible mineral wool board.

accessories

• Loops. Ideally, they should not only support the weight of the door, but also be adjustable so that the structure does not warp. The most reliable, but also the most expensive - hidden adjustable hinges made of steel. They differ from traditional loops in that they are almost impossible to cut. One such hinge costs an average of 2,000 rubles or more, which is an order of magnitude higher than the cost of a conventional door hinge. Mounting hinges with adjustment will also be more expensive. However, the reliability and smooth running of the door when opening and closing are sufficient arguments in favor of hidden hinges for many.
• Doorhandle. It must be durable and combined with the fittings as a whole. For example, if you are installing brass hinges, it would be logical to choose a handle from the same material.
• Peephole. It can be cut into the door to the height you specify or be installed immediately at the standard level. The viewing angle is typically 180°. Keep in mind that the peephole should be selected not only for the appearance, but also for the thickness of the door.

Locks

A pair of locking mechanisms - lever and cylinder - has already become a classic of protecting the door from burglary. It is important that all family members feel comfortable using both locks. Everyone is familiar with the situation when only one of the two locks is used in practice, since the second turned out to be inconvenient.

Manganese armor plates can be additionally placed on the door in the area of ​​the locking mechanisms so that the lock cannot be drilled out or knocked out. On door structures of the 2nd-3rd classes of burglary resistance, such overlays are installed by default.

When choosing locks and accessories for a door, be guided by the principle of price matching: it makes no sense to hang a cheap door on expensive hinges and vice versa. An expensive lock on a door made of thin steel can easily be cut out by intruders, and a cheap one can be opened with any thickness of steel. Such discrepancies are sometimes involuntarily evident.

How to choose an entrance door?

First of all, it is necessary to build on the conditions in which the door will be operated. If you live in an apartment without a vestibule, and access to the entrance is not limited, you will need a powerful steel door with anti-removable hinges. The same can be said about the door to the entrance itself. Finishing the door to the apartment in this case is secondary - as a rule, they are limited to powder (hammer) enamel. You can make a choice in favor of inexpensive leatherette upholstery. However, such a coating is not very aesthetically pleasing and is not protected from vandalism. The presence of a tambour door somewhat expands the choice of possible decorative finishes, and also allows homeowners to pay more attention to door soundproofing, handle design and other properties.

Paint is an inexpensive quality coating of steel doors that many people find boring. However, steel cladding can be made with decorative reliefs, it does not have to look like a smooth sheet. Powder paint is sometimes called hammer enamel. It is baked after application in special industrial chambers, forming a relief. A variety of textures will help you choose a budget door to your liking. In addition, powder enamel is almost not subject to mechanical and chemical damage.

For a summer residence, an inexpensive wooden or metal door without decor is suitable. In this case, you should be guided by common sense so as not to get into a ridiculous situation when the door becomes the main object of intruders. If your dacha or private house is located in a gated community, you can pay more attention to the decor when choosing a door. In prestigious cottage settlements with professional security, the front door often performs exclusively aesthetic and heat-insulating functions, which means that it must be chosen based on these characteristics.

How much will you have to pay for the door, its delivery and installation? Prices for the same doors from different sellers can vary by one and a half to two times, and the low price of the door itself can be offset by the inflated cost of delivery and installation. Do not forget to check and compare all the conditions for buying a door, ask for reviews about the manufacturer and the seller.

How to choose entrance doors to an apartment or? Each of us has our own idea of ​​products. But everyone considers reliability, quality and design to be the main qualities. You can also secure the apartment from intruders with additional actions: hold, put the apartment on guard and install. These are additional costs that can be avoided. However, there are nuances that affect reliability. It is heat and burglary resistant. To select the best product, we conducted a market analysis and compiled a rating of entrance doors to the apartment and consumer reviews to help you make the right decision.

The first thing you should pay attention to is the door material. Most often used in the production of wood or metal. Let's take a look at the features of each. High-quality entrance wooden doors to the apartment are expensive. They are quite reliable, it is such products that create prestige for their owners. Not every wood is suitable for making a quality structure. Better to use:

• ash;
• red and black tree.

Products made from other types of wood are significantly inferior in strength and performance. In this case, it is better to purchase doors made of metal. The price range is different. How not to get confused and know what to look for when choosing, we will tell further.

Main technical parameters of entrance doors

The front door must meet two criteria - reliability and security. Therefore, when choosing, it is important to consider the thickness of the base and the outer sheet. It is important that the structure has stiffeners. It would seem that the higher these parameters, the better. Excess weight will wear the hinges due to rapid inertia when opening.

Consider the main characteristics of metal entrance doors to an apartment in more detail.

Sheet thickness

Not every metal is suitable for front doors. Medium-carbon and medium-alloyed alloys are considered optimal. You can check the thickness of the sheet in the technical passport, while you should know the main classification:

The optimal weight of the product should be within 70 kg. Structures weighing about 100 kg are installed in banks.

Web design

The canvas consists of a rectangular frame with two steel sheets. Manufacturers sometimes replace the inner panel with MDF or veneer. If, you should choose a completely metal structure, since temperature changes and humidity will quickly render the wooden panel unusable.

It is obligatory to install cashing from steel and vestibules, which will hide all areas and protect the premises from unauthorized entry.

Stiffeners are installed between the sheets. The minimum set is 2 vertical and 1 horizontal. With an increase in their number, the reliability and weight of the structure increase.

Locks

When choosing a product, it must meet the following criteria:

• The quality of the lock must match the door. A model assembled from cheap materials will not protect even the most expensive structure from hacking. And, conversely, it is useless to put a premium-class lock on Chinese products;
• a mortise lock is needed for the front door, overhead models will not work. A latch is required;
• manufacturers install 2 locks. This is necessary in order to protect against burglary, because it is much more difficult and longer to open two locks for a robber. There is another reason - it is reinsurance. In the event of a breakdown of one for the duration of the repair, you can use the second lock;
• locks need to be chosen with different designs. It is recommended to install a lever and cylinder lock.

You should choose a lock only from reliable manufacturers. They guarantee high quality and reliability of models.

Hinges and platbands

For urban conditions or private houses, it is enough to install 2-3 loops. They must be supplemented with ball bearings. This increases their service life. Elements can be hidden and external, which are attached to the rack and canvas by welding. External loops spoil the appearance of the product, besides, they can be easily cut off. Hidden ones are much safer. However, they have their drawbacks:

1. the price of the door increases;
2. hinges are hidden in special grooves, this reduces the opening of the structure;
3. smaller opening angle.

The hinges are closed with a casing, it makes it difficult to break the door.

Design

The main choice is the design of the canvas. Finishing should be practical, resistant to mechanical damage and weather conditions. This is especially important for private houses and cottages. Anti-vandal powder coating meets these requirements.

The inner canvas should harmoniously fit into. Manufacturers offer designs with removable inner panels that can be changed if necessary.

How to choose the right front door to the apartment

Many manufacturers are engaged in the manufacture of structures. How not to get confused and choose the best steel entrance doors to an apartment in the price-quality ratio? We have compiled several rules with which it will be easy to navigate in this market segment:

1. The base must be made of high-strength steel, sheet thickness - 2-3 mm. In addition to reliability and durability, it has additional noise and heat insulation.
2. Finishing can be done in MDF, powder coating, wood.
3. When choosing, you should know in which direction the canvas will open and the location of the handle.
4. Criteria for moisture and.
5. You should pay attention to what materials the heat and sound insulation is made of.
6. Complementing the design with locks, the degree of burglary resistance.
7. Door fittings:, hinges, chains must be of good quality, otherwise they will quickly fail.
8. When choosing a product, it is important to choose a model of well-known manufacturers. They will provide a long warranty period not only for the canvas, but also for accessories.
9. Installation should be entrusted only to professionals.

Additional functions of entrance doors

A high-quality door must not only meet the requirements of reliability and safety, but also perform additional functions. For city apartments, it is important that third-party sounds and smells from the entrance do not penetrate into the room. Therefore, you should pay attention to these parameters.

Metal entrance doors to the apartment with sound insulation

Noise and heat insulation of the front door is carried out with mineral wool, polyurethane foam or expanded polystyrene. In addition, they will protect the room from external sounds. According to professionals, the construction filled with polyurethane foam is considered the best. In addition, to ensure sound insulation, it is necessary to maintain a hermetic fit of the canvas to the frame. To do this, you need to install 2 contours of sealing gum around the perimeter of the frame. You can, if necessary, check with the seller as an additional metal front door in the apartment.

Another important parameter is the thickness of the door. It must be at least 60 ml, then the product will meet all the required characteristics.

Entrance metal doors to the apartment with a mirror

Entrance door designers have developed a completely new model with a mirrored canvas. In addition to the fact that it is convenient to have a full-length mirror, it does not take up space and visually increases the space. Such products can be divided into several types:

• with mirror panel, which is attached with a special adhesive composition;
• with built-in mirror– the mirror surface partially covers the panel.

This should be known! The only drawback of the designs is the inability to install a peephole. If necessary, a video peephole can serve as an alternative.

Rating of entrance steel doors to the apartment and customer reviews

You can't skimp on the safety of your home. The front door must fully meet all the requirements of modern life. To better navigate the models, we have compiled a rating of the best manufacturers in 2017-2018. in different price ranges.

Producer "Forpost"

The products first entered the market over 17 years ago. In addition to manufacturing steel entrance doors to the apartment, they are engaged in the production of locks. The products are in great demand due to their high quality and reasonable price.

The manufacturer offers 3 types of designs:

• standard− designed for installation in apartment buildings;
• reinforced− recommended for private houses;
• construction- for installation at the time of construction of houses or.

All models are equipped with hidden hinges, which increases their safety.

Advice! If you need to make a note of the elements, you should contact the manufacturer or the service center directly.

As proof of the above, we give consumer feedback on Forpost products.

xumuk032 Russia, Bryansk, Outpost door 228: Advantages: resistant coating, good insulation, looks decent.

Disadvantages: the keys to different locks are almost the same in shape and color.

This is a steel door with a metal thickness of 1.5 mm on the outside. Inside is also metal, but a little thinner. Filling - polyurethane foam. Also a lot of castles.

The outer side is made of steel with a thickness of 1.5 mm with a weather-resistant coating. That is, this one is suitable for installation directly on the street. The inner part of the leaf and the box is coated with polymer. Which is also very successful, because. when installed between the street and the heated room, there will be condensate, and it is not afraid of polymer coating, unlike MDF ....

More on Otzovik: http://otzovik.com/review_2983317.html.

S-128
128S

A-37

Producer "Toreks"

The company has been producing metal structures for over 25 years. The product range can be divided into 3 categories:

• for private houses. Expanded polystyrene is used as a heater. You can also choose doors with a thermal break, this will help save heat;
• for apartments in high-rise buildings;
• fire fighting. They are able to hold an open fire for up to 6 hours. In addition, they are equipped with an anti-panic mechanism, with which the doors can be opened from the inside.

Here is one of the many reviews about the models:

Hela, Russia, metal entrance door "Torex": Advantages: no noise and smell.

Cons: none.

We bought the entrance door to the apartment with soundproofing by Torex. These products are not very cheap, but quite high quality. The door cost us 24,000 rubles. It has 2 locks, 1 latch. There is a peephole. True, we ordered a metal curtain for it. Love the door hardware. Everything works well and looks good...

More on Otzovik: http://otzovik.com/review_1405347.html.

Producer "Elbor"

The history of the Elbor manufacturer begins in the 70s of the last century. The following series of doors are currently being produced:

• luxury;
• premium class;
• Standard products;
• optium with a minimum set of functions;
• economy class.

High quality distinguishes products in the market of similar products.

Producer "Guardian"

The manufacturer first began production in 1994. Products are expensive, which is not surprising. It has been awarded the highest quality and durability awards. Products have a fire safety certificate. Currently, the market offers products of various designs in a wide price range, but if funds allow, you should opt for the premium class. On the manufacturer's website you can see photos of entrance doors of different price ranges.

Producer "Condor"

This manufacturer produces doors in a good price-quality ratio. Mineral wool is used for thermal insulation. The design is resistant to external influences, the canvas is painted with a special varnish composition. Doors can be installed. No obvious shortcomings have been identified, and therefore it is worth paying attention to the products when choosing.

Producer "Stal"

Metal doors from the manufacturer "Stal" are similar to those produced by the Elbor plant. The only difference is in the lineup. The manufacturer does not produce premium models, the main production is designed for the average consumer. Products are made of a sheet with a sheet thickness of 2 mm, a profile of a complex design is used, which increases the strength of the doors.

Doing a major overhaul of their homes, many owners are thinking about installing a new front door. Almost all front doors are now made of metal. Therefore, in order to choose a quality design for your apartment, you need to understand a little about the technical characteristics and installation process of iron doors. How to choose and install an iron door, you can learn from our article.

Steel door

The main purpose of the front door is to protect your home from illegal entry. Therefore, for greater security, you should opt for massive metal doors made of thick sheet steel, with reliable locks already embedded. Pay special attention to the hinges, they must be protected from cutting.

metal door construction

There are three types of metal entrance doors made of sheet steel:

• DS 1 - with one protective sheet on three stiffeners. The disadvantage is the lack of sound and heat insulation, so you need to install a second door. The price of products with class DS 1 is about 10,000 rubles.
• DS 2 - has two protective sheets on three stiffeners. It is also equipped with three special locks that will not allow you to remove it from the hinges, even if you cut them out. When attempting to access the transom system, the door will be blocked by an automatically closing beam. The price for such models is about 20,000 rubles.
• DS 3 - sheets are attached to four stiffeners and has crossbar protection systems on the side and top. Also DS 3 contains a system of protection against drilling of the lock. The most reliable degree of protection will cost about 35,000 rubles.

Metal doors are not subject to mandatory certification. But if the manufacturer is confident in the quality of their products, they must comply with the requirements of GOST 31173-2003 “Steel door blocks. Specifications” and have a corresponding certificate.

Heat and sound insulation of a metal door

In addition to the strength of the door, another important factor is its heat and noise insulation. After all, if every sound from the entrance is clearly audible in the apartment, and in winter it blows cold from the door, then living in such conditions is at least not comfortable. Therefore, when buying an iron door, purchase models already insulated by the manufacturer and equipped with rubber seals. Consider the price factor, the cheaper the metal door, the less the manufacturer paid attention to its heat and sound insulation. Trying to save money at the expense of a low price, you can increase the cost of subsequent insulation.

Scheme of insulation of a metal door

metal door design

The next thing to pay attention to is the type of exterior and interior door trim. The range of design of iron doors is large, from the usual powder paint, to non-standard finishes with patterns or laminate sheathing.
Remember that a beautiful design is not always an indicator of quality, and sometimes vice versa, behind a beautiful design, manufacturers try to hide the low technical characteristics of the door.
You can see some interesting options in the photo:

Manufacturers of metal doors

On our market there are metal entrance doors of both domestic and foreign manufacturers:

Chinese metal doors

• • Chinese doors are the cheapest, but when buying them, you should pay increased attention to the quality of the material from which they are made. Among Chinese iron doors, it is quite possible to find models acceptable for operation, the main thing is to take into account the thickness of the sheet iron and check the quality of the fittings.

European metal doors

• • The products of leading foreign manufacturers are not cheap, but the quality of their workmanship is on top. Thick steel, a high degree of protection, a pleasant appearance and reliable fittings are worth the money. Most often there are iron doors of the Italian brands “Fbs”, “Dierre”, “Di.Bi”, which rely on the design of their products. There are also Israeli doors under the brands "Pandoor" and "Mul-t-Lock", which offer high quality doors with reliable locks.

Russian metal doors

• A good option is the Russian-made entrance doors of premium class: “Senator”, “Pro-Tek”. Pleased with reliable locks, the possibility of quick warranty service, vandal-resistant coating and adapted design. If you look for cheaper door options, then in the segment from 12 to 25 thousand rubles. there are many domestic manufacturers. Among them, we single out such firms as: “Le Grand”, “Torex”, “Condor”, “Guardian”, “Guardian”. Due to high competition, the quality of service for Russian companies is constantly growing, so their products can become the golden mean between price and quality.

Standard sizes of metal doors

When buying an iron door, it is important to measure the doorway correctly. In old houses, the doors are installed in a wooden box, which must be removed, so the width of the opening will increase after dismantling.


It is better to entrust the measurements of the opening to an experienced person, since one cannot make a mistake in this matter. It is better to choose the largest possible size for your opening so that there are no problems with bulky items.
There were times when the entrance doors were installed with a width of only 70 cm! According to SNiP 21-01-97, this violates the fire safety technique, since the front door is an emergency exit.

Many people prefer to make a door to order, as they want to increase the opening. In addition, bespoke items have better locks that can be changed, a wide choice of finishes and good thick metal.

Below are the standard sizes of entrance doors for apartments and houses:

• 860x2030 mm;
• 880x2050 mm;
• 900x2100 mm;
• 950x2100 mm;
• 1000x2100 mm and above.

Installation of a metal door

Having bought an iron door, it is important to install it correctly. If you do not have experience in this type of work, then it is better to contact professionals. Moreover, many door-to-door stores provide this service as a bonus upon purchase. So that you can control the installation process, read the main stages of door installation:

• Dismantling the old door - at this stage, the old canvas is removed from the hinges, the trim and the door frame are removed, the doorway is cleaned from the remnants of the solution or the assembly exchange.
• Installing a new door in the opening - the box is level, set in the correct position and temporarily fixed with wooden wedges.
• The final fastening of the frame in the opening - depending on the model of the door, the frame can be mounted on anchor bolts or metal pins. Some models have additional fasteners in the form of metal strips that are fixed to the wall with dowels. Be sure to check that the installers have secured the box to all available fasteners.
• Filling the gaps with foam - at the end of the installation, the space between the box and the opening is filled with mounting foam. The drying period of the foam can be from five hours to a day.
• Processing slopes - after drying, the excess foam is cut off with a knife and the slopes of the doorway are made.

For more information, check out the video below:

Types of locks for a metal door

There are times when the owners are not satisfied with the locks installed in the door and they want to replace them with more reliable ones. In such cases, it is necessary to buy a new lock, but before doing this, check out the main types of door locks for metal doors:

Level lock

• • Lever lock - the design of this type of lock is one of the first invented by man, despite this, lever locks are considered one of the most reliable. The principle of operation of the lever lock is quite simple. Its mechanism consists of plates - levers, which, when opened, line up in a certain combination on the key. If the combination does not match, it is impossible to open such a lock. Lever locks for metal doors are produced by brands: Barrier, Guardian, Elbor, Kale, Cisa, Mottura, Mul-T-Lock.

Combination lock

• • A combination lock is a combination of two or three types of locks in one mechanism. Combination locks have a high cost, but justify the price due to their increased reliability. Produce combined locks for metal doors brands: "Guardian", "Barrier", "Elbor", "Kale", "Cisa", "Mottura", "Mul-T-Lock", "Vachette", "Asix", "Iseo ".

cylinder lock

• Cylinder locks - the main advantage of cylinder locks is the ease of repair and replacement of the lock. It is enough to replace the central secret mechanism - the “larva” cylinder. The principle of operation of a cylinder lock is quite simple and consists in lining up the pins inside the cylinder in a certain combination. Such locks are produced for metal doors “Kale”, “Cisa”, “Mottura”, “Mul-T-Lock”, “Vachette”, “Asix” , Iseo.

Remember that no matter what type of lock you choose, installing it on a metal door requires certain skills and special tools. Therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, entrust the work to specialists.

You won’t be able to save on buying a quality door, so it’s better to save up for a reliable option than to buy the cheapest one. It is important to take measurements carefully, and if necessary, increase the size of the opening to a safety standard.

The content of the article:

Choosing a front door is a responsible matter

The front door is not a purchase that is made often. But sooner or later the decision to replace it with a new one will be made. The purchase must be taken seriously, everything must be thought out and foreseen. That is why the knowledge of how to choose the right front door will be useful to you right now.

Such an important detail of home improvement has a number of functions:

• heat retention;
• protection against thieves;
• soundproofing;
• beautiful appearance.

When we choose an entrance door to an apartment or a house, we are primarily concerned about the reliability of the product. Now there are many companies that offer the selection and installation of doors. They are literally at every turn, so it doesn’t cost anything to fall for the bait of marketers, succumb to the deception of a smiling consultant and purchase a low-quality front door.

In order to avoid unpleasant consequences from installing a bad front door, you need to decide on the functions that you need in the first place, the material, pricing policy and the country of origin of the product. We will now tell you how to choose the right front door.

How to choose a metal front door

Modern doors have four security classes.

• 1 class. Doors that cannot be broken with the help of force and elementary devices like crowbar.
• 2 class. You can open the door only with the use of special professional power tools.
• 3 class. It is impossible to break the door in any way, including with a power tool with a power of up to 500 watts.
• 4th grade. Bulletproof doors.

For good resistance to external influences, you will have to pay from $ 150. But how to choose the front door and what class of protection is in the interests of you and your loved ones.

Rules for choosing steel entrance doors

For those who are wondering how to choose the front door, a number of difficulties open up. They need to be solved step by step.

1. Manufacturer.

First of all, choose a proven company that has been operating for many years. Do not blindly believe everything that consultants say about their products. Demand factual evidence. A good company always works with a production certificate. This means that all products manufactured by the company have passed quality control. You can trust those companies that have international certificates and ISO.

The steel door must be manufactured in accordance with GOST 31173-2003. We choose the entrance door to the apartment only after carefully reviewing the availability of such documentation from the company. This is a voluntary procedure for the seller, but it gives a guarantee that the door you bought is made in accordance with certain quality standards. Which front door to choose - made in accordance with GOST or not - is up to you.

1. Material and its characteristics

When we consider the question of how to choose a front door, we think about what functions it will perform. Resistance to various kinds of influences, impermeability of moisture, air guarantees a good insulation. It can be polystyrene, corrugated cardboard, mineral wool or a plate. Most often, polyurethane foam is used, as it is environmentally friendly and functional.

Usually we choose the front door to an apartment made of steel. In this case, the sheet should be no more than two millimeters. This is enough to protect against opening and at the same time inexpensive. Choose insulation with a double circuit, one of which is magnetic, so that it tightly connects the door to the opening.

1. Locks

A door that will protect you and your family must have a good lock system with different types of protection. Armored plates on them will increase the degree of protection of the house from uninvited guests. When deciding how to choose the right front door, it is important to pay attention to the guarantee of the door locking system, it should be from two years. Typically, a manufacturer can vouch for the quality of its products if it provides such a warranty period.

1. How it looks from the side

Remember that you will see this detail of the apartment arrangement every day, so before choosing a metal front door, think about what you like best. The coating can be plastic, polymer, natural. We recommend purchasing a door with a powder polymer coating, as it has a variety of shades and textures. Although the disadvantage is the relative fragility of such a coating.

1. Purchase and installation

You will not go wrong if you choose a well-known company that has proven itself in the market. Usually, after everything that you were advised on how to choose a front door, they offer delivery and installation. We advise you to take advantage of this offer, because the installers of the company work constantly with the doors of this company and have extensive practical experience. Specify the terms of the guarantee that a good company always gives for its products.

Choose the right front door

So, modern doors should have good characteristics. How to choose a metal front door? It is necessary to study the materials written on this issue and, if possible, consult with professionals. Being theoretically savvy, you can't go wrong. The problem of which entrance door to choose will cease to worry you for many years if you use our advice.