A GUIDE TO Front doors

Wow guests and your postie with a new front door – or find out how to refresh the one you’ve got – and up your home’s kerb appeal

Woodwork painted in Ballroom Blue No 24 Estate emulsion, from £29 for 750ml, Farrow & Ball

Top tip

TRADITIONAL TIMBER If you own a period home, chances are you’ll be looking for a timber front door – it’s a sympathetic choice for most properties. This versatile material can also be used for a more modern look, though, so don’t rule it out if you’re after something contemporary. One thing to note: timber does need more maintenance than other materials.

Afront door says a lot about a house – and it can set the tone for the rest of your scheme. A cool, anthracite grey aluminium door anticipates a contemporary scheme; a panelled, sage green-painted wooden door screams country chic; and one with stained glass, perhaps on a period home, suggests careful consideration of the property’s origins. As well as being more pleasing to come home to every day, there are financial benefits to changing your home’s entrance: ‘Investing in a new front door alone can increase a property’s kerb appeal dramatically, and also increase its overall value by 10 per cent,’ says John Evans, managing director at Stormclad.

There’s also the practical side to upgrading your front door. ‘Front doors tend to be a property’s main entry point, making them most at risk of break-ins,’ says Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin. ‘As a minimum, you should ensure your front door features a multi-point lock, such as an eight-point locking system, which will secure the door at multiple points with the turn of one key. Hinges can present a weakness if they’re damaged, worn, or poor quality, so it’s best to look for hinges that offer interlocking security studs, a secured hinge pin and a set screw – a pin that can only be removed when the door is open. Opting for a strong and durable material, such as aluminium, will also offer increased security.’

Thermal efficiency is important, particularly as energy bills are set to soar this winter. ‘Doors and windows represent the biggest risk to the thermal efficiency of a home because they plug an open gap in a property,’ says Victoria. ‘The thermal efficiency of building products is measured in U-values, which rate how effectively a material insulates a building. The lower the number, the more thermally efficient the product is. As of June 2022, doors must meet a U-value of at least 1.6, so homeowners should look out for doors and windows that offer this as a minimum. At Origin, our residential door achieves a low U-value of 1.4.’

Read on to find out more about what to consider when you’re choosing a new front door.

Ellen’s top tip A new front door look doesn’t mean you need to ditch your old one: a lick of paint might do the job just fine. It’s an easy, budgetfriendly weekend DIY project that will instantly uplift your exterior. You’ll need specialist paint, especially if you’re painting over materials like uPVC.

Left Engineered timber KlassicFront door, approx. £2,335 plus VAT including door panel, frame and toplight, Kloeber

Below Residential aluminium door, from £1,800 plus VAT, Origin

Top tip

CONSIDER COMPOSITE Want the best of both worlds when it comes to materials? Composite doors offer the look of timber with the low-maintenance design of aluminium, and they’re easily customisable for a unique look. Though uPVC is low-maintenance too, and cheaper, it isn’t right for period properties.

PHOTOGRAPH POLLY ELTES This timber front door features glazed side panels for a contemporary edge

Before you start

QHow much does it cost?

AThe cost of a new front door varies depending on the material you opt for, as well as whether any extras like sidelights are included. The cheapest doors are generally uPVC, at around £300. Timber front doors can cost from around £300 to £500 (and up to £2,000 or more for engineered wood). At the higher end of the scale, composite doors cost from around £750, and aluminium from £1,000.

QDo I need planning permission?

AProbably not, as long as you’re installing a door similar in appearance to the original. If you live in a listed building, though, you may need listed building consent, and there might also be restrictions if you live in a designated area – so check with your local planning authority if you’re not sure.

QHow can I make sure my new front door is secure?

ABefore you buy, check whether your door passes the PAS 24 security standard. Factory-built door sets often do. It means that the door’s been subjected to rigorous tests to make sure it’s safe against things like hammers, crowbars and drills. In addition, choose a door with two separate locks, and consider a smart lock. These work offline so can’t be hacked into via Wi-Fi, have at least one form of back-up (so you’re never locked out), and let you grant or revoke access to others (i.e. your mum/ boyfriend/holiday cat-sitter). REALHOMES.COM