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If you’re looking to upgrade your home or considering a remodelling project, doors can be a cool and fast way to improve the value of your property. Whether you wish to increase the visual appeal of your home with a new exterior door or simply to alter the appearance of an outdated or plain bedroom or bathroom, doors can also go a long way to improve the look of your home. If you’re thinking about taking on such a project, one of the things you might want to consider is length of time it’ll take to complete the installation process. In this post, we’re going to give you a good insight into the time it takes to complete a door installation process to help you make informed decision moving forward. Let’s take a look!

Just like any home improvement project, the duration of time it’ll take to install doors will depend on a number of factors. These factors include the style/type of door to be installed, the ease of access, the skill and experience of the installer and lots more. In general, replacing an exterior door should, on the average, take about 5 to 6 hours. An interior door, on the other hand, should be much quicker as it doesn’t require same flashing, caulking as well as other weatherproofing processes. In general, the installation of an interior door can be completed within 2 to 4 hours. If you choose to take on this task by yourself, you can expect the duration to be longer due to the little or no experience possessed.

We’ve all heard the common phrase that first impressions matter most. Well, this expression also applies to your home. When people arrive at your home, the door is the first thing they come in contact with and that speak volumes about the impression they’ll have about you. In modern times, there’s a large variety of choices when it comes to choosing a front door for your home in terms of style and design - from distinctive and alluring wood finish effect to elegant stained glass patterns. These are all important when it comes to choosing a front door, but one of the most significant factors is the material.

Both uPVC and composite doors have their advantages and disadvantages, so choosing one may rest on the purpose of installing the door.

UPVC Doors:

Pros

• Cost - Although composite doors are certain to deliver a great value for money, the initial spending on uPVC is lower and doesn’t put much strain on your budget

• Little Maintenance - The maintenance of a uPVC door does not go beyond wiping any stains with a damp cloth. However, this should be done carefully and regularly as extended neglect can lead to discolouration over time

Cons

• Styles - When it comes to styles, uPVC doors has a considerable lower style options compared to composite doors.

Composite Doors:

Pros

• Finishes - Composite doors offer a wider range of finishes than uPVC doors and as such, deliver greater versatility in showcasing your home’s character.

• Energy Efficient - Made from various materials glued together under intense pressure, composite doors happen to be thicker than uPVC doors and hence, a bit more energy efficient.

• Improved Security - Although both doors offer a great level of security, composite doors (due to its robust construction) are a bit more superior in this area.

Cons

• Cost - Although composite doors offer an immense value for money, the fact still remains that they’ll also stretch your budget more than uPVC doors.

Composite doors have coloured skins rather than a coloured coating on their surface. This means that their colour is long-lasting and they don’t need repainting. If you want to change the colour of your composite door it’s best to ask the manufacturer about the best way to do this. This is because different composite doors are finished in different ways.

What Is The Most Secure Type Of Front Door?

When getting a new front door for your home or property, you’d probably want to get one that’ll provide the most security for your home. Gone are the days when you could leave your front door open and still come back to your assets intact, if you try that today, you’ll be taught a bitter lesson. The front door is the weak point of your home, the point at which several burglars will use to gain entrance into your home. Therefore, for your own peace of mind, there’s the need to get the most secure type of front door to protect both your loved ones and home.

There are two crucial thing to take into account when selecting the best front door for your home’s security and these includes both the door’s material as well as the lock. Let’s have a look at two of the best front doors for security purposes.

✓ Timber Doors. Though they might look great, but they’re also very sturdy and solid which makes them one the best front doors for security. Timber is a heavy hardwood door that’s at least 44mm thick. However, just like any other door type, the strength still boils down to the frame as well as quality of the lock. If the timber door possesses a superior style lock alongside a solid frame, only burglars or intruders with a leg to spare will try to forcefully kick it in. And neither can it be smashed open nor shoved with the shoulder.

✓ Composite Doors. These doors are developed to tackle the flaws of singular material doors and as a result, they possess great security qualities. They usually include a steel door frame and a solid hardwood internal frame. Furthermore, the door’s surface skin is typically made from glass-reinforced plastic which is a very sturdy material. Combination of all these materials enable this type of door to withstand brute force with relative ease. No intruder with a good knowledge of door materials will try to force an entry with a composite door standing as an obstacle.

As the name suggests, composite doors are made up of multiple components or materials which includes uPVC and foam or solid timber core, just to mention a few. Individual materials incorporated manufacturing a composite door plays their own important role with unique properties which are perfectly blended to give the strongest and most durable door materials currently available in the market. These materials are pressed and glued together as they’re subjected to high pressure conditions.

The need to counteract the weaknesses found in most single material doors, ultimately gave birth to the development of composite doors - which puts together several materials with specific properties to cancel out each others’ excesses or weaknesses. Purchasing a composite door means a valuable investment in a sturdy door frame manufactured using the toughest and most robust materials. In other words, you’re increasing the security of your home, enjoying the weatherproofing qualities of the door and also giving you a peace of mind knowing both your loved ones and properties are safe, well protected and secured. Apart from the materials used in making the door, you’re also provided with an array of choices when it comes to the personalization of the door to your needs and taste. You can choose from a variety of colours, woodgrain effects, textures as well as finishes.

Overall, composite doors also requires little maintenance and are very durable. Due to the modern techniques used in manufacturing a composite door, the colour as well as beauty is guaranteed to last a very long time. What’s more? Generally, the composite is weather and fade resistant so you won’t have to worry about spending either time or money for the care or maintenance of your door even after frequent or heavy usage.

There are several benefits that can be derived from insulating your garage door. Not only can it reduce your energy bills and protect your garage’s content from elements, but can also go a long way to increase the return on your property’s value, reduce noise, increase the garage door’s strength and deliver a more convenient garage and home. Insulating your garage is a task you can actually take on by yourself. However, if you lack proper training or experience, we’d recommend you leave it for a reliable professional who can ensure the project is done right, the first time - saving you both time and money. This guide will give you a good insight on how you can go about the project.

To insulate your garage, you’ll need a fibreglass insulation, garage door insulation, expanding foam, drywall, gloves and long sleeves, wood, sharp utility knife as well as a staple gun and staples. Now let’s take a look at the garage door insulation process!

lClear The Walls

• Remove the drywall (if present)

• Clean out the dirt and stud cavities.

• Wipe out any chemicals in the garage like gasoline.

lIdentify Gaps & Cracks In The Wall

• Shake your expanding foam vigorously for about a minute.

• Attach the straw to the can and use it to spray the wall openings.

• Fill the gaps until its 50% full

• Leave the foam to fill the openings completely in about 5 to 15 minutes. It should be hardened or completely cured within 6 to 8 hours.

lInstall Fibreglass Insulation

• Staple the insulation’s paper face to the side of the stud and not the face.

• Place a piece of wwod on the insulation’s top to act as a guide to properly cut the insulation to size.

• Cut the excess insulation with a utility knife.

• Tuck in the insulation to make for easier stapling.

• Staple the insulation down to the stud’s side.

lUse Drywall To Cover The Insulation

• Screw and glue the drywall to the stud.

• Do not leave the insulation’s paper exposed.

What Is Better, Steel Or Aluminium For A Front Door?

If you’re extending or refurbishing your home or property or constructing a new one, you’ll, sooner or later, get to the point when you’d have to determine the type of door material you want to use. The most common choices include steel, aluminium, wood and PVC. However, in this article we’ll only be looking at steel and aluminium to discuss which is better for a front door. Let’s take a look!

✓ Home security. Intruders and unwanted visitors are always a concern regardless of where you live. If this is your biggest concern when going for a front door then steel doors are your best bet as they happen to be one of the sturdiest and strongest materials that can be used to manufacture a door. Not only do they not crack or warp, but they also offer some high security models that features a large number of locks as well as hinges with various style designs. However, this does not mean aluminium are left behind on this subject either as there are also some high security doors that uses aluminium as the primary metal component.

✓ Thermal insulations. Both door presentations are not completely made of steel or aluminium. For a better insulation, they’ll feature other materials such as foam,wood, polystryene foam, or fibreglass core to prevent the escape of heat. As a result, both doors can do a great job when it comes to thermal insulation like keeping your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter for a better energy efficiency.

✓ Aesthetics. If this is your primary criteria for a front door, then aluminium has a wide range of colours and styles to match the style of your home.

In the past traditional door were usually made from wood and they’re normally good enough at doing the job they were required to do. However, with the advent of far more effective door building materials such as the affordable composites and UPVC, wooden doors are no longer in vogue. Being strong enough to provide the required security for home, low maintenance requirement as well as offering a strong seal and great insulating qualities, both UPVC and composite doors are among the most poplar options available in the market today. So if you’re looking to install a UPVC door in your home or property, you’d probably be wondering how to go about the task. Well, you’ve come to the right place! We’d recommend you hire the services of a professional door installer who can guarantee the best results especially if you lack proper training and experience to complete the job. In this guide, however, you’ll given a good insight into the UPVC door installation process.

• Take the measurement of the entrance to ensure the new door is the right size.

• Remove the old frame and wipe out any old mortar, sealant and any other debris.

• Resting the sill on the brickwork, make use of packers and spirit level to put the new frame in place. Check that the frame is placed the right way with drainage holes at the bottom and also level.

• Once the frame has been successfully put in place, the next line of action is to secure it. To do this, simply drill a hole through the frame. Use a masonry drill through the pilot hole and into the brickwork and ensure a tight fit with the help of packers, then put the anchor into place. Once done, make use of the fixing screw to secure the frame.

• Upon completion, you then have to put the door into place. Make sure the door is toed and heeled so as to avoid unnecessary issues in the future.