When furnishing a residence, it’s crucial to not only focus on furniture and decor but also to give serious consideration to selecting the entry door. This is because the front door offers protection against break-ins, external noise, and helps in maintaining indoor warmth. Presently, the most favored choice for secure home entrances is steel security doors. These doors are significantly more durable than wooden, MDF, or particleboard options. Furthermore, they require minimal maintenance and can last for decades.

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Prior to purchasing a door, there are several important criteria to take into account. The market offers a broad array of models from both international and local manufacturers. Among the domestic brands, Argus, Intekron, and Le Grand are particularly popular. Their offerings fulfill all operational standards and exhibit a considerable variety, allowing homeowners to select a front door that aligns with the overall housing style.

What is the purpose of a steel door?

The purpose of a steel door is to provide enhanced security, durability, and protection for various types of buildings and spaces. Steel doors are commonly used in residential, commercial, and industrial settings due to their numerous benefits. Here are some of the key purposes and advantages of using steel doors:

• Security: Steel doors are known for their strength and resistance to forced entry. They act as a barrier against unauthorized access, burglaries, and break-ins. The inherent toughness of steel makes it difficult for intruders to compromise the door’s integrity.
• Durability: Steel is a robust and long-lasting material. Steel doors are highly resistant to wear and tear, weather conditions, and physical impact. This durability translates to a longer lifespan, reducing the need for frequent replacements.
• Fire Resistance: Many steel doors are designed to be fire-resistant, offering additional protection in case of fire emergencies. They can help contain the spread of flames and smoke, allowing occupants more time to evacuate safely.
• Weather Resistance: Steel doors are suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications. They are resistant to elements like rain, wind, and extreme temperatures, making them a suitable choice for various climates.
• Low Maintenance: Steel doors require minimal maintenance compared to other materials. They do not warp, rot, or crack like wooden doors, and they can be easily cleaned and repainted if necessary.

Burglar resistance and strength parameters

To choose an entrance metal door that will provide maximum protection for your home, you need to consider that it must be durable and resistant to break-ins. The security level of a structure is determined based on its burglary resistance class. There are six classes in total:

First-class structures are made of not the most durable materials, so they can be deformed without the use of additional devices. To break them, it is enough to use physical force.

The second class includes products that can be damaged with tools, and the most common ones are screwdrivers, knives, etc.

Heavy tools (hammer) are required to get into a dwelling where third-class doors are installed.

Doors that belong to the fourth class of burglar resistance can be damaged and hacked using a pry bar, drill or axe.

The fifth class is characterized by optimal burglary resistance, since hacking requires the use of a tool that works from the network, for example, a grinder.

The last, sixth grade is the most reliable. Rare special tools are needed to open such a door.

Heat and sound insulation

The front door should not only be strong and burglar-resistant, but also perform additional functions. When choosing it, it is necessary to provide for such qualities as noise and heat insulation. Their level will depend on a number of structural elements, including:

Filler inside the structure cavity. A material is needed that will act as an insulator, but at the same time not weigh down the structure. The most optimal option is basalt, mineral wool. They are resistant to fire, retain heat well, do not let in drafts and do not ignite.

Panels. To improve the soundproofing qualities of the product, decorative panels can be used. Materials such as wood and MDF absorb sound well.

Seals. Sealing materials ensure tight and quiet closing of the door. The silicone seal must be laid in two contours.

You can also reduce heat loss by filling all the voids that form in the area of ​​the door frame and opening. It is important that all elements in the design fit snugly together, which will eliminate gaps and voids through which cold and noise pass.

Castle selection

Before choosing a metal door, it is also very important to pay attention to additional elements and locks. It must be provided with ball hinges that will withstand the weight of the structure, a box with a thickness of at least 120 mm, an external casing that provides additional protection and aesthetic function. Also important is the presence of anti-cuts, which increase protection against hacking.

Special attention should be paid to locking systems. Depending on the burglary resistance, they are also divided into four classes. It takes 5 minutes to crack a low quality lock. It is quite difficult to damage burglary-resistant models, it will take a lot of time – more than 30 minutes. Preference is given to steel locks, as they are strong and resistant to breaking. By type they are:

Pin or cylinder. They have high secrecy, but insufficiently high burglary resistance when drilling. If the mechanism breaks down, it can be replaced with a new one without changing the entire lock. To increase the level of protection of the structure, it is recommended to use armor plates.

Level. They have the appearance of a design with plates. To open them, it is necessary that all the plates line up in a certain order, which complicates hacking. Such a lock cannot be knocked out, in order to open it, you will have to pick up a certain type of master key. The level of reliability of this type of locking system is affected by the number of plates and the material from which the mechanism is made.

Source of information: secure-house.co.uk