What is a composite door?
A composite is a door made from composite materials - i.e. a combination of different materials. They are purpose built to provide excellent performance in security and thermal efficiency, moreso than standard timber external doors.
What are the advantages of composite doors?
Composites offer the same sturdiness and wooden appearance of timber doors. However, the composite’s purpose-built features also offer several advantages.
They’re more weather resistant
One of the important aspects (especially in British weather!) is that composites offer better weather resistance than standard timber ones. With its GRP (glass reinforced plastic) skin, a composite is protected against rain by default, while an unprotected wooden door can soak up moisture, warping and decaying as a result and thus losing integrity.
They’re more energy efficient
Single-layered wood isn't effective in keeping heat from escaping your home; composites on the other hand are designed to keep more heat indoors, with a multi-layered slab and glass with warm edge spacer bars making it harder for heat to escape.
They require much less maintenance
To stay looking like new, wood needs to be painted or varnished, whereas a composite door is has a UV stable skin that won’t blister or chip as painted wood can. All it takes to clean a composite is warm water and a clean cloth.
They include high-security features as standard
Wooden and composite doors are both sturdy, but the former can fail if it warps or bows as a result of prolonged exposure to the environment. The resilient composite, as well as being weather resistant, includes a tough GRP skin, toughened glass, and a Yale brand multi-point locking system that secures the door along several points.
What is the origin of composite doors?
Composite doors were intended to replace existing timber ones, not only because they looked similar but also offered superior quality.
They are fairly recent
In 1996, it was the company Rockdoor that introduced composite doors to the UK market. The need for more secure doors was the primary reason for their creation.
They were intended to replace timber
With the same grained look of wood, robustness, and range of styles to choose from, composites were intended not only to replace old timber doors, but were purposely designed to offer better security and insulation and thus surpass them.
They offered new colours
Commonly available door colours were oak, mahogany and white. The first composite doors came in red, green and black, finishes which weren’t readily available outside of painting, which as mentioned would be prone to chipping or peeling.
What types of composite doors do you offer?
Designed to take the place of most wooden doors, you’ll find that the range of composites is diverse enough to replace most older doors.
Front or back doors
Sharing a large number of designs as wooden doors, a composite can easily replace an existing front or back entrance.
Stable doors
For select styles, it is possible to have a composite stable door. Both sections have their own locking systems, and can fucntion as one or seperately.
French doors
Also known as double doors, two composites are can be fitted within a large single frame and secured with the same reliable locking system as a single composite.
Traditional styles
The closest to wooden door styles seen around Britain, traditional composite styles chiefly consist of twin solid panels in the bottom section of the slab, and various configurations of half-moon, small rectangle and twin vertical panels. Glass for these doors tends to be bevelled and use lead, while contemporary designs add a modern twist.
Contemporary styles
These tend to have a flat slab and feature a variety of glass panel configurations, with some such as the Lincoln, Hampshire and Warwick collectively having central and off-set variants of small rectangle. The matching contemporary glass is simple in design, while traditional glass designs are also available.
Monza styles
A subset of contemporary styles, these have a similar slab design to cottage styles, but with horizontal rather than vertical grooved lines. The cassettes are also flat as opposed to curved like most of our composite styles.
1930s styles
More ornate than traditional styles, these doors employ heights of panels in quarters. As well as standard lead designs like Box or Diamond Lead, there are also more colourful glass designs that perfectly reflect doors of the 1930s.
Cottage styles
Cottage styles are characterised by slabs with grooves to give a country feel, with glass panels set within the upper section of the doors. The glass tends to be basic Box and Diamond Lead, evoking a rustic character.
Rock Doors
This range of composites is renowned for their security, with a variety of styles to choose from. They are characterised with glass sealed within the slab using S-Glaze technology. As well as single-leaf doors, there is also a selection of stable doors as well
What can I have with my composite door?
In addition to many styles, several options are available for your new door, including hardware in select finishes.
Lever or pull handles
For handles, we offer the traditional lever styles of balmoral (which is the default option), curved swan, or lever pad (for easier access). These are available in the metallic finishes of chrome and gold, the opaque black and white, or in graphite silver, the pitted antique black and stainless steel for added character.
One of our pull handles is the heritage lock - an escutcheon with a portruding piece for pulling set higher than lever handles, and which is well-suited to 1930s style doors. For some styles, particularly contemporary, there is the option for a bar handle from various sizes, with a separate escutcheon.
Knockers and spyhole
Victorian and slimline urn-shaped knockers are more traditional ways for visitors to get attention than doorbells. Spyholes (or peepholes) can be fitted to most styles, and there are versions of urn knockers with a spyhole built-in.
Top lights or side panels
Should you have existing top lights or side panels (or alternatively flag windows), these can be replaced along with the door, matching the new frame in profile and colour. Arched top lights and opening windows within side panels are among other options available where sizes permit.
Glass and backing glass designs
Choose one of our double or triple glass designs to compliment the look of your composite. Most double glass designs can also have what’s known as backing glass; this adds an element of decoration or even privacy, as each option provides a different degree of obscurity. Top lights and side panels can similarly have backing glass, as well as glass designs such as Box Lead or numerals etched into sandblast.
Catflaps or pet doors
A selection of composite doors (specifically contemporary and cottage styles) have the option for a catflap or pet door (for dogs). We offer manual and microchip catflaps and pet doors depending on your need or budget. Alternatively, one of these can be fitted into a side panel if the size permits.
Colours, greys and woodgrains
As well as our standard white, composites come in a wide selection of colours. These consist of our standard red, blue, green and black; superior colours such as the earthy olive (also known as french grey) or pastel chartwell green; and prestige colours like heather pink or bold poppy red. Greys, like anthracite and slate, provide a neutral tone, while the woodgrains of rosewood and oak mimic the look of natural wood. The frame can be matched to the door’s finish, and it is possible to have both painted in a bespoke RAL colour.
What are the most popular choices for composite doors?
To appeal to a wide range of customers, the varieties of designs and colours speak for themselves. However, there are certain styles and options that are bestsellers.
The most popular finish is grey
Specifically, this is anthracite grey (RAL 7016). With its neutral tone, anthracite grey adds a modern and sophisticated look to your home. Other greys available include slate grey and silver grey.
Twin vertical is best for traditional front doors
Our Dorset composite is a timeless favourite, with two vertical glass panels and two smaller solid ones beneath.
Monzas are a modern favourite
Our Monza styles are the top choice for contemporary style, followed by our Lincoln 3 glass panel composite door.