How to choose a metal entrance door to an apartment. How to choose a reliable front door and protect yourself from intruders? How to choose the right metal entrance door

How to choose a metal entrance door to an apartment.  How to choose a reliable front door and protect yourself from intruders?  How to choose the right metal entrance door
How to choose a metal entrance door to an apartment. How to choose a reliable front door and protect yourself from intruders? How to choose the right metal entrance door

Entrance doors are the element of the home from which the first impression of the house is formed. Doors have a great influence on the perception of the interior, so their choice should be approached with full responsibility.
Doors should not only be pleasing in appearance, but also be reliable.

Manufacturers offer a huge selection of door leaves, differing in material, design and color design. It is very important to do right choice, because the final goal- These are reliable entrance doors to the apartment.
Let's figure out how and which one is better to choose, buy and install an entrance door - metal, steel - and why.

Features of entrance doors

Doors at the entrance to a house or apartment simultaneously perform two important functions: they protect the home from illegal entry and are one of the main components of the external and internal design of the living space.
A high-quality door leaf installed at the entrance is better protection dwellings.
Currently, there are many door designs on the market, but choosing the right option is not so easy: buyers have different requirements for entrance doors.
For some, quality is of paramount importance, for others - price (many are looking for a cheaper option), and still others want to combine one with the other, also thinking about the design of the product, i.e. so that it is cheap, and reliable, and beautiful. What should be the best front door?

You should choose a door leaf based not only on your own preferences. The specifics of the interior and the architectural appearance of the building, in addition to personal taste, also influence the choice. For example, if you live in country cottage, then a massive canvas with high strength will suit you.
For a small apartment in a metropolis, located in high-rise building, this option, on the contrary, is not The best decision: a massive structure will look ridiculous.


Budget also plays an important role. Owners of luxury apartments who fear for the safety of valuables give preference to armored structures. And people with average incomes, as a rule, install wooden panels or not too thick metal structures with leather covering.
The most popular among Russian residents are steel entrance doors, iron with thermal spraying and MDF panels. Such designs can be purchased in stores offering similar products, or ordered online.

Experts advise ordering entrance doors from specialized companies. It’s not enough to just choose a door and buy it - the door leaf still needs to be installed correctly, having previously made the necessary measurements, and it’s better to entrust this work to professionals.
Even if you purchase an expensive and high-quality door - for example, armored or made of solid wood, if there are errors in installation, it will not be able to fully fulfill its purpose. Many people think that if the dimensions of the doorway are standard, then there will be no problems, but then they encounter difficulties.

Leaders of sells

Today, the most popular are canvases made of steel. A large number of requirements are imposed on such structures. First of all, strength: this parameter is of paramount importance. Steel products must be resistant to mechanical stress, including burglary, strong blows and minor defects such as scratches.
The presence of anti-removal pins plus additional reinforcement of the corners is mandatory. Such doors may also have additional characteristics, for example, dust resistance and fire resistance.
But not all designs have such properties; if you are interested in such properties, you need to find out the details from the manufacturer before purchasing.
For entrance door leaves made of steel, burglary protection is required. The armored structure is more expensive compared to conventional analogues, but the costs of its acquisition are justified. Good, high-quality steel doors look truly luxurious.


Noise and heat protection parameters are of great importance. When making your choice, consult and find out which product that suits you in terms of cost will meet these criteria.
Also pay attention to the presence of seals (they should be located around the perimeter), internal filler and thickness of the structure. In our country, almost all door structures are made of steel, but not every door is of high quality. Given this fact, you need to know how not to make a mistake in your choice.
The design of the steel product includes two sheets made of steel with an alloy coating (such steel weighs much less than regular steel). Minimum thickness– 1.5 mm, maximum – 3-4 mm.
A high-quality door leaf has stiffening ribs that significantly increase the resistance of the entire structure to burglary, as well as preventing the steel sheets from bending under the influence of load and the door structure’s own weight.

The door leaf frame can be made in either a complex or simple version. The complex block outperforms the standard block in many respects and has held the lead for many years.

The complex production option is a single piece with no welding seams. Welding seams are known to “weaken” products.

Accessories

The main thing, of course, is the canvas itself, but you should not lose sight of such details as hinges, locking mechanisms, and eyes.

At many doors weakness, allowing for hacking - loops. They can be cut along the weld seam using a grinder, or torn off with a sledgehammer. Anti-removal pins allow you to secure your home - they are called “crossbars”. When the blade is closed, the pin enters the hole door frame Thus, the entire structure is fixed.

Even if the hinges are knocked down or cut off, the doors cannot be removed. To ensure maximum reliability, the blade is equipped with four pins: a pair at the location of the lock, one each at the bottom and at the top.

There is another method that allows you to protect the structure from removal - these are hidden hinges. Despite the fact that fabric with hidden hinges cannot completely protect your home from illegal entry, even the most experienced intruder will need at least 20 minutes to remove such hinges; dealing with ordinary ones is much easier.

Hidden hinges have another advantage - they improve appearance door leaf.

When choosing an entrance door leaf, you should take into account the number of hinges. This parameter depends on the mass of the structure. Consult with a specialist by showing him the design passport: he will recommend the optimal hinges.

If doors are opened frequently per day (about 50 times), then manufacturers advise installing at least four hinges, then the load will be distributed correctly.

There are doors with similar protective system more expensive, but home safety should come first, so don’t skimp. It is inappropriate to save in this matter, otherwise you can lose more.

There is one more, at first glance, insignificant detail - this is the peephole. Choose a door leaf model whose peephole is made of armored glass.

Errors

As mentioned above, even the most reliable entrance door leaf will not be able to protect your home one hundred percent if errors are made in its installation.

To avoid mistakes, it is better to entrust the installation to specialists: they will do necessary measurements and design the canvas for a specific opening.

Having designed the door for the opening, specialists will install it and dismantle the old one.

It is also necessary to properly seal the gaps formed between the door frames and the wall; It is best to use concrete for this. Many people choose polyurethane foam, but it is short-lived.

Advice. In pursuit of savings, avoid purchasing entrance doors from stores and companies with a dubious reputation that do not provide warranty obligations for your products.

One of the most common mistakes is installing two panels: an outer steel one and an inner wooden one. Such a decision is made in the hope of increasing heat and noise insulation, but wooden structure will not cope with the assigned tasks.

It is much more practical to install a sheet of steel, which has high sound and thermal insulation parameters: this will take less time and money.

You can also increase the heat and sound insulation properties of your front door by upholstering it.

Doorways

Not in all cases it is possible to install a steel structure in the opening that is available. It is rarely possible to select, buy and deliver immediately and independently. Sometimes it becomes necessary to cut the canvas on one side or on both sides at once. There is also a possibility that the doorway may not be wide enough, or the wall may be too strong and thick. In this case, the doors are installed outside.

Another option is to get approval from special authorities for work to expand the doorway. To reduce the size of the opening, they resort to concreting or make masonry from cement.

There is another solution - to purchase a door consisting of two leaves.

Locks

As for locks, mechanisms that cannot be opened have not yet been invented. An experienced attacker will be able to pick up a master key for any lock. But selecting a master key takes time, and the thief may not have the tools necessary to open a certain type of lock. It can take about thirty minutes or even more to open some locks.

The entrance door leaf must be equipped with at least two locks, one of which is a cylinder and the other is a lever lock. The lever lock is difficult to remove; it is massive. And it is very difficult to find a master key for a cylinder one, so these two mechanisms complement each other perfectly.

To get into a house where such locks are installed on the entrance doors, you need to try very hard. While the thief is fiddling with the locks, he may be noticed.

Before installing the lock, get advice from a specialist: he will help you choose the model of the security mechanism and provide information regarding the pros and cons of certain devices.

Appearance

Finish is very important for a door made of any material.

Used as a finishing coating for entrance doors various materials, differing in quality, cost and appearance.

The surfaces of the door panels are upholstered and glued, thereby increasing the thermal insulation and sound insulation parameters and improving the appearance.

The result depends on the material used for finishing.

Materials for finishing doors are very diverse, including:

  • plywood;
  • leatherette;
  • wooden panels;
  • plastic.

The design of the door structure is chosen based on personal preferences.

Remember: You only need to buy doors from well-established manufacturers whose products are in demand.

Elite door leaves

When choosing entrance doors, do not forget that their design should be combined with the interior of the hallway. Entrance doors should become part of the room, fit into it.

When choosing, pay attention to the quality and appearance of the fittings. Fitting elements largely determine the visual appearance of the entire door structure. Good quality fittings can transform the most simple door, and a bad one, on the contrary, ruins the impression.

Important point! When choosing upholstery (finishing) material, consider the factor of caring for it. The door leaf should be presentable and practical to use, and not require complex maintenance.

Manufacturers try to finish doors with materials that are easy to care for.

Which door should you prefer? Decide on the manufacturer, whether it will be Russian or foreign. High-quality entrance doors are produced by both domestic and foreign factories.

Which entrance door is best to install in an apartment, based on quality? In most cases, imported products still win in terms of quality, although they are more expensive than their Russian counterparts.

The cost of steel sheets produced by domestic factories is about 200-400 dollars, while foreign ones cost 300-700 dollars. In addition, apartment doors from foreign factories do not always fit our openings.

Corner set in a Khrushchev or any other small apartment - a real salvation. Take a look if you are selecting furniture for arrangement own kitchen small area.

Read about the features of renovating an apartment in a new building with your own hands - all the secrets of step-by-step implementation of high-quality repairs.

When purchasing an entrance door for an apartment, be guided by: simple recommendations optionally, take into account the opinions of experts, and then you will certainly make a successful purchase.

Video

Timely advice from a professional would also be useful: in the video below, find out which is better and how to choose the right entrance door and a reliable lock:

No matter how convincingly the manufacturers of wooden entrance doors promote their products, they are undoubtedly significantly inferior in strength and reliability to their steel counterparts. However, even among their metal counterparts there is a gradation that divides them into categories according to degrees of protection, according to periods of impeccable service and according to aesthetic qualities. Steel input block– this is not a cheap purchase. Therefore, before you go to the store, you need to figure out how to choose a metal entrance door, what you need to pay extra for, and what you shouldn’t spend money on.

Reliability is the priority

Let’s not deceive ourselves and those around us by proving that we like “iron” protection for aesthetic reasons. Although the latest Italian and domestic models can be called attractive without reservation. We decide to install a steel “barrier”, first of all, because of the extremely high physical and mechanical characteristics material and due to the possibility of equipping the structure maximum number protective devices.

First of all, you need to pay attention:

  • to the technical characteristics of the product specified in the manufacturer’s documentation;
  • on design features front door frames and panels;
  • on the number of built-in devices that can make solving the problem of unauthorized entry as difficult as possible.

Moreover, for yourself personally, you need to determine in advance the necessary and sufficient limit of reliability, since going overboard in these indicators entails not only an increase in price. Often, super reliable metal doors create absolutely unnecessary problems for owners. Overly complex crab locks break irreparably with the top bolt jamming, after which you have to simply install a new door. A door that is too heavy is difficult to open/close for children and elderly family members. In addition, the mechanisms quickly wear out, the frame is deformed, and the canvas sags on worn out hinges.

Necessary and sufficient technical characteristics

Let's start with the quality and thickness of the metal, on which the weight of the structure and price depend. No iron is used in the production of iron entrance doors. It's generally in pure form not used anywhere, only alloys. Doors are made from sheet steel obtained through the process of hot or cold rolling. Since we are figuring out how to choose a metal door, we need to compare the properties of the material:

  • Hot-rolled metal is cheap and dark in color, but its blackness is not visible under the decorative coating. It is more susceptible to the appearance of rust spots on its surface and is quickly eaten away by corrosion. If the manufacturer used this particular type of material, the document will indicate GOST number 19903.
  • Cold rolled alloy is more expensive previous version. Without treatment, pleases with the standard color of galvanized steel. Doors made from it will not suffer from direct contact with atmospheric hazards. GOST number 19904 will tell you about its use in door manufacturing.

If an alloy is oversaturated with carbon, it loses its ductility. A high content of alloying elements is also useless. Optimal for the production of doors and their further exploitation medium-alloyed (up to 11%) and medium-carbon (up to 0.6%) steel alloys are considered.

Next, we will evaluate the prospects and choose an iron door designed to protect our property based on the thickness of the steel sheet. We will also find this indicator in technical documents. Its values ​​can vary from 0.8 mm to 4.0 mm, according to which:

  • doors made of sheet steel with a thickness of 0.8-1.0 mm do not belong to the clan of entrance structures. Suitable for arrangement outbuildings intended for storing low-value items and garden tools;
  • a sheet of two sheets with a metal thickness of 1.0-2.0 mm is a suitable solution for equipping an office space in a multi-storey business center with security;
  • 2.0-2.5 mm is the norm for the door leading from the apartment to the entrance;
  • 4.0 mm – best option for a country mansion, especially if they do not live in it permanently.

The thicker the sheet steel, the heavier and more expensive the door. It will cost more not only because of the cost of the material, but also due to the special installation scheme, additional powerful hinges and a reinforced frame. The optimal weight of an iron door for residential buildings is considered to be 70 kg. Doors for banks and bulletproof options weigh 90-100 kg or more.

Design features of a steel door

The two main components of any door block are the leaf and the frame, also known as the frame, which is more consistent with a product made from steel blanks. The most reliable is the bent one. profile pipe a monolithic frame with one weld, a less reliable frame welded from four sections of hot-rolled profile pipe. The most “flimsy” type is welded from four sections, each of which in turn is welded from two corners of equal length.

In short: the more welds, the worse, according to engineers. In their opinion, welding changes the initial design geometry. Consequences of violation of settlement geometric parameters may not appear immediately after installation, among them:

  • distortions and the accompanying need for effort;
  • directly opposite drafts and cracks, allowing you to cut off the internal hinges or open the door with a crowbar or pry bar;
  • jamming of the canvas, bolts of the locking system.

There should be no welds. External part must be made of a monolithic sheet, otherwise it will not withstand a strong blow from a heavy sledgehammer.

Canvas as a guide for choice

The canvas itself is a rectangular frame to which two metal sheet. Maybe one steel outer sheet and an internal panel made of solid wood, MDF or chipboard, covered with laminated film, veneer, or cheap vinyl leatherette. This feature differentiates the entrance blocks into those that can withstand atmospheric attacks and those that cannot resist sun rays and hydration.

If the owner decides which metal door to choose for installation in an opening connecting to the street, the answer is clear - completely iron, since temperature changes and fluctuations in moisture levels will render wood and materials created from its fibers unusable. They equip apartments with metal-MDF tandem blocks or an additional entrance to a country house leading from a closed vestibule to the housing.

Note. The condition for complete protection against burglary using simple thieves' methods - a crowbar and a crowbar - is steel cashing and ledges. They will close all unreliable areas and prevent access to critical parts.

Let's recalculate the stiffeners

Between the outer steel sheet and the inner panel, no matter what material it is made of, there are ribs of cruelty. At a minimum there should be two vertical and one horizontal. It is best if there are more ribs than the specified limit, because their number increases reliability. But at the same time as reliability they will increase weight.

In order to reduce weight, the ribs are not made from a regular corner or rectangular steel pipe, and from long products with complex profile. It is almost impossible to bend the complex-profile ribs, and they add little weight to the door.

Reliable door hinges

Those who want to know how to choose the right entrance door should also pay attention to the hinges. Steel door blocks equipped with two types:

  • hidden loops that unconditionally eliminate the desire to cut;
  • ordinary external ones, which in principle can be cut, but anti-removal devices will not allow the panel to be removed - small steel pins “recessed” into special holes in the frame when the door is closed.

For inexplicable reasons, the latter type is most often used. Apparently, because the degree of protection is provided by anti-removals.

The number of loops determines the weight of the fabric. For a standard of 70 kg, two hinges are sufficient if the door is not used with increased intensity with closing 50 times a day. Those who are going to actively move back and forth, and those who decide to install a bulletproof door, will need 3-4 hinges. The hinges must have a support bearing, which will extend the service life of the devices and facilitate operation.

About heat and ways to preserve it

A metal door does not help retain heat, since the material perfectly conducts heat waves. Thermal insulation is placed between the outer and inner sheets of the fabric, for which it is most often used mineral wool insulation or expanded polystyrene due to fire resistance and environmental priorities. You should not rely on the presence of insulation; cold bridges still form in the area where the stiffeners are located and along the perimeter of the frame. But with insulation it is still warmer than without it at all.

A rubber seal will eliminate drafts and foreign odors. Most manufacturers equip their canvases with two rows, but experts believe that one is enough.

The castle is a friend and faithful watchdog

There are no “incorruptible guard dogs,” that is, locks that cannot be picked. The difference between an unreliable and a reliable lock is only the length of time that an attacker will need to spend on opening it. True, overly complex locking systems sometimes fail the owners themselves, which is why neither manufacturers nor sellers of iron doors advise getting carried away with design refinements.

The most effective locking option, both consumers and manufacturers recognize the presence of two locking systems different types. It is desirable that the main one be equipped with crossbars for locking in several directions for a long period of time, and the auxiliary one is suitable for owners who often close the door for a short period.

There is no point in discussing which entrance doors are more beautiful and which are better to choose for arranging a house or apartment with an established interior and exterior. Everyone has individual opinions, there is no need to reduce them to a common denominator. We can only advise you to buy door blocks with an external anti-vandal coating, which protects the appearance of the entrance area from those who like to spoil beautiful things. By the way, you can apply it yourself after installation. This means that at the top of the search rock, we will strengthen the flag with the inscription “reliability”, measure the opening according to the rules that can be found in the corresponding article, and rush to conquer the sellers with awareness, not forgetting that we came to buy a super strong iron barrier.

A metal entrance door is undoubtedly necessary for a modern apartment and house. Its main function is protection from uninvited guests. The first thing a guest or visitor to an institution may notice is the iron door. Its quality indicates a serious approach to home improvement and imparts solidity to the organization. Its function is also to prevent the release of heat from the room in winter and to maintain coolness inside the building in summer.

Manufacturers are vying with each other to talk about large assortment metal products, so it will not be easy for an inexperienced buyer to choose a metal door. However, it is doubtful that a cheap product will please excellent quality. The costs of developing the design and manufacturing the product from high-quality metal alloys affect the price, and a strong, reliable input block will not be cheap. This is the main reason why the buyer devotes a lot of time to the question of how to choose a metal entrance door.

Wide range of input and interior doors high quality optimal price you can find it in the Glorious Doors store

It is natural that protective function will be the main one. Which design solutions are best to choose will depend on the minimum required security function. For ordinary apartment there is no point in greatly overestimating the strength of the structure, since heavy weight increases wear on the hinges and fastenings of the box.

You can find a wide variety of entrance doors on sale, how to choose the best option? It is better to choose doors based on the required strength (leaf, locks, fastenings), aesthetics and how additional element insulation and sound insulation interior spaces. To decide which protection option will be optimal for this case, let's look at the main protection indicators.

Features of steel processing

Steel for a door structure can be processed in two ways, and the choice of method will greatly influence the final quality of the product. Looking at the documentation and certificates, you can see one of the values:

  • GOST 19903– hot rolled and more susceptible to environmental degradation steel sheet. It will quickly become covered with rust and corrosion.
  • GOST 19904– cold-rolled and more environmentally resistant steel sheet. He does ready product more expensive and of higher quality.

Metal thickness

The choice of a steel door is also determined by the thickness of the metal. The reliability class of the product depends on this value, which will tell you about the resistance of the structure to hacking methods.

The thickness of the steel sheet should not be less than 2 mm. If this value is not met, then the structure can be installed in non-residential premises, in which valuables are not stored (for example, a household room for cleaning equipment). A metal door to an apartment or residential building should be purchased with a sheet thickness of at least 2, but not more than 4 mm. Otherwise, it may turn out to be very heavy and not very convenient to use.

More details about the reliability class

Entrance doors are classified according to reliability classes. This is reported by GOST R 51072-97, which provides for 13 classes of entrance doors. Among them, designs from classes 1 to 4 are suitable for apartments and houses, and values ​​above 4 are used for special purposes (banks and premises for storing valuables).

Characteristics of products from the first to the fourth class:

  • The first is that the structure can withstand physical force without additional tools.
  • The second one is opposed simple tools such as a screwdriver.
  • The third is resistant to the use of scrap.
  • The fourth one will withstand blows from a hammer, an ax, or a drill.

It goes without saying that this applies to the door leaf and is not related to the quality of the lock. The value of the reliability class for each specific product can be clarified in the store. If the seller does not have data on determining the reliability class of any model, then it most likely has not been tested, and the quality may be questionable.

Stiffening rib

The quality of metal entrance doors is greatly influenced by the number of stiffeners. This metal elements, which are located under the outer sheet and are installed to enhance protection. The best input structures will have more than two vertical and one horizontal stiffeners.

However, as their number increases, the weight of the entire block increases. In order to reduce weight, modern stiffeners have non-standard shape, which allows you to maintain the strength of the product and reduce the weight load on the hinges.

Door frame (frame)

Entrance metal doors can have various options internal filling. Among them, several methods of making a frame are possible.

  • A frame made from one pipe bent in four places, the ends of which are welded to each other.
  • A variant of four straight pipe sections welded together into a single box.
  • Four corners that are connected to each other by welding. Each of the segments consists of identical corners welded together. This version of the frame is considered the most unreliable.

As you can see from this list, the first frame manufacturing option with the fewest welds is the best. With the appearance of each new weld, the structure may become skewed and change the originally conceived geometry. Put a box with minimum quantity welds are the best option.

Canvas material

The door leaf is made of steel and has stiffening ribs and a frame inside. The side facing the home may have an additional layer of aesthetic material.

  • Fully metal structure Suitable for external building entrance. For example, this could be the entrance to an organization or a door to a private house.
  • Canvas with additional inner layer made of wood, MDF or leather upholstery is suitable for an apartment door . The inner layer will not quickly deteriorate due to a sharp temperature difference between rooms.

Loops

You need to choose a metal entrance door with knowledge of the features of the hinges. They, just like the canvas, will help protect the room from burglary. The design uses two types of loops:

  • hidden,
  • external

Hidden hinges automatically eliminate the possibility of removing the sash and entering the apartment. External ones can be cut off, so entrance door hinges are additionally equipped with anti-removal devices: pins or tongues. Please note the presence of these devices in the selected design.

A standard blade weighing less than 70 kg is mounted on two loops. If you plan to frequently open and close the sash, or the leaf is over standard weight, you should consider installing 3-4 hinges. The supplied support bearing will help the hinges work for a long time and with high quality.

Lock

How to choose the right entrance door, taking into account the locks? The optimal option is one with two locks of different devices:

  • one lock to close briefly,
  • the second lock of a more complex design for the duration of the owner’s long absence.

There are locks:

  • cylinder, based on a pin mechanism, and they are easily broken by drilling out the cylinder;
  • lever locks, the most reliable of which are locks with big amount leveler (steps on the key minus one);
  • electronic ones are the most modern and expensive.

As a standard, two cylinder locks or one cylinder and one lever are installed in the entrance structure. Electronic lock can be installed additionally. It is worth considering some features that will help eliminate possible lock picking:

  • it is better to choose a lock with the largest number of bolts and pins;
  • it’s good if the level lock has a manganese insert, which will additional protection from burglary;
  • if the locking bolts are hidden, cutting them will become impossible;
  • the armor plate of the lock will make it impossible to cut out the core.

It is also worth remembering that cylinder locks do not withstand mechanical shocks well.

Insulation and sound insulation

Let's consider which metal doors And better retain heat inside and noise outside. The metal structure itself will not be able to create good thermal insulation, and manufacturers are concerned with creating insulation and rubber seals. In production, thermal insulation is laid in the space between the outer and inner sheets become. Additional layer a rubber or foam seal is laid in two areas where the door frame and leaf join in the closed door position.

  • It is worth checking whether there is a layer of insulation in the frame. If it is present there, the thermal insulation will be better.
  • A rubber seal in the form of a tape will not be as good as a seal with a tube. The wear resistance of the tubular seal is higher.

Appearance

The door peephole, which has already become traditional, should provide a wide overview, a clear and precise picture. In addition to the peephole, modern manufacturers make it possible to purchase doors with a built-in video peephole, from where the image is transferred directly to your home computer.

Aesthetics

Modern entrance doors are very different from their counterparts twenty or thirty years ago. If necessary, you can choose either a massive or an elegant option without sacrificing strength. The outer surface can be painted, and the best coatings for inner surface This:

  • leather,
  • leatherette,
  • laminate,
  • veneer,

A variety of colors and textures allow you to decorate the room as the owner wishes. The front door as simply a security guard for the premises is already considered an outdated option. Modern entrance structures fit perfectly into the design of the room. Aesthetics and harmony of style begins with the design of the entrance.

IN apartment building, perhaps it would make sense to paint the outer side of the sash in the color of the rest of the entrance doors, so as not to attract unnecessary glances. It is also possible to apply anti-vandal spraying to the canvas, which will protect it from external damage.

Imported products stand apart: the designs are solid, but expensive, the price of products from Polish, Italian, and German manufacturers starts from 30 thousand rubles and ends in disappointing six-digit figures.

Rating of entrance doors

Bars Torex "Elbor"

The rating of entrance doors is determined by the best and most expensive options. Imported products stand apart: the designs are solid, but expensive, the price of products from Polish, Italian, and German manufacturers starts from 40 thousand rubles and ends in disappointing six-digit figures.

Products of large domestic producers The appearance is not inferior to foreign ones, and pleases with decent quality and reasonable price.

  • Bars is a company that can be called a leader in both quality and price. Entered the market in 1996. The door catalog will satisfy the picky tastes of private homeowners and residents of city apartments. The range includes both individual door blocks and entrance groups. Premium segment products delight with their design.
  • Torex. The Saratov company has been on the market for a little over a quarter of a century. The production is based on patented innovative technologies. The door manufacturing process is carried out using modern imported equipment from Italy, Japan, and Switzerland. The company's products fully meet the standards of safety, strength, reliability, heat and sound insulation.
  • The Guardian company is a large-scale enterprise that specializes in the production of steel doors, the production of fittings and locks. Certified products leave the automated lines of the enterprise. The company's product range includes doors with increased resistance to burglary, improved heat and sound insulation, street structures with thermal break and fire doors.
  • Elbor has been specializing in the production of burglar-resistant doors since 2007. In just a few years, a small production has grown into a large diversified holding. Elbor doors have several levels of security due to the use of additional armor and thick steel inserts in the locking area.

Choosing a high-quality and durable metal entrance door that will last for many years is a very important issue. It is worth dedicating some time to study the known information and the selection of local stores. The cost of a steel structure will be repaid by ease of use and good protection from uninvited guests.

Choosing an entrance door is a rather important moment, since the safety of all the property of the house or apartment, and sometimes the life of the owners, will depend on its design. Today, the assortment of specialized stores is formed by many manufacturers presenting their products, which have a wide range of prices - from the most modest to the very high. Therefore, you can always choose a door that will fully meet the capabilities of the homeowners.

The purpose of the front door is not only to protect the home from intruders, as it should prevent the penetration of external noise and cold air masses. In addition, there are models that can create a reliable barrier even to intense flames during a fire. How to choose a metal entrance door - advice from a professional - they are necessarily given depending on where it will be installed: at the entrance to an apartment or a private house, as well as taking into account many criteria that directly affect the performance of this design.

Criteria for choosing an entrance door

To clarify all the nuances, we turned to the Moscow manufacturer of entrance doors, the ProfMaster company, where more than 80% of orders are individual production "to order", because this is the only way to choose a door without compromising on quality.

There is a list of main points that you need to pay special attention to when purchasing an entrance door:

  • Installation location. The door can be installed on the street in a private house or at the entrance to an apartment, that is, in an entrance area protected from direct external influence. The choice of insulation material and external cladding will depend on this.
  • Level of protection. Several aspects can be attributed to this criterion:

- the thickness of the metal used to make the door;

— frame design;

— the number of metal layers in the door leaf;

— the number of stiffeners inside the canvas frame;

- number and design of locks and hinges;

— presence of an overview element.

  • Insulation material. To prevent the door from letting in cold masses and extraneous noise, it is insulated mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam or cardboard. Some cheap models may have no insulation at all.
  • Number of seals. They can be installed on door leaf or box, in one, two or even three rows. For fire-resistant structures, sealing contours made of special materials are used.
  • Door weight. A high-quality product must be heavy, as it has reliable stiffening ribs and is made of high-quality, fairly thick metal sheet.
  • A design solution that will harmoniously fit the door into general design facade, if the door will be installed in a private house.
  • Fireproof qualities of materials, if you plan to purchase a door that has protection against the spread of flame.
  • Vandal-proof coating is especially necessary if there are animals in the house that can scratch the door lining, or in an apartment where there is no combination lock at the entrance to the entrance.
  • The door must have a quality certificate or product passport, which will indicate all its characteristics.

Assessment of the main characteristics of doors

The price of such products is quite high, but you can be sure of the safety that they will fully provide. Therefore, recently more and more apartment residents and house owners prefer this particular door option.

So, the design of the entrance doors must fully meet all the criteria for safety and comfort when opening and closing them, as well as satisfy homeowners in terms of its design. Therefore, when making a choice, you need to make a list of requirements for the door structure in advance, and if the model meets them, then this option will be ideal for a specific entrance to a building or apartment.

Doing major renovation of their home, many owners are thinking about installing a new front door. Almost all entrance doors are now made of metal. Therefore, to choose quality construction to your apartment, you need to understand a little about the technical characteristics and installation process of iron doors. You can learn how to choose and install an iron door correctly from our article.

Steel door

The main purpose of the front door is to protect your home from illegal entry. Therefore, for greater security, you should opt for massive metal doors made of thick sheet steel, with secure locks already embedded. Special attention Pay attention to the hinges, they must be protected from cutting.


Metal door design

Metal entrance doors made of sheet steel come in three types:

  • DS 1 – with one protective sheet on three stiffeners. The disadvantage is the lack of noise and heat insulation, so you will need to install a second door. The price of products with class DS 1 is about 10,000 rubles.
  • DS 2 – has two protective sheets on three stiffeners. It is also equipped with three special locks that will not allow it to be removed from the hinges, even if they are cut out. When attempting to access the deadbolt system, the door will be locked using an automatically closing beam. The price for such models is about 20,000 rubles.
  • DS 3 – sheets are attached to four stiffening ribs and have crossbar protection systems on the sides and top. DS 3 also contains a lock drilling protection system. The most reliable degree of protection will cost approximately 35,000 rubles.

Metal doors are not subject to mandatory certification. But if the manufacturer is confident in the quality of its products, they must meet the requirements of GOST 31173-2003 “Steel door blocks. Technical conditions" and have the appropriate certificate.

Heat and sound insulation of a metal door

In addition to the strength of the door, another important factor is its heat and sound insulation. After all, if every sound from the entrance is clearly audible in the apartment, and in winter the cold blows from the door, then living in such conditions is at least not comfortable. Therefore, when buying an iron door, purchase models that are already insulated by the manufacturer and equipped with rubber seals. Consider the price factor; the cheaper the metal door, the less attention the manufacturer paid to its heat and sound insulation. Trying to save money at the expense of a low price, you can increase the costs of subsequent insulation.


Insulation scheme for a metal door

Metal door design

The next thing you should pay attention to is the type of external and internal decoration of the door. The range of iron door designs is large, from the usual powder paint, to non-standard finishing options with patterns or laminate cladding.
Remember that a beautiful design is not always an indicator of quality, and sometimes, on the contrary, manufacturers try to hide the low technical characteristics of the door behind a beautiful design.
Some interesting options you can look at the photo:







Manufacturers of metal doors

Our market offers metal entrance doors of both domestic and foreign manufacturers:


Chinese metal doors
    • Chinese doors- they are the cheapest, but when purchasing them you should pay increased attention to the quality of the material from which they are made. Among Chinese iron doors it is quite possible to find models acceptable for use, the main thing is to take into account the thickness sheet iron and check the quality of the fittings.

European metal doors
    • Products from leading foreign manufacturers are not cheap, but the quality of their workmanship is excellent. Thick steel, high degree of protection, pleasant appearance and reliable fittings are worth the money. The most common iron doors are Italian brands “Fbs”, “Dierre”, “Di.Bi”, which rely on the design of their products. There are also Israeli doors under the brands “Pandoor” and “Mul-t-Lock”, which offer high-quality doors with reliable locks.

Russian metal doors
  • Entrance doors are a good option Russian production premium class: “Senator”, “Pro-Tek”. We are pleased with the reliable locks, the possibility of quick warranty service, the vandal-resistant coating and the adapted design. If you look for cheaper door options, then in the segment from 12 to 25 thousand rubles. There are many domestic manufacturers. Among them, we will highlight such companies as: “Le Grand”, “Torex”, “Condor”, “Guardian”, “Guardian”. Due to high competition, quality of service Russian companies is constantly growing, so their products can become the golden mean between price and quality.

Standard sizes of metal doors

When purchasing an iron door, it is important to measure the doorway correctly. In old houses, doors are installed in wooden box, which needs to be removed, so the width of the opening will increase after dismantling.


It is better to entrust the measurements of the opening to an experienced person, since it is impossible to make a mistake in this matter. It is better to choose the largest possible size for your opening, so that there are no problems with large items.
There have been cases when entrance doors were installed only 70 cm wide! According to SNiP 21-01-97, this violates fire safety regulations, since the front door is an emergency exit.

Many people prefer to make a door to order because they want to increase the opening. In addition, custom-made products have better quality locks that can be changed, wide choose finishes and nice thick metal.

Below are standard sizes entrance doors for apartments and houses:

  • 860x2030 mm;
  • 880x2050 mm;
  • 900x2100 mm;
  • 950x2100 mm;
  • 1000x2100 mm and above.

Metal door installation

Having purchased an iron door, it is important to install it correctly. If you do not have experience in this type of work, then it is better to turn to professionals. Moreover, many stores that supply doors provide this service as a bonus upon purchase. So that you can control the installation process, familiarize yourself with the main stages of door installation:

  • Dismantling old door- at this stage, the old fabric is removed from the hinges, the trim and door frame are removed, and the doorway from the remains of the solution or installation change.
  • Installation new door in the opening - a level box, placed in correct position and is temporarily secured with wooden wedges.
  • Final fastening of the frame in the opening - depending on the door model, the frame can be attached to anchor bolts or metal pins. Some models have additional fastenings in the form metal strips nailed to the wall with dowels. Be sure to ensure that the installers secure the box to all available fasteners.
  • Filling gaps with foam - at the end of installation, the space between the frame and the opening is filled polyurethane foam. The drying period of the foam can be from five hours to a day.
  • Processing of slopes - after drying, excess foam is cut off with a knife and the doorway slopes are made.

To reinforce the information, watch the video below:

Types of locks for metal doors

There are cases when owners are not satisfied with the locks installed on the doors and they want to replace them with more reliable ones. In such cases, you need to buy a new lock, but before doing this, familiarize yourself with the main types door locks for metal doors:


Level castle
    • Level lock - the design of this type of lock is one of the first invented by man, despite this, level locks are considered one of the most reliable. The principle of operation of the lever lock is quite simple. Its mechanism consists of plates - levers, which, when opened, are arranged in a certain combination on the key. If the combination does not match, it is impossible to open such a lock. The following brands produce lever locks for metal doors: “Barrier”, “Guardian”, “Elbor”, “Kale”, “Cisa”, “Mottura”, “Mul-T-Lock”.

Combination lock
    • A combination lock is a combination of two or three types of locks in one mechanism. Combination locks have high cost, but justify the price due to their increased reliability. The following brands produce combination locks for metal doors: “Guardian”, “Barrier”, “Elbor”, “Kale”, “Cisa”, “Mottura”, “Mul-T-Lock”, “Vachette”, “Asix”, “Iseo” "
Cylinder lock
  • Cylinder locks - the main advantage of cylinder locks is the ease of repair and replacement of the lock. It is enough to replace the central secret mechanism - the “larva” cylinder. The principle of operation of a cylinder lock is quite simple and consists in arranging the pins inside the cylinder in a certain combination. Such locks are produced for metal doors “Kale”, “Cisa”, “Mottura”, “Mul-T-Lock”, “Vachette”, “Asix” , "Iseo".

Remember that no matter what type of lock you choose, installing it on a metal door requires certain skills and special tools. Therefore, if you are not confident in your abilities, entrust the work to specialists.

Save on your purchase quality door It won’t work out, so it’s better to save up for a reliable option than to buy the cheapest one. It is important to take careful measurements and, if necessary, increase the size of the opening to the safety standard.