Wood or uPVC front door

[Lee Blaver]

SWMBO wants to change our perfectly good (50mm) hardwood front door for a nasty plastic one... What is considered more secure, a decent wooden front door and frame or a uPVC one?

I can see that the locking mechanism on the plastic door may be superior, but most of the frames I've seen look like they would cave in really easily to a good kick...

I have found a place that will make the door and frame with steel reinforcement and a steel sheet reinforced lower panel, at a rather surprisingly larger cost than the "standard" fare from the DG companies, hence my question.

Oh, and whether it would be worth going for the steel reinforced plastic door, if I can't persuade SWMBO into keeping the nice wooden one :-)

Lee

[Bob Minchin]

One observation on UPVC doors is that in my experience I have not seen one that will automatically shut in the locked state. Thisis something taken for granted with a wooden door with a rim lock. If this is important to you beware UPVC. Once manually shut and key locked, the UPVC door is locked at several points around the frame and is more secure than most wooden doors. Do ensure that the glass and other infill panels are fitted from the inside with beading on the inner door face.

Bob

[Paul Mc Cann]

Plastic front doors are an abomination (IMHO)

Get rid of swmbo and keep the door you have

Paul Mc Cann

[Essjay001]

Personally I like a wooden door, you can paint it to suit you and the frame is smaller. uPVC normally comes in white or one of 4 or 5 wood grain colours. A nice uPVC door from Screwfix will cost about£300 min a wooden door can be had for £100.

uPVC is quite a flexible material it is normal for a reputable manufacturer to insert steel reinforcing in the profile material.I you do go for a uPVC door make sure you ask for one with no frame or 'low step' at the bottom or you will continualy trip over it

Steve R

[The Natural Philosopher]

The frame is realy what is the weak pont. If it can be jemmied...its all a questio of locs, farmes etc. Ask the local crime preventin ossifer.

Why not reinforce the nice door you have?

[Lee Blaver]

The problem is the SWMBO wants a uPVC door (and frame) for aesthetic reasons, (women!) and I'm trying to convince her that they are less secure so that I can keep the sturdy wooden one we already have.

The area is not bad crime wise and I'm not a dealer before anyone asks :-)

Lee

Lee

[David Green]

I was watching a TV program about the Police this week, They showed an early morning raid on a house where they attempted to bust the UPVc door down with a big steel smasher thing. Only problem was that the door couldn't be bashed in! They had to remove the glass panel before they could get it to open. Looked to me like UPVc front doors are pretty tough, frame included,

David.

[Tricky Dicky]

If SWMBO insists on uPVC then do not go for the standard DG offerings which are basically a DG frame with an infill panel instead of a DG panel. Admittidly you can get these panels reinforced with a variety of innards from plywood to mesh or even sheet steel for additional security. The cheap foam filled panels can literally be walked through as my neighbour found to his cost. Even the reinforced ones can be jemmied out by a determined intruder.

The type of door you want is one that is not a frame within a frame but a one piece door. The only company I know who makes these is called Rock doors. We have one, it is a one piece foam and mesh filled moulding, the DG unit in it is inserted through the top therefore no beading. If you are interested e-mail me and I will try to dig out the details.

Richard