Doors in our homes play an important role in different ways. From aesthetics and stylistic choices to practical issues like security and even the reduction of energy bills. When choosing the perfect doors for your home, a wide range of options are available, many in pre-made, standard sizes. But do you need to look elsewhere for custom-made doors, or are standard ones appropriate for your home?
In this article, we’ll look at the process of deciding on the right doors for your home and whether you can opt for pre-made ones or might need to choose a custom-made option. If you think it might be time to look into replacing your exterior doors with state-of-the-art composite ones, speak to the team at Rock Solid Doors.
In answering this question, the first step is to check whether your existing door frames are standard sizes. If not, you will have no choice but to opt for custom-made versions. So, grab a tape measure and get to work. Standard door sizes in the UK are as follows:
Exterior doors
Less common standard sizes
Because standard-sized doors are so popular, manufacturers feel comfortable producing them ahead of time. This means you can interact with the door you will take home and judge its qualities, colour, and styling. If you like what you see, it goes home with you there and then, and the door can be swinging on its new hinges the same day.
Standard-sized doors and door frames are made for each other. If you select a pre-made door, it should fit snugly and cause very few issues.
Pre-made doors can be made in bulk. Without the need to recalibrate machinery or interrupt the manufacturing process, they are cheaper to produce and those savings are passed on to the consumer.
Standard doors are often produced in various styles, colours, and materials to appeal to the widest range of people. From solid timber, metal, and vinyl to our personal favourites - composite doors. There is plenty of choice when looking for pre-made doors, making life much easier when designing your home.
Standard doors can be the perfect solution for your home, especially if your budget is tight. However, size restrictions might take standard doors out of the equation. You may need to have doors custom-made to fit your existing door frames or prefer something more individual stylistically.
If you live in an older home, cottage, or other building constructed before standardisation became the norm, you are unlikely to be able to purchase doors off the rack. Custom-made doors are your only real option if you need wider doors for accessibility purposes or have a unique home. Do you have an unusual space in your property that no standard door will fit? Custom-made doors offer the possibility to utilise such spaces and separate them from other areas if required.
Working with your chosen manufacturer to produce the exact door you need means you can add personal designs and features. Whether you need specific handles for less mobile visitors or want your door to match the existing style of your property, you can discuss options with your door-maker to get the desired result. Whether you want specific designs on your door or an arched top to fit an ancient doorway, custom door makers can help.
Doors made to your specifications can be produced to any standard you want. You can specify the materials and control every aspect of how they will look and feel. This all comes at a cost, and custom-made doors will never be the cheapest option. That’s not the point.
Although standard doors should fit reasonably well into their frames, nothing will fit better than a door built to the exact dimensions of an existing door frame.
Pre-made and custom-made doors have their benefits, and you must decide which aspects are most important to you and your property. If money is no object, custom doors will always be the better option, but pre-made ones have come a long way and are a perfectly acceptable substitute.
At Rock Solid Doors Ltd, we are proud of our reputation as respected, top-tier suppliers and fitters of composite doors across London and the Home Counties. Contact us today to learn more about our products and convenient, professional fitting service. You will receive a warm welcome and all the information you need about our incredible range of composite doors.
The details matter when designing your doors. A door is something you interact with a lot, so if the design isn't right, you'll be reminded every time you use the door. In addition, your front door is the first thing guests see and interact with when visiting, so you want the image conveyed by your handles and their tactile function to be exactly right.
We live in a world full of choices. With so many different manufacturers making so many different styles, materials, colours and textures, it is now possible for us to fully customise our homes, stamping our style onto every glorious aspect. Whether you are looking to upgrade the handles for your existing doors or choosing the right hardware to compliment your beautiful new doors, these tips and tricks should help you select the perfect handles to finish your home improvement project with style.
It's a good idea to consider not only the material the new handles are made from but also the material the door you're fitting them onto is made from. Consider whether you're fitting onto wooden, uPVC, composite, or aluminium doors before moving onto the colour of the doors, the style of design and other factors like glass used as well as other hardware like knockers, letter boxes, locks, draught excluders, peepholes, and trickle-vents. Consider whether you want harmony or contrast between the materials used.
As well as the aesthetics of your handles, try to envision how they're going to be used and who is going to use them. Will they need to be simple and easy to grip for children or the elderly, or can you choose a more technical handle? Do you need a handle with a locking mechanism or just a simple sleek handle that's convenient to use?
You can choose an eclectic mix of materials for a unique and striking combination or choose a more cohesive selection of hardware. When selecting all the hardware, try to identify a theme, such as 'modern', 'eclectic' or 'classic', that can be kept in mind when selecting the handles to best match all the elements.
It's always a good idea to measure not only the sizing of the fixing points but also the protrusion of the handles. Some doors will open to walls. When this is the case, door stoppers will be needed to prevent the handles from damaging the walls. Aesthetically, the size of the handles can also compliment or ruin the look of doors. Large bold doors can warrant distinct-looking handles, whereas more traditional, elegant or classic doors may be best suited to a more delicate size.
Something that’s used as often as a door handle becomes part of your everyday life. It's always good to ‘test drive’ something that’s going to play a daily part in your life. You wouldn’t buy a car without taking it for a spin to see how it feels. This is a good approach when choosing the door handles to compliment your doors. Some things can look the part in terms of style, colour, size and material but just don't feel right in the hand. Something tactile, balanced and operates smoothly can be the important finishing touch.
Different types of handles require different types of maintenance. Polished brass finishes, for instance, require specific brass cleaning products and regular polishing to keep the finish consistent. However, brushed or uPVC finishes require very little maintenance other than the occasional wipe-down and are more resistant to smudges and fingerprints.
Friends and family members with mobility issues or disabilities may require special consideration when choosing your door handles. DDA-compliant door handles may be needed if this is the case. However, there is a wide selection of styles, colours, materials and sizes contained within this subcategory of door handles, so you should still be able to find something that fits your theme.
More than just an interface between the door and the handle, the backplate is another customisable component to consider. This component can match the handle and blend the two seamlessly, or you can choose to highlight these two components by selecting different materials or colours to contrast them.
When choosing the right handles, applying these hints and tips should help you to make the right choices. However, once you whittle the possibilities down to just a few that tick all the boxes, you’ll need to trust your instincts. If you need any further advice, get in touch with the team here at Rock Solid Doors, and we’ll be more than happy to help.
At Rock Solid Doors, people always ask us about the best way to clean their doors safely and effectively, so it seemed like the right time to create a simple guide on how to thoroughly clean doors without causing any damage. Our experts contributed the following tips, tricks, and solutions to the problem of keeping your doors clean and functioning perfectly for years to come.
Even the incredibly robust, durable composite doors we provide at Rock Solid Doors can benefit from the occasional wipe-down and clean. Some reasons why it is a good idea to stay on top of the job include:
Before rolling up your sleeves to clean your doors, a few useful products and items are necessary. Essential door-cleaning supplies you should prepare beforehand include:
Maintenance tip — Apply wood polish or conditioner to nourish the surface and provide ongoing protection.
For metal doors, follow the same steps as for wooden doors, but substitute dish soap for an all-purpose cleaner if preferred and metal instead of wood polish.
As the toughest, lowest maintenance of all exterior doors, composite doors could not be easier to clean. Any mild soapy liquid or non-abrasive/corrosive spray-on cleaner will suffice. Simply apply it to the door, wipe away the dirt, and you’re done.
For knobs, hinges, and handles, you can choose a universal cleaning spray or damp cloth with mild soap. If parts are rusted and tarnished, it is possible to rejuvenate them using cider vinegar. Remove the pieces from the door and let them sit in the liquid overnight. Clean thoroughly, dry and re-install; they should look significantly better.
Aside from obvious times (especially during winter) when doors start to look grubby and jaded, the frequency of cleaning depends on how heavy the usage, environmental factors, and the material of the door itself. Speaking generally, it is safe to assume that once every three to six months, you should consider cleaning your doors, even if they appear relatively clean.
In professional hands, a pressure washer can be a magnificent piece of equipment. In the hands of an amateur, it can be a total liability. The chances of damaging, warping, or otherwise ruining your door are exponentially higher if you use a pressure washer. If you insist on having a go, set it as low as possible and test the pressure on a small area first. All this is irrelevant if you have composite doors, which can withstand virtually anything.
The team here at Rock Solid Doors takes immense pride in our reputation as premium suppliers and fitters of composite doors, operating right across London and the Home Counties. If you have any questions or comments about our unique products and peerless fitting service, please contact us.
Whether you are renovating a property to bring it up to date or replacing old doors that have passed their sell-by date, nothing exudes quality and class more than brand-new, stylish exterior doors. Not only can a new set of doors increase the aesthetic qualities of your property, but they can also add much-needed strength and security. With decades of collective experience in the industry, the team here at Rock Solid Doors is well-placed to examine the advantages and disadvantages of composite doors compared with traditional wooden ones and offer an opinion on the best choice.
The incredible, high-tech method of producing composite doors gives them tremendous advantages over virtually any other option. Here are their fundamental properties, good and bad, as we see them:
Even the most determined intruders know better than to mess around with composite doors. Their strength is legendary, and with a multi-point locking system, the chances of breaking through one are virtually nil. The walls holding them are more likely to give way before the doors do.
The durability of composite doors is off the scale; they will keep out the harshest weather and remain looking like new for decades.
Technological advancements have made creating composite doors with any design, colour, or feature easier. They can be made to look like wooden doors or ultra-modernistic ones with as many windows, pet doors, and hardware items as required.
It is hard to think of an entity in our lives that has to face the harsh outdoors and requires less maintenance than a composite door. There isn't one. A wipe down with a cloth now and again and a spritz of hinge lubricant, if you're feeling generous, are the most that will ever be required. They could not be less demanding to maintain.
Matchless energy efficiency from composite doors makes them unbeatable at keeping bills down and reducing costs. Nothing can permeate the fabric of the door itself, and provided they are manufactured and fitted correctly, they will allow no heat to pass.
Upfront costs are generally higher when opting for bespoke composite doors. Still, the savings in energy alone mean they pay for themselves, and their sheer longevity means you might never need to buy another.
Humans have created wooden doors to protect their dwellings for centuries, and not without good reason. Wooden doors have many advantages, but how do they compare with more modern, state-of-the-art competitors?
Certain types of wood are undoubtedly solid and secure when equipped with a quality multi-point locking mechanism. Thinner, cheaper doors will not put up much resistance against determined intruders, but a solid oak one will not yield easily.
If treated correctly and maintained regularly, wooden doors can be exceptionally durable but vary wildly depending on the thickness and quality of the wood. Thinner, cheaper woods can warp and flex under pressure from persistent weather and temperature changes.
Wooden doors can be beautiful and enhance the appearance of any property with their natural appearance. Stained wood is among the more pleasing effects people have learned to master, and its appeal is not to be underestimated. Warm and inviting, they hark back to nature and our connection with the Earth, with no two being the same.
One significant advantage of wooden doors is that they can often be repaired and remain in place, even after suffering damage. A certain amount of regular maintenance is required with wooden doors, and they must be inspected for signs of mould and rot if they are to have extended longevity.
Wood does a decent job of preventing air transfer from one area to another, maintaining internal temperatures if measured and fitted correctly.
The range of prices when considering wooden exterior doors is staggering. There is no way to judge them as one entity, so suffice it to say that thin wooden doors can be cheap, and thick ones made of quality hardwood can be extortionate.
As far as the team at Rock Solid Doors is concerned, there is only one winner in the Clash of the Titans: composite vs wooden doors. Both have pros and cons, but for overall strength, durability, and aesthetic styling, nothing even comes close to the composite door. Our final dealbreaker is that they can even mimic the wooden door’s most significant advantage by being formed with decorative grain. Wooden doors are fantastic and unique but cannot compete with the all-around excellence of modern composites.
The Rock Solid Doors Ltd team is proud to offer premium-level composite doors across London and the Home Counties, upholding our reputation for reliability and professional integrity. We only supply and install British-made doors of the highest quality and provide a fast, efficient fitting service. Please contact us for all the honest guidance, help, and support you require.
Front doors are a key feature of our homes, not only in terms of their visual appeal but also their crucial function. They provide protection against everything from the harshest weather to unwanted visitors, but it is all too easy to overlook their importance. Before we take an in-depth look at the common signs of ageing to look out for and how to recognise wear and tear on your doors, it is important to clarify the types of doors we are referring to.
Although composite doors experience wear and tear eventually, it takes so long and is so uncommon that an article aimed at helping people detect it would be largely superfluous. However, when we turn to wooden doors, the picture is a much different one, and those are the doors we will be referring to here. If you want to learn more about composite doors to replace your jaded wooden ones, why not explore our range of Rockdoors today? We think you will be impressed.
When deducing whether your door is reaching the latter years of its working life, there are some key signs to look out for. We will examine the signs of wear and tear you might expect to see in ageing doors and recommend some state-of-the-art replacements.
If this is the sole issue you face with your door, there are some adjustments and alterations you can make to solve the problem. However, if it occurs in conjunction with some of the other points made here, you are probably dealing with a door that needs replacing. What causes doors to stick and become hard to use? The main culprits in causing doors to begin sticking and no longer sit flush in their frames are:
If you can feel cold air passing your door, the chances are it is experiencing the effects of wear and tear over time. This can cause issues with maintaining an even temperature in your home and drive energy bills higher as time progresses. Although a draught excluder offers an excellent temporary solution to the problem, the long-term prognosis for doors that let air pass is not healthy and further action is often required.
Another result of years of exposure to the elements is the warping of wood, and once this happens, the unit is no longer fit for purpose. While weathering and cracking are the factors that allow water to penetrate the door, warping is its death knell.
Not all symptoms of wear and tear on doors will be subtle, and it may just be that your door looks past its best. Faded, peeling paint and varnish tend to indicate some degree of disrepair, and the longer the situation persists, the more likely it becomes the damage will penetrate deeper and grow more substantial.
Once you have established that there are issues with your existing door, it is time to consider its replacement, and we cannot recommend composite doors highly enough when the time comes. The benefits of composite doors are many and include:
The differences between older doors and modern composite ones are significant, and they truly represent a revolution in home protection, style, and function. With an enormous range of styles and potential customisations, they can be easily made to complement any existing stylistic choices and will remain physically unchanged for decades. They require almost no maintenance and will repel even the most ardent, determined weather.
Here at Rock Solid Doors Ltd, we proudly supply, fit, and guarantee premium-level composite doors across all of London and the Home Counties. If you would like to discuss any of our products and services in detail, please do not hesitate to get in touch. A friendly, professional reception awaits, and we think you will find our amazing range of products, transparent pricing, and honest guidance refreshing.
Composite doors represent the very top of the tree when it comes to premium entrance solutions in the modern era. Built to last for decades and withstand everything from the harshest of weather conditions to the most determined, tool-equipped intruders. As an almost impenetrable barrier between the things you love and value, and the realities of life beyond, composite doors are a game-changing addition to any property.
Whether you already have your composite doors in situ or are planning to purchase some and have them fitted, it is a great idea to have an understanding of exactly how they are hung. This will help you to better perform any necessary adjustments and alterations yourself if any signs of misalignment or other issues occur in the future. We have gathered together the very best tips and tricks our dedicated, experienced team has learned and utilised over many years in the industry and would like to share them with you.
If your door catches on the frame and does not close smoothly and effortlessly, the chances are it is not sitting in perfect alignment with the frame. However, before we take any steps to correct this, we need to be certain we have diagnosed the issue correctly. Certain tell-tale signs reveal when adjustments need to be made, including an uneven gap around the door frame when the door is closed and difficulty operating the door. Creaking sounds when the door opens and closes are another sign that some fine adjustments need to be made.
Depending on the exact type of door you have, you may require some of the following tools:
Because our composite doors are so robust and durable, we get very few queries about their maintenance and function, apart from this one. Luckily, it is not a particularly difficult or complex task or one requiring lots of bespoke tools and technical knowledge. What it does require, however, is patience, perseverance, and the ability to admit when the process needs to be started over, as it sometimes will.
It is possible to complete this task alone with some preparation, props, and common sense, however, it will be all the easier if you have another pair of hands to assist you. Not only will it significantly reduce the amount of time taken, but also the levels of frustration experienced. First things first:
When you are satisfied the frame is clear and the door has unhindered space to swing and sit in the frame:
Assuming you have confirmed your composite door is misaligned and no longer hanging correctly, sitting in the frame at an angle, here are the steps you can take to make some simple adjustments and successfully address the issue.
1) Open the door
In order to gain maximum access to all sides of the hinges as necessary, the door must first be opened. If it is liable to swing freely and hinder you, ask your partner to hold the door or use a cushion or other object to prevent it from moving as you work.
2) Identify the hinge screws
There will typically be four hinges in all and one of the screws you need to find will be holding the hinge to the door frame. Another will be attaching it to the adjacent door jamb and the final one will be connecting the two parts of the hinge together.
3) Loosen the screws slightly
Use a screwdriver with the correct head, either straight or cross-headed, to loosen all the screws until the hinge becomes separated from the door.
4) Repeat with the other hinges. Assess the condition of the hinges and hinge pins. If your door has been hanging for many years, these may have accumulated dirt and grime you may wish to remove. This is also a good time to give those hinges a spritz of lubricant.
5) Re-hang the door
Now that the door is effectively free from its moorings, you can reposition and hang it perfectly. The key is to maintain the balance equally between all four hinges. You may find the mallet useful here if some parts are a little stiff and need some encouragement. If you suspect any of the screws may be damaged or inappropriate for the task, do not hesitate to use fresh ones. As one person holds the door in the required position, the other slowly tightens the screws one at a time.
6) Re-check the door level
Gauge the level by eye at first and swing the door back and forth to assess its movement. Use the spirit level again to determine whether the door is hanging straight but remember, not all houses are straight themselves and it may be the doors will hang a little out of line with the frame. Providing the movement is free and does not catch or stick, it is the result that matters, not the tiny details. If the door still does not open and close freely, assess where some of the tension needs to be adjusted and loosen the requisite screws, tightening fresh ones in turn. Repeat this process until the door hangs and swings unhindered.
Adjusting your composite doors by slightly altering the tension on each of the hinges can be a little bit tricky but is a rewarding DIY job most people can handle without the need to bring in professionals.
One useful feature of composite doors is that because they have such incredible levels of engineering and construction, it is unlikely to be the fault of the door if it is not hanging as it should be. The door is almost guaranteed not to have changed at all and still be perfectly straight. This means you can eliminate it from your investigations quickly and seek out the real culprit. Wooden doors, on the other hand, can warp and swell over time, meaning you might be fighting a losing battle to try and fit them effectively.
We hope you found some useful hints and tips in this guide on keeping your composite doors perfectly aligned at all times and making necessary adjustments when issues arise. If the time has come to replace your old doors with the very best money can buy, why not take a few moments to browse our incredible range of stunning, premium-quality composite doors now? Alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact us today if you have questions or comments about any aspects of our composite doors or fitting services in London and the Home Counties. Here at Rock Solid Doors, we pride ourselves on the quality of our products and services and will be only too happy to help.
Here is a video showing Rock Solid Doors on Sarah Beeney's "Double Your House For Half The Money"
When choosing the best doors for any commercial building, offices, and the other working locations, it is essential to give consideration to composite doors and the serious advantages they offer. But what exactly are the benefits of composite doors for commercial buildings? In this article, we will lay out the advantages we have experienced in many years of working with these doors and also discuss any options available and when to choose them. But first, let's get a better idea of the products we're going to be talking about:
Composite doors are constructed from a clever combination of many different materials, each of which provides an integral part of the overall stability, strength, and appearance of the door. Those layers include:
They are glued together under extreme pressure and this serves to ramp their stength up even further. The high-tech process and materials, when finished, results in a remarkable product indeed, as well will discover.
The list of benefits of composite doors is an impressive one that includes:
The materials used and the layered composition of composite doors make them exceptionally efficient at preventing temperature transfer from one side of the door to the other. This works whether it is sweltering outside and you want to keep the air-conditioned air inside, or there is snow and ice on the ground outside and you want to stay warm and toasty inside. Commercial buildings are already expensive to heat or cool and keep that way, so doors that are unmatched in their insulating properties are perfect choice.
Many companies are concerned with doing their part and reducing their environmental impact wherever possible. Lowering energy bills is a superb way to start and eliminating energy-sapping temperature changes is one of the huge benefits of composite doors for commercial buildings. Not only do these last for decades, reducing the need for extra materials to be produces but they can also be largely recycled or repurposed at the end of their working lives.
One of the most impressive, useful benefits of composite doors is that they are so incredibly strong and durable. Composite doors can be expected to last for many decades and look just as good as they did when brand new. They do not mark easily and, as we will see when discussing security shortly, are virtually indestructible.
Unlike traditional wooden doors, composite doors are perfectly adaptable to any weather conditions, no matter how extreme or prolonged. They have weathertight seals that keep the elements at bay and simply will not warp, bow, or twist. When the elements attack, they are almost unbelievably hardy and not suspectible to:
Composite doors are high-tech, impact-resistant addition to any modern security system and are hugely popular in residential and commercial buildings alike for this season. Add to this inclusion of multi-point locking systems. installed at potentially exploitable weak spots across the frame and you have a door that is all but impenetrable. The locks are designed to be impervious to drilling or picking and have a cylinder that will not snap. When combined with reinforced, high-density cores and steel frames, the security level is off the chart and far exceeds many recommended standards.
If your commercial buildings is left unattended outside of working hours then it is inconceivable you would consider any other kind of door to protect your business. If you want to go all out the make it more likely that the wall will fall down before the door gives way then can you can select additional latches and bolts as optional extras.
Unlike traditional doors, composites are extremely versatile in terms of their appearance. From the range of non-fading colours to finishes that give the appearance of wood and others materials, the options for customisation are impressively varied. This is especially helpful if your commercial building needs to match an existing colour scheme or company branding style. If you prefer larger glazed panels then those are option to consider, as are any engraving and artwork you may wish to adorn them with. The final touches include a range of hardware options from letter plates and door-knockers to handles and trims.
One of the best benefits of composite doors is that they don't require frequent maintenance to remain in premium condition. They don't ever need to be repainted to look good and all that's necessary is the occasional wipe-down with a damp cloth.
No matter the location of your commercial property, or the nature of the activities therein, you are unlikely to be disturbed by outside noise or to disturb others with your own. The materials that provide all the strength and insulation also happen to keep lots of noise out and give you maximum privacy and optimum working conditions at all times.
It barely needs to be reiterated how vastly the benefits of composite doors outweigh the disadvantages, the only real one of which is the increased cost. Even this is likely to be negated over time as energy and insurance bills are reduced. Composite doors are simply unrivalled in any department and will genuinely stand the test of time.
The ability to design and install bespoke composite doors that will last for decades and take up no more of your precious time or money is not to be underestimated. They will continue to represent your company beautifully and provide the kind of streng and security all commercial buildings can benefit from.
Rock Solid Doors are experienced experts in all aspects of supplying and fitting the highest-quality composite doors in London and the Home Counties. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff will be only too happy to help and prepare an obligation-free quote if you already have specific designs and materials in mind.
Welcome to Rock Solid Doors Ltd.
We are Registered & Trusted composite door installers who cover all of London & the Home Counties.
Supplying, fitting and guaranteeing the finest quality high security composite doors.
At Rock Solid Doors we are different by being totally upfront & transparent with the cost and timescale.
We know from our own past experience how stressful it can be to get a quote from a large double glazing company with a slimy salesman in your house for hours & hours, telling you all about their wonderful company and then Insulting every other company you mention, then giving you an outrageous quote before making a phone call to their area manager to get you a so called better deal! Which is all a lie.
Give us a call or if you prefer you can design your own door online with our Solidor, Rockdoor or Doorstop Door Designer, we will then send you your free quote with no hidden costs.
The price we say, is what you pay. (Subject to site survey)
Our aim at Rock Solid Doors is to provide you with all the help and advice you need in choosing your ideal composite door in a friendly and unpressurised manner. We only supply and install top quality branded doors, (you can choose from 5 different companies) all professionally fitted by ourselves with a 10 year guarantee & building regulations compliance certificate for your total piece of mind.
Click here to contact us or phone us on 0800 540 4366, we are open 6 days a week Mon-Sat 9am – 6pm.