Choosing doors is not that easy. You need to know what to pay attention to when buying. You should decide on the purpose of the door: do you need an entrance or interior door?
Entrance and interior doors differ in their functions and, consequently, characteristics.
Selection of interior doors
Interior doors need to be divided into twocategories. The first category includes blind structures that have a solid structure made of wood, veneered or laminated canvas. The second category is represented by a glass structure. The first type has a smooth canvas, molded or paneled outer panel. The finishing of such products is varied. There are installed mirrors, panels made of carved wood and other materials that decorate the door. In a glass structure, the glass is installed in special compartments. Fixation is carried out by a frame. Return to the table of contents</a>
Material of manufacture
Interior doors can be solidconstruction or with glass inserts. The traditional material for the manufacture of interior doors is wood. Various types of wood are used: oak, pine, ash, mahogany, walnut. The use of wood allows you to create a unique composition, giving it a bit of elegance. Wooden models have many advantages. Among them, it is worth mentioning a large selection of prices. Here you can find both expensive exclusive models made of mahogany and inexpensive products. In addition, the designs have good heat and sound insulation characteristics. The strength of the door is also at the proper level, and a wide variety of designs, textures and colors will allow you to choose a suitable product for each interior. Paneled doors are quite popular, since the frame design allows you to significantly reduce the weight of the door leaf. The doors are made of simple elements and are represented by panels, strapping bars and intermediate bars. Most often, products are made of pine, but there can also be various combinations of other species. Paneled designs have several more advantages. The main one is the long service life of the door. Like the previous type, panel products have high insulation values, which determines resistance to temperature changes and moisture.
Types of interior doors by material.But the most popular are doors made of artificial and combined materials. Most often, there are designs made of fiberboard, chipboard, MDF, melanin and laminate. The use of such materials allows to significantly reduce the cost of the product, which explains the popularity of such designs. Quality and functionality remain at the proper level, as well as technical characteristics. It should be noted that MDF is a higher quality material. The cost is equal to the price of plastic, but the appearance is quite impressive. Economical products include doors made of masonite. They look good, they can be painted in any color you like. As for the service life, with proper care it can exceed 10 years. The light weight of the material allows you not to use reinforcement for the hinges, which also affects the cost. The downside of this material is poor sound insulation.
Sectional view of veneer door.Separately, it is necessary to say about products made of metal, plastic and glass. In the first case, doors are not very popular, since wooden structures look best in the house (compared to steel or aluminum). Plastic doors belong to the economy class, but if you choose the right design, then such a product will look very good. As for glass products, in this case you need to pay attention to the thickness of the material, processing and hardening. If there are concerns about the fragility of the door, then there are impact-resistant designs. In case of a strong impact, the product is safe, since it crumbles into small pieces without sharp edges. Return to the table of contents</a>Opening method This parameter requiresspecial attention. The choice of design determines the comfort of its use, appearance and design, functionality and service life. The most common design is a hinged one. Such doors are practical, their sound and heat insulation indicators are at a high level.
Types of interior doors by opening method.In this case, it is necessary to take into account such a parameter as the availability of free space for opening the door. On average, 1 m² of space is required to open it, so installing it in places where there is little space is undesirable. Swing structures are the most reliable, and different styles can be used for decoration. Sliding doors are in second place in popularity. They have a special arrangement and an unusual installation method. Installation is carried out on moving mechanisms that allow the door leaf to move relative to the wall. Depending on the size of the doorway, there are structures made of one or two parts, installed on one or two rails. The next type of design is folding. They save free space well, so they are perfect for small rooms. There are several design variations. The first model is called an accordion and consists of several panels that close and open like a well-known musical instrument. The second type is represented by the so-called book and consists of two panels that open in different directions, like the previous type.
With the roto system, the door folds and thenmoves away. In specialized stores, you can also find this type of design, combining folding and sliding elements. The door is first folded in half, after which this element is pushed into the wall space. This is quite practical and convenient. The choice of doors is not limited to the specified types of designs. In some situations, non-standard approaches are required, since due to certain factors, the named types are simply not suitable. Such factors include high ceilings, non-standard door openings and the inability to change them. However, non-standard designs, despite such problems, have a significant advantage: they are made to order. This means that it will be difficult to find a second similar product. Return to contents</a>Choosing the right color, technicalcharacteristics Functionality is of great importance, but the appearance of the product also deserves attention. The color of the door plays an important role. There are several tips that will help you choose a product for the appropriate interior. When choosing a color, such a parameter as the interior of the room, which includes the decoration of the walls and other objects, is taken into account. This also applies to the design of the floor covering. In addition, the color of the door will go well with the color of the furniture, so it is recommended to choose the same shades and styles.
The color of the interior doors should matchfurniture, flooring or other interior details. It would be wrong to forget about the purpose of the door (protection from noise, cold, etc.). Therefore, this aspect cannot be ignored. Soundproofing is important for some rooms, for example, for a bathroom, toilet. In addition, sometimes you need privacy so that other household members do not interfere with your work or solve your problems. Therefore, if this type of door is required, soundproofing is an important factor when choosing. Other insulation properties are also important. Like sound insulation, they depend primarily on the material from which the product is made. Solid wood has balanced characteristics, that is, such a design can provide equal protection from both noise and cold. MDF, fiberboard and veneer can also provide similar protection. The outsider in this list is a glass door, so if purchasing a door is not only a need to decorate a room, then it is better not to buy such a product. Return to contents</a>Main elements of doors
Installation of interior doors.The main parts of the design are the door leaf and the frame. MDF, solid pine, and laminated wood are used for its production. When choosing a door, this element is given the greatest attention, since both the appearance of the product and its functionality depend on it. When choosing a door leaf, its design is taken into account. This can be a glass insert or a solid wooden leaf. The door is not limited to a door leaf and a frame; it is necessary to select suitable trims. They will allow you to hide elements whose appearance cannot be called aesthetic. That is, this part is rather decorative in nature. In a sliding design, trims will help protect the door mechanisms from dust, thereby increasing the service life of the product. Although the components are given a secondary role, the degree of comfort and convenience when using the door depends on their correct choice. Hinges, latches, handles, locks - these are integral components of the product, so do not forget about such elements. And if you can forget about some of them, for example, about locks, which are not always needed for an interior door, then you cannot do without door handles. Return to contents</a>Door selection criteria
Standard sizes of interior and entrance doorsdoors. Any door must meet a number of parameters. This concerns not only the personal preferences of the buyer, functionality. First of all, it is the environmental friendliness and safety of materials. The coating must be made of clean materials, so that the first contact with the door does not end in an accident, injury or poisoning. If the door is made well, its surface is perfectly smooth and even. The varnish used for the coating should not be toxic, and its main task is to ensure the durability of the product. There should be no foreign spots on the door, its color is uniform, even, clean and deep. A poorly painted structure can be immediately recognized if the above criteria are completely or partially absent. As for the joints, in this case they are well fitted, the shape of the product is even, there should be no overlaps. The geometry of the design and the door itself should be even. The door frames, door leaf and their finishing should be finished, its quality of execution is the same in all cases. Return to the table of contents</a>
Selection of the input structure
The entrance doors are noticeably different frominterior. The main thing that is necessary for the latter is beauty and comfort. The entrance is responsible for the safety of the house. In addition, in this case, noise and heat insulation become important.
The entrance door should not only be comfortableand beautiful, but reliably protect against burglary, cold and noise. As mentioned earlier, the main criterion for choosing an entrance door is safety and durability. It is best to choose such products made of steel, as they are difficult to break without using additional equipment. When buying, you will not be able to find out the strength of the structure, but this can be done by reading the documentation of the product. This applies to the lock, its complexity. It is recommended to choose locking devices that combine two types of mechanisms at once: cylinder and lever. There should be a certain distance between them, equal to 30 cm. Such precautions will block the path of the criminal, and keep the house intact. It is recommended that the door leaf have a peephole. The thing is insignificant in its functionality, but it will make life easier for the owners. The presence of longitudinal and transverse struts is mandatory. As for the method of attaching the door leaf to the wall, it is recommended to choose anchor bolts or U-shaped grips. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, the door should belong to a well-known brand with extensive experience in this matter. The insulation capabilities of the entrance door are given more attention than when choosing an interior design. Now we should stop at what a good door will look like. It is made of a solid sheet of hardened steel, its minimum thickness is 2 mm. There should be no welded joints and seams. It is necessary to pay attention that the back sheet can be thinner. In this case, it is necessary to focus on the indicator of 1.5-2 mm.
Construction of the entrance door.For home security, you need to pay attention to the door frames. For interior doors, their purpose is decoration, and for entrance doors, it is security. They should tightly close the gaps between the door leaf and the wall. This will prevent intruders. They are made only of metal. The best designs are equipped with a rebate, i.e. an additional sheet that allows you to close the space between the wall and the frame. In addition to the outer and inner sheets, you should choose designs that have an additional sheet. It is installed between them. Return to contents</a>Insulation and appearance To avoid mistakes withWhen choosing an entrance door in terms of sound, heat and other types of insulation, it is necessary to pay attention to the presence of the following elements. To ensure a tight fit along the perimeter of the door frame and to the frame of the structure, seals are attached. A special recess, which is provided by the manufacturer, will help improve this quality. These seals help not only to establish good insulation from noise, but also to prevent the penetration of unpleasant odors into the apartment.
The device of a lever lock and key.Decorative panels are used to prevent noise from entering the house. However, their thickness should be more than 8 mm. When buying such a door, you can increase sound insulation and choose a beautiful product for your apartment. It is necessary to pay attention to the internal cavity of the structure. Concrete is used to strengthen the frame, filling the free spaces in the opening between the frame. The internal cavity is filled with extruded polystyrene, providing a high value of heat and sound insulation. As for choosing a door by appearance, there are several options that can decorate an apartment. The production of entrance doors has moved away from the use of leatherette. They have been replaced by MDF, plastic, valuable wood and veneered plywood. The thickness of such panels is 4-20 mm, this allows you to apply various patterns and ornaments to the surface. However, it should be noted that such surfaces are unstable to the actions of vandals and hooligans. Therefore, if you are not sure of the safety of the canvas, it is better to opt for a standard metal structure. Return to contents</a>Security system
Entrance door installation diagram.This section will cover the principles of choosing locks and hinges for entrance doors. Lever locking devices have good qualities. The basis of action is the bolts diverging in different directions. To be on the safe side, it is recommended to purchase doors that have a lever mechanism with bolts in metal housings. This will protect the mechanisms from being sawed. Reinforcement is also used for cylinder locks. It is represented by armored plates. If you choose between domestic and imported mechanisms, then preference should be given to the latter. They have a greater number of combinations, their quality is at a high level. In the previous section, it was already said: to make life difficult for criminals, it is recommended to purchase doors with both types of locks installed. This will cost more, but the safety of the apartment will be at a high level. Thus, when choosing a door, you should understand several points. The purpose of the door is of great importance. The interior type should fit well into the interior of the room, while the entrance type is designed to ensure security and insulation from the external environment. Knowing the design features, which is important when choosing an entrance door, you can confidently go to the store to make a purchase.
