Front Door: wood versus pvc

The joinery/windows/external door company I plan to use for our
house build have costed in a Teak (well Iroco) front door.
The tips about the quality draught excluder is very useful - thanks
carpenter.

Without veering too much from the topic of the thread (I hope)..

The company providing our windows/doors told me that they don't
hang hardwood double/french style doors for the side/back of
the house (we have a sunroom on the west wing of house).
They priced in PVC double doors which match the wood grain
effect of the windows. We are going with PVC for windows.

I accept that PVC for a front door is for many an abomination
but do you think its reasonably ok to go with PVC for the
double doors on the sunroom exit to garden. The alternative
is I'd have to go with a very nationwide window supplier who
are seen by most as run of the mill. I believe they will do
hardwood double/french doors but I can't see the woodgrain
colours matching if mixing PVC windows with timber door on
the sunroom.
 
ipxl said:
Without veering too much from the topic of the thread (I hope)..

The company providing our windows/doors told me that they don't
hang hardwood double/french style doors for the side/back of
the house (we have a sunroom on the west wing of house).
They priced in PVC double doors which match the wood grain
effect of the windows. We are going with PVC for windows.

I accept that PVC for a front door is for many an abomination
but do you think its reasonably ok to go with PVC for the
double doors on the sunroom exit to garden.
Click to expand...

I think PVC is fine for the back or side of the house- I just don't think that the main entrance door to any house should plastic. I've seen the wood grain effect PVC, it's actually a foil embossed PVC and to be honest it's not bad at all! When I refer to PVC doors I suppose what I really have in my mind as being truly awful are those white "panelled" variety with little fanlight over, dreadful tack altogether!
 
MandaC said:
I really like the look of those artic doors. Are they expensive?
Click to expand...
I don't know MandaC, but here are the contact details of the company in the previous link

Tel: +353 54 55460
Fax: +353 54 55468
Locall: 1890 23 66 77

Email: [email protected]

Ours was installed by Senator Windows.
 
I have looked in Exitex brochure and on their web and cannot find code IMHO ;)

Thanks
 
We had our front door made by a local joiner and the painter ws set to paint it today and commented that the timber is cracking in a few places and that this is not a good sign. The wood has been treated but not painted as yet.
We have gotten back onto the joiner to ask him should we be worried.....he is on holidays for two weeks but I feel he is an honourable sort and should sort the problem if there is one.
The door is larger than standard and has two side panels and a fan light over head. The fanlight and the side panels appear to be fine but the door itself seems to be cracking and splitting. It has been hung for a while now, I mean a few months.....
 
ipxl:
My neighbours just got double glass patio doors in wood, painted white. I couldn't tell you who the maker is though. I know the builder ordered them especially. They certainly look to be very nice quality. So, such things exist.
 
Bamham, your doors should have been painted/treated immediately after they were installed. Especially with the weather we have had for the last few weeks (don't know where the sun got to this wk).

Aluminium wood primer and undercoat only have a life span of about 2 weeks if even that.

It is not your Joiner's fault.
 
NHG said:
If you are going for a Timber External Door it should be Iroko Teak. Mahoganny is not an exterior grade (used to be - but timber was re-graded).

A Teak door should not swell or shrink once it has been painted and protected properly.

Most people neglect to paint the top and bottom of tha door as no one will see it, but it is important to seal your door all around.
Click to expand...

NHG - even though timber's been re-graded as you say, is mahogany still ok to use. Why wouldn't it be?? Is it not tough enough or something? ta.

M
 
NHG said:
Hi Carpenter, I have looked in Exitex brochure and on their web and cannot find code IMHO - are there any other details with regard to name etc

Thanks
Click to expand...

NHG,
See my previous post regarding "IMHO"- in my honest opinion!

As for cracking woodwork- yeah primer or undercoat are no protection on their own. I'd say give the door another shot with undercoat, maybe thinned down with a little white spirit and flood the cracks etc with the paint to seal them. Once the door has been glossed it should be okay.
 
Another plus point for the Artic doors, apart from low maintenance, is the locking system, which appears to be built into the door.

There are two 'hooks' top and bottom and a deadlock in the middle that go into the door frame, making it very difficult to force open.
 
we got a fab door from Rationale about 2 years ago - it's red and really looks the part. Everyone comments on it. It has caused no probs either with contracting/expanding. Has also kept every draft out - couldn't ask for better. Faces North East and gets alot of wind at it. Expensive enough though, about 1.5k and there was hassle getting it fitted, if I remember correctly, but worthwhile. HTH
 
The window/door joinery who I've been getting quotes in for our
one-off house build have specified a front door made of "sapelia"
which they describe as a mahogany like timber (engineered, I
believe). I asked about Iroko and they say they had some trouble
with working with Iroko (warpage, etc, I believe).

This seems to run counter to what I've heard from other joineries.
The door is 930mm width including frame and has glazed sections
of 535mm width (including glaze/window frames) and is 2.15metres
high. U value is 2.46 W/m2K and weight is 220kg approx.

They quote it as 1088.40 Euro before vat + fitting.
They also include a discount in the overall window/door quote so I'd
be getting the door for approx. 1300 Euro.

NHG, carpenter.. any views on sapelia ? I've other reasons why
I might not go with these guys (their glazing don't come standard
with argon fill or soft coat low-E glass) although they do have
a reputation for having reliable fitters, etc and joinery quality.
 
Glad to see I'm no longer the only one railing against uPVC. :)

From what I see in new builds around the country, plastic doors and windows are becoming less common. Amazing that it took us so long to realize how sh*te they look, not to mention the environmental issues associated with them.

People think PVC is maintenance free, which it's not. And PVC can warp as well.
 
Sapellia is a redish colour wood. It is of the mahoganny vairety which is no longer graded as "external quality" even though alot of manufacturers are still using it and selling it for external joinery. It would be much better than using the likes of red deal etc externally.

Iroko is the best. Timber is a natural product and warping can happen with all woods - Not as much in hardwood as softwood. This type of weather plays havoc with joinery which is lying around workshops etc but, once it is fitted without warping it should be fine. It is advisable in this type of weather to keep all doors closed in their frames both internal and external.:(

(we spend all year waiting for weather like this and then its panic trying to keep everything right in it - may it last till Christmas I say :) )
 
NHG said:
Sapellia is a redish colour wood. It is of the mahoganny vairety which is no longer graded as "external quality" even though alot of manufacturers are still using it and selling it for external joinery. It would be much better than using the likes of red deal etc externally.
Click to expand...

NHG -

In your opinion why are the joineries using it. Is it to keep the price
low ? Is it just an availability issue. I seem to recall one of those
I spoke to in the joineries telling me that hardwood for doors is
very hard to source so the joineries stockpile what ever they
can lay their hands on. Maybe that joinery I spoke to just has a
more reliable supply of Sapellia.

We are planning to paint the door with some glossy red paint
(with correct number of primers & undercoats). Is it true that
matt or glossy paints can increase the U-value of the door
compared to the translucent type stains which show off the
actual underlying timber character ?

-ipxl
 
Joineries are using it (Sapellia/framerie etc) because it is much cheaper per cube than iroko and they can sell it to gullible's who do not know that there is a difference and want what "josie has up the road" as cheaply as possible.

Iroko is a lifetime investment.

I don't think (maybe I'm wrong on this) that U Value is of terrible importance on a solid door it is realy to do with glazing in windows or french doors etc. Between the Door and the Frame there are usually 2 (2 on Multipoint locking doors and 1 on regular doors) rubber draught excluders which meet and can be replaced should they perish (from varnish etc getting on them, and wear and tear).

Not sure about the U Value re painting - maybe some painters would let us know on that one.
 
AileenF

Iroko is Teak - It is a higher grade of teak which is usually specified on architects drawings. Framarie is also teak but not as high a grade. This is where it gets confusing. Sapellia is a grade of Mahoganny. Red Deal, White Deal, Southern Yellow Pine, Pitch Pine, Honduras Pine etc are all called Pine. Its just the ones that do their homework and know what they are really paying for and the reason why one product is much dearer that another.

I could go on and on and really really bore you.;)
 
NHG said:
Iroko is a lifetime investment.

I don't think (maybe I'm wrong on this) that U Value is of terrible importance on a solid door it is realy to do with glazing in windows or french doors etc. Between the Door and the Frame there are usually 2 (2 on Multipoint locking doors and 1 on regular doors) rubber draught excluders which meet and can be replaced should they perish (from varnish etc getting on them, and wear and tear).
Click to expand...

I take your point that Iroko is a lifetime investment.
Do you think painting over it is sacrilege ? i.e hiding the character
of the timber that lurks behind the coats of paint ?
I'm guessing that you feel the Iroko has the best weatherproofing
regardless of whether we paint over it or not.
I just wondered if you'd cringe or not if someone painted an Iroko
door red ,etc
 
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