Composite Doors

[TwoBlueFish]

Getting quotes at the moment for new front door and side panels. Has anyone had a Solidor door? If you have would you recommend them? If not which manufacturer did you go with?

Thank you.

We have a Solidor (London with Park Lane glass). Would 100% recommend. It feels solid (excuse the pun), really secure and looks fab. Definitely worth the money.

Watching with interest. I think we might be going composite which is something I thought I would never say. But our new house doesnt have a storm porch and I am really worried about all the disclaimers on the wooden door sites that say wooden doors can only be used in porches

I dont have a Solidoor, but I have had two composite doors now (installed one in my old house and inherited one in my new house) and wouldnt ever be without one again due to the thermal efficiency and how secure they are.

My old one was GuardDoor, not 100% on the new one but its the same style as a GuardDoor door as thats also a secured by design makred handle, but they are pretty much a similar standard I would have thought.

Ours is Anthracite Grey by the way so it doesnt look like composite / the old style Upvc door.

I may not not be objective though - having seen how easily burglars kicked in our (admittedly quite old) wooden door - i wouldn't have a wooden exterior door again.

Our builder has recommended solidor as apparentky they have the bezt range of heritage colours

I've heard Rockdoor recommended too. The only thing that puts me off composite is not being able to paint them or change colour.

Thank you all. We currently have an old wooden door with single skin side panels and single pane glass. It randomly decides to stick on a regular basis and let’s in lots of cold air.

We have a peacock blue solidor. It was installed last year and I love it!

We hsve an original stained glass fan light so are kind of stuck with only two colours probably we could go for - the heritage green or gray ones look nice so I think it will be one of those.

Am presuming they are good at blocking draughts etc

I'm literally having a Solidor installed right now so the positive comments are heartening to read.

I need a new door too.

I’d prefer a good, solid, wooden door...but keep being told the composites are safer/better. I just can’t find one that doesn’t look ‘plastic’. I also dislike handles on the front door, I like opening it with the key & push, but you can’t do that with composites.

annie - you can get a composite door without a handle and entirely traditional furniture.

This is the solidoor we will be going for without the numbers. You could also not have the door knob and just have the key pull

Gobbolino. Thanks for that! When I last looked I could only find one from a pretty rubbish company and everyone said not to use them and that they needed handles to activate the multi locking points?! Anyway, I’ll have another look at solidoor, thanks 💐

I agree - I really don't like the look of handles. I think it's because it reminds me of internal doors not traditional front doors.

Sommersetter. Yes, for me it’s ‘back door’ not ‘front door’. Still, there seem to be a few ‘handleless’ options now so I’ll probably go for composite as they’re better for security. Mind you, it would take nothing to push the current wooden door open, I’m sure I could manage it, so even a new wooden one would be more secure than the current one!

Given how much of a bettering the delivery driver just gave the front door, I’m glad I haven’t replaced it yet! 😳🤬. Nice bloke, but bloody hell I’m glad he doesn’t live here!

Has anyone painted one? Can it be done I wonder?
We've just bought a house with a brand new composite door, hate the dreary colour colour though specially on the inside

I am looking at a solidor but just wondering if you can put your own door furniture on them? I.e. I have my eye on a traditional polished brass letterbox from cox and cox and a brass door knocker too. Brass doesn't seem to be an option with their standard fittings, they could be missing a trick there?

7days. Annie Sloan’s chalk paint will paint on practically anything and you can put laquer over it (mat/satin/gloss finish). The paint mixes really well too so you can create most colours. The staff at HO in Oxford are really lovely if you want to give them a call.

LittleWing. I’m not sure, but when I asked one of the other companies they said no because of a) the construction of the doors and the stand template for their fittings and b) basically it was too difficult to co ordinate in the factory. No harm in asking them though.

I’m looking at timber alternative doors from the English Door Company, I couldn’t find a composite one that I liked and they reckon to be storm proof, for those of you looking for similar. £££ though.