Double entrance door - Wood vs fibreglass vs aluminium

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zyo

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#1569860 11-Jun-2016 08:46

Fred99:
zyo:

The quote we received for a double aluminium door is well over our budget (6k including installation and glass)

That price is crazy IMO.

I had a set of exterior french doors made by a joiner recently. Doors are cedar with double-glazed inserts, large SS parliament hinges (so that doors can be opened out flat). The frames are very deep (260mm or so) heart rimu.

Cost for those expensive doors was about $4500. Mass produced standard doors should be much cheaper.

Either you are being had on - or there's another complication - possibly structural building work required to widen the doorway, which might involve building consent and design fees.

Our door size is not standard (2.1x0.91m) so its a custom made aluminium door.

I am getting a quote from a pvc company this Sunday. Will see how much it will cost. Custom made Fibreglass is 3.5k excluding install and painting.

zyo

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#1569884 11-Jun-2016 09:25

mattwnz:

zyo:

We have been considering replacing our front entrance door with a double door.

The quote we received for a double aluminium door is well over our budget (6k including installation and glass)

Fibreglass seems to be a really affordable alternative (not sure if they can be stained to look like wood?)

Any suggestions?

Do you have a photo of the entrance, as that may give a better idea of what may look the best. Plasma glass doors I think are probably as low maintenance as you can get, being glass on the exterior surface, and is it has a styrofoam core it insulates,and should be dimensionally good and not warp, while also being quite heavy and solid feeling when you open it. What is your budget. Not really that sure on the advantage of double doors, for an entrance over a single one, and sidelights. Maybe privacy so people can't see in, but can make your hall dark.

Current door.

timmmay

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#1570081 11-Jun-2016 17:25

Just checked my invoice. A set of PVC double glazed French doors, along with a PVC double glazed single door, cost me $6085 inc GST. French doors are really expensive for some reason.

zyo

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#1570084 11-Jun-2016 17:35

timmmay:
Just checked my invoice. A set of PVC double glazed French doors, along with a PVC double glazed single door, cost me $6085 inc GST. French doors are really expensive for some reason.

Did you replace the frame as well? Or just the doors. Does that price incl installation?

timmmay

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#1570097 11-Jun-2016 18:11

That included the frame being replaced for both, installed.

SATTV

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#1570187 11-Jun-2016 20:56

We just had all our external doors and windows replaced by Homerit. ( PVC )

Each of the exterior doors were about $1000ea + GST + installation.

The old door and jamb was removed and replaced with new PVC frame and door.

They can customize the look of the PVC to look like wood ( about 40% extra on the door price )

What I love about our door is that they are thermally efficient, double glazed, one handle with six locking points so very very secure.

I am sure they could do a double door.

If I was doing a new build I would not use anything but PVC.

John

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timmmay

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#1570208 11-Jun-2016 21:24

That six point locking doesn't really make it more secure, it makes it seal better. A hammer still goes through it, and I wonder how hard it would be to remove the things that hold the double glazed units in so you can just jump through. I saw the installers here, it looked very easy. It could be the easiest way to break into a house with PVC windows is to remove the exterior clips that keep the double glazed window pane in.

An alarm is good piece of mind.

SATTV

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#1570241 11-Jun-2016 22:49

timmmay:

That six point locking doesn't really make it more secure, it makes it seal better. A hammer still goes through it, and I wonder how hard it would be to remove the things that hold the double glazed units in so you can just jump through. I saw the installers here, it looked very easy. It could be the easiest way to break into a house with PVC windows is to remove the exterior clips that keep the double glazed window pane in.

An alarm is good piece of mind.

With our door the beading is on the inside so a burglar can not gain access that way. ( that is ours is held to the door ) The windows however it is on the outside for some reason and would be hard in our case as the windows are not easily accessible from the ground.

The glass itself is very strong and dual layer of course.

I guess if you beat anything hard enough it will break.

Still better than our old wooden door.

John

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MikeAqua

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#1572386 15-Jun-2016 13:45

If you want cheap (price and appearance) go with PVC or fibreglass. If you want nice looking use a quality wood which is dimensionally stable

From my limited personal experience: Rimu bows in the sun, Radiata pine is worse, oregon bows a bit and western red cedar is very stable.

zyo:

Current door.

Mike

timmmay

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#1572387 15-Jun-2016 13:48

MikeAqua:

If you want cheap (price and appearance) go with PVC or fibreglass. If you want nice looking use a quality wood which is dimensionally stable

From my limited personal experience: Rimu bows in the sun, Radiata pine is worse, oregon bows a bit and western red cedar is very stable.

Low maintenance was a significant factor in my door decision. I bought a new wooden door, painted it myself (probably not that well), and had it put up, had to replace it a few years later. Another wooden door lasted longer but needed painting regularly. Neither were super high quality.

PVC: you install it, once a year you can give it a wash if you want. If anything acidic gets on it (eg from birds) wash it off sooner.

zyo

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#1572390 15-Jun-2016 13:50

MikeAqua:

If you want cheap (price and appearance) go with PVC or fibreglass. If you want nice looking use a quality wood which is dimensionally stable

From my limited personal experience: Rimu bows in the sun, Radiata pine is worse, oregon bows a bit and western red cedar is very stable.

zyo:

Current door.

Thanks, quote for PVC is 4.6k and FibreGlass is around 4k, aluminium 6.5k all installation incl

All seem pretty expensive we might stick with current wooden door for now...

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zyo

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#1572392 15-Jun-2016 13:54

timmmay:

MikeAqua:

If you want cheap (price and appearance) go with PVC or fibreglass. If you want nice looking use a quality wood which is dimensionally stable

From my limited personal experience: Rimu bows in the sun, Radiata pine is worse, oregon bows a bit and western red cedar is very stable.

Low maintenance was a significant factor in my door decision. I bought a new wooden door, painted it myself (probably not that well), and had it put up, had to replace it a few years later. Another wooden door lasted longer but needed painting regularly. Neither were super high quality.

PVC: you install it, once a year you can give it a wash if you want. If anything acidic gets on it (eg from birds) wash it off sooner.

They can also make it look like timber.

linw

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#1572410 15-Jun-2016 14:10

Wow, those prices look horrendous. Might have to re-paint our old door!

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