Comparison of Entrance Doors - Which Materials are Available?

The entrance door is the center of our home, the entry to our happy place. It has the aim of making us feel safe and comfortable in our own house. Therefore, the choice of the correct door is not easy. Apart from the design, it is also important to consider about materials when buying new entrance doors. It determines how safe, durable, thermal-insulated and easy to care for a door will be.

If you are looking for the correct entrance door, you should ask yourself about your requirements regarding security, thermal insulation and intensity of maintenance. To help you with your choice we have made a summary of the most popular materials for entrance doors and their most important features.

Figure: aluminum entrance door with side parts made of glass - fitting to the sectional garage door in the same color.

Entrance doors made of wood and synthetic material - cost-effective and individual

Timber entrance doors offer a natural good insulation protection, so they are popular for entrance areas. They are visually appealing and have a delicate appearance, however, they need more care than other materials as well. A disadvantage is that wood is not resistant against outside influences like rain and temperature differences. Therefore, they might deform over the years. To protect the material over a longer period of time, it is recommended to varnish wood doors regularly.

Doors made of synthetic materials are relatively reasonably priced and do not need a lot of maintenance compared to timber doors. The surface offers a creative space, but can be discolored by sunlight over time. To avoid deformation of the door, it should be equipped with a steel core, which offers additional stability for the door. Depending on the filling, a synthetic door can also achieve good thermal insulation.

Entrance doors made of steel - stable and good-quality

Steel entrance doors convince with their good resistance and offer good burglary protection. Due to the material, they are air tight with little need for care and are well protected against outside influences. Steel entrance doors are relatively cheap and therefore also available for small budgets.

Figure: Thermo65 steel/aluminum entrance door with rounded glazing and stainless steel handle

Aluminum entrance doors - comfortable and secure

Aluminum entrance doors are not only easy to care for and well protected against burglaries, but also the same against corrosion and changing weather conditions. Depending on the filling they convince with good thermal insulation and good noise protection. Entrance doors made of aluminum are durable, functional and comfortable. Compared to timber doors, it is not necessary to varnish them again and again. Apart from that they are easy to clean as you can just wipe dirt off with water and a cloth. There are a lot of different patterns and colors that offer a huge variety of different door designs.

Figure: aluminum entrance doors are especially safe and thermal-insulated

The materials of entrance doors in comparison

Entrance doors made of synthetic material offer advantages in terms of prices, however, the strength is low and the endurance is rather short. If you have no problem to invest time for caring and maintenance, a timber door is a good choice as it offers a wide range of individuality as well as creative design space.

*Holz = Wood    |    Kunststoff = Plastic    |    Stahl = Steel

*Warmedammung = Thermal Insulation    |    Pfeigeleichtigkeit = Easy Maintenance    |    Sichertheit = Security    |    Preis = Price

Entrance doors made of aluminum and steel are more expensive, but are distinguished by their long lifetime and good values when talking about thermal insulation, security, sound insulation and stability. Apart from that they are easy to maintain as well as durable.