Composite doors - do they feel right or a bit pastiche?

alejandro1977

Composite doors seem good for insulation and price but the fake wood grains etc put me off. A lot of the designs are a bit naff too - overly fancy etc; I'd like something that looks like a traditional solid wood door but it's surprisingly rare.
Also, do they feel and sound right when opening and closing? Can you install a traditional brass knocker?

I'm OK with skimping on the windows provided they perform well but IMHO as you use it and see it every single day the front door has to look, sound and perform, and since there's only one of them I'm OK with spending extra.

Prefect_1998

alejandro1977 wrote: »

Composite doors seem good for insulation and price but the fake wood grains etc put me off. A lot of the designs are a bit naff too - overly fancy etc; I'd like something that looks like a traditional solid wood door but it's surprisingly rare.
Also, do they feel and sound right when opening and closing? Can you install a traditional brass knocker?

I'm OK with skimping on the windows provided they perform well but IMHO as you use it and see it every single day the front door has to look, sound and perform, and since there's only one of them I'm OK with spending extra.

I totally agree with this, i am in the same position, i am looking at doors and they feel like junk. I am taking out a 100 year old wooden door and the weight and feel is light years ahead of the modem stuff, its a shame i can wfeel the wind blowing in around it ;-(

seamus

I've a composite front door, it feels like a bank vault in comparison to the solid wood door which was there before. Closes in a much more satisfying, solid way.

No, it doesn't feel like a wooden door, but that's not something I care about. You can get the usual accoutrements of knockers, etc installed, but this has to be done in the factory, you can't really run down to Woodies to buy your own and fit it.

We didn't go for any stupid fancy designs, it's a wooden colour on the outside to match the windows, with just a peephole and a keyhole.

ainy

We have a Munster joinery ultratech door, it is very solid and heavy, and feels very secure. it has a wooden outer layer. Definitely not plastic feeling. I'm not sure if you can get the traditional knocker on it, it wasn't something we wanted so never looked in to it.

sydthebeat

i agree that the design choices are not very inspiring, and that the wood grain effect and latt form is very pastiche.


however, expecting composite door to sound act and feel like a solid wood door is also pastiche.

Doop

Having lived in a house with an MJ Ultra tech door (whole estate fitted with these doors), they do look timber and fade etc if not looked after on the exterior but I have to say they do not feel like a timber door, and the ironmongery was also poor.

If timber is what you are after why not get a timber door? sounds like you will always look negativity at at composite door if you got one...

alejandro1977

sydthebeat wrote: »

i agree that the design choices are not very inspiring, and that the wood grain effect and latt form is very pastiche.


however, expecting composite door to sound act and feel like a solid wood door is also pastiche.

yeah, I don't really expect it to act like a wooden door; I guess like a car door you want it to feel quality and close with a satisfying "thunk"

alejandro1977

Doop wrote: »

Having lived in a house with an MJ Ultra tech door (whole estate fitted with these doors), they do look timber and fade etc if not looked after on the exterior but I have to say they do not feel like a timber door, and the ironmongery was also poor.

If timber is what you are after why not get a timber door? sounds like you will always look negativity at at composite door if you got one...

ha maybe. I may look at Alucalds