Share Home Renovation Ideas - Why Choose GRP Composite External Doors?
Choosing the right front door or back door for your house is an important decision. It's not just about curb appeal – important as that is. It pays to consider practical factors too, such as door security, energy efficiency and long-term value.
Topics
- Understanding GRP Composite Doors
- Construction Materials
- Durability
- High Security
- Energy Efficient
- GRP Composite Door Styles
- Low Maintenance
- Cost Considerations
- GRP Composite Doors FAQ
Introduction
Glass reinforced plastic (GRP)composite external doors have surged in popularity in recent years thanks to their impressive blend of style, performance and durability. They offer the great look of timber solid core doors in traditional and modern designs, but are tougher, more thermally efficient, and are much lower maintenance.
GRP composite front and back doors are worth considering, whether you want to replace a single external door or you're carrying out wider home renovations.
We'll begin with the basics: what exactly is a GRP composite door? And why have they become such a popular choice for front doors and back doors?
Understanding GRP Composite Doors
GRP composite exterior doors significantly outperform traditional wood doors in many important ways. First, let’s look at what GRP composite doors are made from.
Construction Materials
As you would expect, ‘composite’ suggests several construction materials. A GRP composite door's core typically consists of a wood or uPVC frame to provide structural integrity. This is encased by high density foam for strength and insulation. Then comes the GRP outer skin to make the door super-tough, weather resistant and to provide a premium-looking finish.
Durability
One of the primary reasons many homeowners opt for GRP composite doors is exceptional durability. These external doors withstand harsh weather conditions and long term wear and tear without affecting their appearance or functionality.
Weather Resistant
Unlike some wood doors, GRP composite doors won't swell or warp in damp conditions. They're also highly resistant to colour fading.
They Can Take the Knocks
Robust construction means that composite doors can handle daily wear and tear too. They're resistant to scratches and dents, making them an excellent choice for busy households.
This toughness translates to longevity, with a well-maintained composite exterior door lasting for decades, offering excellent value for money over its lifetime.
High Security
Security is always a priority for homeowners, and composite doors offer excellent security features. A multi-point locking system is standard, securing the door with a hook locking mechanism in several places along the frame, making forced entry extremely difficult compared with wood doors with a standard night latch and dead lock.
Unlike some older front door types that can be kicked in, tough composite materials offer higher physical security, so a composite front door or back door will help keep your home super secure.
Technical Information
For optimum security, check that glazed composite doors have laminated, toughened safety glass. Bear in mind that new build houses must comply with Approved Document Q specification. And a door’s glazed unit(s) must contain at least one pane of P1A (EN356) glass.
In particular lookout for PAS 24 Security Compliance for defence against lock cylinder and hardware attack.
Energy Efficient
With energy prices on the rise in the UK, the thermal performance of our homes has never been more important. Composite door materials offer high performance thermal efficiency compared to traditional door types.
Low Thermal Transmitance
The combination of a high density polyurethane insulating foam core and the thermally efficient GRP outer skin creates a barrier that helps keep cold air out and warm air in.
Of course, the more thermally efficient your home is the lower your heating energy bills will be. And thermally efficient external doors are an important factor in achieving that, as they are up to six times more energy efficient than some wood exterior doors.
Technical Information
Typically GRP composite doors have an impressive U-value of around 1.35W/m2K, which is a measurement of their thermal transmittance – the lower the W rating, the more thermally efficient a door will be.
New composite external doors will comply with Document L of the current UK Building Regulations for thermal transmittance, with the aforementioned U-value achieving a thermal performance B rating.
You can find out more about building regulations regarding energy efficiency here.
GRP Composite Door Styles
External GRP composite doors come in a range of different looks and styles, in both traditional and contemporary designs, as front doors and back doors.
You can expect Victorian, farmhouse and cottage designs for example, and contemporary designs that offer a more angular, modern composite door look.
Glazed Panels
Available in glazed and non-glazed options, composite external doors offer single and multiple toughened safety glass panels to allow natural light into your home.
Double or triple glazing can be simple obscure glass for privacy, or feature more elaborate designs reminiscent of stained or leaded glass panes.
Glass Reinforced Plastic Skins
GRP skins are particularly versatile, creating a realistic wood-grain timber look or smooth finish for a more modern appearance. There are a wide variety of colours available too, with Sunburst Green and Anthracite Grey firm favourites.
Low Maintenance
Unlike wood doors, which need regular painting or varnishing over the years to maintain their appearance and protect them from the elements, composite front doors and back doors require minimal upkeep.
Cleaning & Lubrication
To keep a new composite door looking its best, a simple wipe down with soapy water and a soft cloth is usually all that's needed. Every few months is usually sufficient, or more frequently if the door is exposed to particularly harsh conditions. And occasional lubrication of moving parts, such as hinges and locking mechanism is a good idea to keep composite doors in tip-top working order.
Regular low-maintenance not only saves you time and effort but also reduces the long-term costs associated with door upkeep.
Never use solvent-based or abrasive cleaners on GRP doors.
Cost Considerations
You'll find that GRP composite doors can be more expensive than other door materials, such as uPVC doors and cheaper wood doors. But as with most things, composite door prices reflect design and manufacturing quality.
With a well maintained composite door lasting decades, the lifetime value can be higher than other types of external doors – something worth considering when replacing an existing front door or back door.
GRP Composite Doors FAQ
Are GRP composite external doors suitable for all property types?
Yes. They are perfect for any type of house. But, for a flat or apartment they will need to be FD30 or FD60 fire doors. If you live in a flat or apartment check this with your supplier.
Can I fit a GRP composite door myself?
Well, it depends. If you’re a tradesperson or are a highly competent and confident DIYer then yes. But if not, you will need to have a qualified person fit your GRP composite door.
Are GRP composite doors supplies with hardware?
They will come with handles, locking mechanism letterbox plate and hinges. Any other hardware, such as knob, pull handle, door knocker or numbers will be supplied separately.
Are GRP composite doors supplied with door frame?
Yes. They’re supplied with the frame and cill for fitting.
Final Thoughts
As we've seen, GRP composite front doors and back doors have a lot to offer, in terms of design, materials and performance. The range of composite doors is huge, with designs to suit any taste and architectural style.
Browse a selection of GRP composite doors online at Hiatt Hardware. You can also find a huge range of uPVC doors, hardware products, plumbing and electrical supplies.
Images Credit - Crystal