Are you going to buy a new front door?
Here you get tips and advice for choosing the right one!
A new front door will add both design and function. It is both the house’s welcoming entrance and its protection from the outside world. We often get questions about things to consider when choosing a door. Here are the most important points to evaluate before the purchase.
Checklist for door purchases
What wood should the door have?
Different materials have both different looks and properties. This means that they need different maintenance and that they age in different ways. Our exterior doors are mainly made of oak, teak and freijo.
Oak
Oak is a hard and rot-resistant wood that has been used extensively in both boat and door manufacturing through the ages. Oak is hard and rot-resistant with distinct, beautiful veins. Its only disadvantage is that it is a bright wood and if you want to keep it bright outdoors, it requires more maintenance than a darker type of wood. More info about oak and how it should be maintained can be found on the page “Maintenance & installation”.
Teak
Teak has a beautiful warm color and a beautiful structure. It is one of the world’s most durable woods and does not crack as easily as other woods. Teak is also hard and stable and has a very good resistance to rot. A teak exterior door with these properties, makes it easier to maintain.
Freijo
Freijo is a Brazilian wood that is very reminiscent of teak in color and density. We use it most in frames and solid frame doors.
Is the wood sustainably produced?
A door should not only be beautiful; for us, it is important that it is built of sustainable harvested timber. All our doors are certified. If you want to read more about our sustainability work, click here.
Solid wood or veneer?
Today, many door manufacturers offer exterior doors with veneer as surface material. We have chosen a different path and only use solid wood for our exterior doors. However, things to keep in mind when comparing veneer doors with solid wood doors are:
• Sustainability. An exterior door with solid panel can be maintained, which means that it lasts much longer than an exterior door with only veneer. The reason is that wood veneer is only 0.4-0.9 mm thick.
• Resistance. A door with solid panel has greater resistance in harsh weather conditions. This is especially true for weather exposed doors. You can read more about how our doors are constructed here.
Does the door complement the architecture of the house?
Which house should the door be installed in? When renovating, some customers want to buy a time-typical door to the style of the house. You can also choose to break the style completely with the door. If everything else is typical of the time, you can break off with a deviating front door. However, mixing all styles at once is rarely successful. If you are unsure, we can help you find the right door. To mark the entrance to a house with a vertical panel, you can choose a horizontal panel on the front door and vice versa.
Click here to get to our design guide.
What door handles, hinges and locks should the door have?
Hinges
It is important to keep in mind that stainless metal is not stainless, only less prone to rust. Therefore, you should choose acid-resistant hinges if you live in a coastal area.
All our standard doors (except the heaviest ones) are equipped with acid-proof hinges.
Lock
Our standard lock case is Assa 2002. It has a “away from home”-security function and is insurance approved in Sweden. In addition, you choose a so-called Safety Cylinder. We use Assa 1312 as our standard. If you want a solution with copy-protected keys, you should choose Assa 1212. An even more secure solution is three-point locking. It is an espagnolette with the same function as Assa 2002, but which also has two extra hooks, one at the top and one at the bottom.
Door handles and accessories
We have a wide range of door levels and pull handles. We stock a standard range of stainless steel door levels. See our range here. All door levels are manufactured for the Swedish market and fit our lock cases.
In addition to door levels, cylinder accessories are also needed. These are selected according to the type of cylinder to be mounted on the door. They are available in a variety of surface treatments. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to contact us and we will help you.
"We do not compromise on sustainably felled wood. Not with quality either. We build to make it last a long time. For generations. It is sustainable in every way!"
Where should the door be installed?
When choosing a door, it is important to think about where the door should be installed. If it is to sit in a weather-exposed position, teak is difficult to beat. It is no coincidence that it has traditionally been used as a material on boat decks. The reason is that teak is naturally oily. It also cracks less easily than other types of wood.
Will it rain on the door?
If your door is mounted in a position where it rains and blows a lot, you should choose a solid frame door or a door with solid panels. If you want to read more about maintenance of wooden doors, you can click here.
Can water splash on the door?
If your door is located so that rain reaches the door or where water can splash up against the door, you should protect the parts of the door that are extra exposed, such as the lower edge of the door. In those situations, it is often a good investment to put a kicking plate at the bottom of the door. Here you can see an example of a teak front door with kicking plate.
Can the wind blow up the door?
If this is the case, we recommend a door brake. It is a cheap assurance that the door will not catch wind with full force. Both the door leaf and the hinges can be damaged, which means that the door cannot be closed properly.
Do you want light into the entrance?
If you want a bright entrance, we recommend a model with a big glass opening, or a solid frame door like Ramsö. Alternatively, you can choose a fixed window section, side lights or top lights to your door.
Do you want the glass to be private?
In that case, choose etched glass, line glass or any other opaque glass.
Should the door be security classed?
If you want to give your home an extra layer of security, you should choose a door with security classification. Security doors are built to have greater resistance in an attempted burglary. We can supply exterior doors with security classification RC2 and RC3. Read more about our security doors here.
ARE YOU CONSIDERING BUYING A NEW DOOR FOR YOUR HOME?
You are always warmly welcome to contact us with your questions and thoughts! We help you with tips, advice and inspiration so that you can choose the right door for your particular home.
