Composite External Doors

These are complete composite door sets, supplied as a single unit with the frame and the handle already fitted, ready to be installed into a structural opening. There are 18 of them, priced between £725 and £895. Read the next section before anything else, because these are not ordered the way most doors are.

Each door is one specific size

Every set in this collection exists in a single fixed size, quoted in the product title, and each carries its own stock reference. Examples in stock include 892 x 2075mm, 975 x 1980mm, 870 x 2057mm, 966 x 2041mm, 910 x 2100mm and 986 x 2105mm. There is no size option to select and no made to measure route on this page. You are choosing a physical door set that already exists.

That changes the buying order completely. Normally you pick the door you want and then choose your size. Here you measure your opening first, then find the set that fits it. Composite doors cannot be trimmed the way a timber door can, because the frame carries the seal and the locking mechanism and the leaf has a moulded skin over an insulated core. The size in the title is the size you get.

How to measure for one of these sets

Measure the structural opening, meaning brick to brick and cill to lintel, not the existing frame and not the existing door leaf. Take the width in three places, at the top, the middle and the bottom, and take the height on both sides. Use the smallest width and the smallest height. Then allow a fitting tolerance around the frame for packers and sealant, typically around 10mm on each side, so the frame size you need is slightly smaller than the opening. If the numbers put you between two available sets, talk to us before ordering rather than guessing. How to measure a door covers the general method and contact us if you want a second opinion on a measurement.

What is included

Each set includes the composite leaf, the outer frame in the stated colour, a multi point locking system with an anti snap cylinder, and the handle. Most are supplied with a lever handle, and a small number use a finger pull, which sits flush and suits a more contemporary frontage. Because the frame colour is specified separately from the door colour, several combinations are possible, including a coloured door in a white frame or in a matching frame.

Colours available

Anthracite Grey, Slate Grey, Elephant Grey, Black, White and Duck Egg Blue. Anthracite and Slate Grey are the two that dominate UK front doors at the moment, and both work against red brick, render and stone. Duck Egg Blue is the outlier and the one that suits a cottage or a coastal property. The grey composite door guide covers the most popular finish, the black front door guide covers the alternative, and front door colour ideas is worth reading before committing.

Why composite rather than timber

A composite door is built around an insulated core with a moulded skin over it, and the whole thing is finished in the factory. It does not need painting, it does not swell or shrink with the weather, and it will hold its colour for years with nothing more than a wash. The insulated core also outperforms solid timber of the same thickness on heat loss, which is the main reason composites have taken over the replacement front door market. The U values door guide explains what the thermal figures mean.

The compromises are real and worth stating. A composite cannot be trimmed, it cannot be repaired if the skin is damaged, and it will never look like joinery close up. If your opening is out of square, if the property is listed or in a conservation area, or if you want a genuine timber front door, the timber range in external doors is the better answer.

Security

These sets are supplied with a multi point locking system and an anti snap cylinder as standard. Multi point locking engages hooks or bolts at several points up the frame rather than a single latch, which spreads the load and makes forcing the door far harder. An anti snap cylinder addresses lock snapping, which is the most common method of attack on a domestic front door. If a specific insurance standard is required, check the detail on the individual product before ordering.

Fitting

Fitting a door set is a different job from hanging a door in an existing frame. The old frame comes out, the new frame goes in level, plumb and square on packers, it is fixed through the frame into the structure, and the perimeter is sealed. Getting the frame square is what makes the door close properly and the locking engage smoothly. Our installation information covers the principles, and these sets are heavy so see delivery for access requirements.

Common questions

Can the size be changed or the door trimmed?

No. Choose the set that fits your opening.

Is the frame included?

Yes, on every set on this page, in the colour stated in the title.

What if none of the sizes fit?

Talk to us. Depending on the opening, either a timber door and frame from external doors or a bespoke route via bespoke will be the answer.

Can I add a side panel?

Not to these sets, which are fixed units. For wider openings see side panels for external doors and doors with side lights in the timber range.

How are they maintained?

Wash the surface, keep the drainage slots at the bottom of the frame clear, and lubricate the locking mechanism and hinges annually. See product care and warranty information.

Why does the stock change?

Because each set is an individual unit rather than a made to order product. When one sells it is gone, so if a size and colour suits your opening it is worth acting on it.