Finding the perfect doors for your home can be a difficult task with many choices out there and so much to consider. At Realistic, we understand this struggle and we would like to make sure you are purchasing a door that is durable, secure, easy to maintain and most of all exceeds your expectations. There are a vast array of door options available, with uPVC and composite being the popular favourites. 

Alongside the type of door, we appreciate how important it is to find the perfect style as well as colour, that’s why we offer a variety of styles and colours and a custom colour matching service, delivering you with that reassurance you’re getting exactly what you want. From our many years of experience, we are confident that Apeer composite doors are the best choice for all our customers. In this blog, we hope to have put together some answers to your composite door questions to ensure you’re choosing the best option for you and your home. 

WHAT IS A COMPOSITE DOOR?

Composite doors are doors that are constructed from more than one material. This combination of different materials counteracts commonly found problems in uPVC/Timber doors, as well as bringing their own unique advantages to the structure. By combining materials, composite doors are stronger, more durable, providing you with a thicker long-lasting door.

WHAT ARE COMPOSITE DOORS MADE OF? 

At Apeer, their traditional and contemporary doors are made from a combination of fibreglass with a high-density polyurethane core. Whilst some other suppliers use different combinations of materials, a composite door basically is any door that uses more than one material.

Apeer chose fibreglass as one of the main materials for their composite doors as it provides an array of benefits such as durability, security, and is both waterproof and windproof, ultimately making it a long-lasting solution for your home. Fibreglass will not warp or bow, which is one of the main problems you’ll find with a timber or uPVC door over time. 

The other material they use is high-density polyurethane, which adds strength and security to the door, plus it is an excellent insulator contributing to the low U–Values (thermal transmittance) of their doors.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UPVC & COMPOSITE DOORS?

MATERIALS 

Both uPVC and composite doors are the most popular choice when it comes to replacement doors, and this is down to the materials used within each. Composite and uPVC are designed with different materials that are tightly pressed and glued together, and the materials used ultimately impacts the durability and security of the door you choose for your home.

uPVC doors have been a classic and preferred door for years until the development of composite doors. uPVC doors are an attractive, affordable door option that requires very little maintenance and are mostly made with plastic. Composite doors have been a modern advancement, offering the same benefits as uPVC but at a higher standard. Composite doors tend to be thicker, offering a more robust, durable and weather-resistant door.

SECURITY & DURABILITY

Composite doors supplied by Realistic have a high-density polyurethane core which becomes rock-hard, resulting in a secure door. uPVC doors differ as they have a styrofoam core that tends to make them less durable. We offer a range of composite doors that are 70mm in thickness, steel mesh reinforced, include a multi-point locking system, anti-pick and anti-snap cylinders, providing you with a new door that has achieved the police standard of security with Secured By Design as well as PAS24. 

On top of this, you also be getting one of the most thermally efficient doors on the market, adding to the reassurance that you will be purchasing a door that is secure and will protect your home against intruders. 

DESIGN & COLOUR

Typically, uPVC doors are white and if you want a coloured one, be prepared for a price increase, they are also all similar styles which can be limiting and dated when trying to get a door to fit the style of your home, whereas our composite doors come in a variety of styles from contemporary to traditional, all available in a variety of different colours.

Considering the materials used, variety of styles and colours, composite doors are not surprising a higher cost comparison to uPVC doors. However, you be certain to get a composite door that fits the interior and exterior style of your home, as well as a long-lasting solution. uPVC may be a slightly cheaper option, but with its restricted design and drawbacks may result in you finding yourself in a situation whereby you want to update your door sooner than expected. 

CAN YOU PAINT A COMPOSITE DOOR?

Designed and finished to a professional standard a composite door can last forever in your home. We pride ourselves in being able to offer a wide range of colours as well as a colour matching service to ensure you get the perfect door.

Composite doors can be painted, but you may find it is recommended not to after some research. This is because the guarantee on the paint finish will be invalidated, and you may find it difficult to achieve the exact professional quality and finish of the composite door’s original colour.

If you do decide to paint your composite door, it’s important that you use a paint that is specifically designed for purpose for fibreglass skins and provides instructions on how to apply.

When you purchase an Apeer composite door, they stock their very own two pack polyurethane paint in case you decide you want to change the colour of your front door. Their paint pack comes with a paint and hardener, which you can mix, 3 parts paint to 1 part hardener, then apply it to your door. They recommend doing this on a dry day and leave for at least two hours to set. 

HOW MUCH DOES A COMPOSITE DOOR COST?

When considering the cost of composite doors, there are several different factors, such as the style, colour and composite door hardware, security extras and size. Other factors come into play such as side panels or side windows.

Contact us on 01752 841008 to discuss your requirement and we will be happy to provide you with an exact quotation to your individual requirements. You can also download the Apeer 70 and Apeer 44 brochures from our website.

Make us 1 of your 3 Quotes and find out why we are so highly recommended.