How to choose a steel door

The modern steel door market is replete with variety: sellers have both domestic and foreign assortments of goods, while many solutions are available for every taste and wallet of the consumer. Such a situation, when one product – a steel door – is offered in a wide variety of prices, manufacturing options, protective properties and additional related services, is favorable, but at the same time is a burden for the consumer, since he needs additional knowledge so as not to get confused when choosing.

This is used by dishonest merchants, deceiving a buyer who is not quite versed in the intricacies of the intricacies. But more often than not, sellers fall for the bait through their own fault, believing that you always have to pay for quality. Why is this point of view common? Firstly, those who have financial resources allow them to think so think so, and secondly, this is the opinion of people with outdated views and assessment systems. Such views on things from buyers are the very limiting factor that does not allow the market to fully develop. And the manufacturer, whose goal is to achieve sustainable demand for its products, will be interested in bringing to the end consumer all the necessary information about his product. Indeed, in this case, the buyer will not have to use the services of dubious offices, where they will convince that their products are of the highest quality and therefore the most expensive on the market. And the consumer won’t be fooled by old gimmicks.

Therefore, the main selection criterion should not be the price, but the quality that can be obtained at a given price, even if not the highest. That is why the idea that “we are not rich enough to buy cheap things” is still relevant. Moreover, they are cheap in a broader sense, and not only in price. Based on this consideration, we will consider several basic designs of metal doors that will help the future consumer when choosing.

A metal door, although it looks ordinary and simple, nevertheless, it is a system in which each element is very important and forms the final appearance of the product, which is evaluated.

We’ll start with the canvas. Most often, this is a frame technology, which has two types of frames. Firstly, the frame can be made from low-carbon steel by rolling, and secondly, it can be assembled from pre-prepared thin stamped sections. The frame made according to the first method, as a rule, is more resistant to shock loads and has a good bearing capacity. The frame, assembled from profiles, is lighter and has high spatial rigidity. However, the quality of both types of frames is more determined by the quality of the materials used in their manufacture, the quality and thoroughness of processing and assembly, rather than their design..

Further, metal sheets are superimposed on the frame, sheathed on both sides. Take a closer look at the thickness of the outer sheet: it provides protection for the entire door locking system, serves as an obstacle for special tools and levers. The sheets should not be too thin, usually 1.5 – 2 mm. However, there are more secure doors with an outer sheet thickness of up to 4 mm. The outer sheet is also important for the false part of the door. So that the smell from neighbors does not reach your apartment, pay attention to how the canvas adheres to the frame and how sufficient the seal is around the perimeter.

The main element influencing the functioning of the door is the locking system and its central part – the lock. The lock is both a responsible and a vulnerable link in any door. A broken lock is an almost 100% chance that thieves will open the door. It is not by chance that the attackers start “working” from the lock. Rumor has it that most often a safe-type lock can be opened with a master key. However, this was the case before the appearance of 3 and 4-turn locks, which cannot be opened with a master key. For locks with radial cylinders with high security, the selection of a pair of master keys with a duplicate will not work. Such locks are produced by CISA, Mul-T-Lock, Winkhouse, Vachette, etc. But even for such locks there is a “threat” in the form of a drill and a good old sledgehammer. Therefore, pay attention that the area with the cylinders is covered with special armor plates. The inner pad will save you from drilling with a drill, and the outer one – from knocking out with a sledgehammer. This is the preferred protection option..

Sometimes, to strengthen the lock, it is possible to combine the cylinder and lever mechanisms located in the same case. As a side effect, you will have to carry more keys in your bunch. A very exotic way is to hide the location of the lock in the door leaf. This will discourage intruders and they will not be able to figure out the location of the lock, which means, most likely, they will not be able to open the door..

The second component in the door locking system is the crossbars, otherwise called locking pins. Their task is to firmly fix the door frame when it is closed. The better and more reliable the crossbars, the higher the door resistance against burglars, and the less likely it is to break the locking mechanism. Structurally, crossbars can be active (movable) and passive (static). There is also an erroneous opinion that the number and thickness of the crossbars directly affects the reliability of the door, which means that it will be more difficult to open such a door. Of course, to some extent this is a fact, but there will come such a moment that it will be easier for an attacker to completely remove the door from the wall than to mess with the crossbars. Therefore, it is important to observe the measure everywhere. The most reliable and durable are movable disc and self-cleaning ledgers. But all sliding ledgers have one significant drawback. In order for the locking door system to work as expected, a fairly accurate alignment of the axes of the crossbar with its counterpart, which is located in the frame, is required, and this is difficult to achieve, especially after a certain time, when deformations occur in the building structures. To avoid the upcoming jamming of the door, the counterparts are always made of a larger diameter than the crossbars themselves, and they also insert plastic stands that will make the locking structure with a margin of play.

Hinges are another important component of the door. Their task is to maintain reliable operation and ensure the ergonomic appearance of the doors. For light steel doors, conventional hinges are used that can withstand 60 – 70 kg of weight. If the door is heavier, then such hinges will not work for it, because wear and load are great. Reinforced outer hinges based on bearings are used, as well as secret hinges-axles on bearings and control thrust balls for greater endurance. In order for the door to serve for a long time and work properly, the number of hinges should not exceed two, and the distance between them must be extreme. A truly reliable door should not have only passive crossbars – hinges, otherwise sawing them and then opening the door will become only a matter of time.

Let me say a few words about door frames. Their main differences between themselves are the type of profile used for their manufacture and how the frames are installed in the doorway – anywhere or just outside, overlapping. Both the first and second methods of installing frames are practically equivalent in terms of reliability, but only if the location and number of anchors are chosen correctly – at least two on each side of the perimeter. To protect your door from drifting off the wall, place the frame in the middle of the opening. When installing a door, the main parameter that is paid attention to is the size of the frame. Standard doors may not fit the doorway and will need to be resized. To avoid unnecessary interference in the layout of the entrance opening, people often order doors for the existing opening. This is a more expensive solution, but if you care about your own taste, it will be more attractive..

Finally, the final criterion for choosing a steel front door is its finish. Well, here, as your soul pleases, as they say, “there are no comrades for the taste and color.” Here, like nowhere else, when choosing, the buyer has a place to turn around: this is a simple and unpretentious plastic, and wooden layouts, glass, stainless steel trim and much more. Many people will like the modern high-tech version, which uses various steel structures, made in a “natural” style.

Generally speaking, if you want to buy a steel front door, then first honestly in front of yourself answer the question: “Why do I need it?” Many believe that they need the door for their own safety and the safety of their own apartment. By honestly answering the question posed to yourself, you will thus form a motive for your purchase and it will be easier to navigate when choosing. A cheap and questionable door will bring more headaches and premature expenses than a more expensive and high quality one. But don’t chase the price either! Appearance is also not the correct selection criterion; it is more correct to make a choice according to the technical equipment of the door. Mandatory certification does not apply to doors, so manufacturers use this, because there is no quality control of its products by the state. Therefore, under the guise of security doors, solutions that are not adapted for this very protection are sometimes offered. But if the manufacturer himself declares the compatibility of his products in terms of protective properties with any GOST, then the presence of a certificate of conformity can serve as confirmation of his statement. Pay attention to the warranty and post-warranty service of the products you purchased.

Finally, I would like to say. No door can provide 100% resistance against burglars, which means that the task of the door is to “fix obstacles” on the way to your apartment as long as possible. Coupled with alarms directly related to private security, you will protect yourself and your home, at least until burglars find a way to bypass this protection.