5 Steps to Choosing a Front Door

Your property’s front door is the earliest indication of your home’s character. First impressions matter, and a great entrance design allows you to make a real statement.

Alongside kerb appeal, the right front door will also underpin the thermal efficiency and security of your home. There are five key factors to consider when selecting the right door for your property.

1. Which Style Should I Choose?

Your front door is the first thing visitors will see when they arrive at your property, so it should reflect your architectural and interior choices.

For a clean look, synonymous with Scandi style, opt for a front door with minimal flourishes. Pair with a neutral colour, such as grey, white or beige.

If you want a contemporary design, incorporate glass and metal details. The industrial look, using black and dark grey shades, is hugely popular for modern homes yet is classic enough that it will stand the test of time.

Countryside properties require a softer look to complement their rustic feel. Warmer, lighter colours tend to  work well in tandem with characterful architecture and cosy interiors. Go for traditional-style handles and add a door knocker to complete the effect.

The Origin Front Door is a great option, with a flexible design that can be customised to suit a wide variety of projects

The best way to achieve the right look for your project is to opt for a versatile door system available in a range of configurations and styles. For instance, the Origin Front Door is available as a single panel, French door or even a garage door setup – and all in a wide variety of designs and colour combinations.

2. Which Size is Best?

Front doors are made in a range of industry-standard sizes, which most manufacturers and suppliers will be able to provide. These include widths of 762mm, 838mm and 914.4mm to suit the property and access requirements. In new build homes, access doors must provide a clear opening width of at least 775mm.

However, you don’t have to follow these standard sizes. Bespoke-made products are available to create a real statement – for instance, the Origin Front Door can be fabricated up to 1,200mm wide. You could also opt for a double door or add fixed panes of glass to one or both sides to achieve a grand entryway.

3. Energy Efficiency

Besides looking great, a new front door can improve a property’s thermal efficiency by preventing draughts and enhancing insulation – helping to keep rooms cool in the warmer months and cosy in cold periods. So, look for systems that offer good performance backed up with efficient, durable seals. The Origin Front Door achieves a whole-door U-value of 1.4 W/m2K thanks to its sophisticated weathertight seals and a polyamide thermal break.

Available in 10 panel styles and over 150 RAL colours, the Origin Front Door offers lots of flexibility. You can even specify it with a separate colour for the panel, frame and sash

4. Front Door Security

To keep your home safe and secure, check the quality of the locking systems and scrutinise their certifications before purchasing a front door. Medium security options include five-lever mortice deadlocks, a cylinder lock or the British Standard 3621 deadlock.

For higher security performance, look for five-point automatic or eight-point locking systems – both of which are available in the Origin Front Door as standard – as well as certifications such as PAS 24 and Secured by Design.

5. Cost & Installation

The cost of a front door varies based on the material (aluminium, uPVC, timber etc) as well as its size, style and any optional extras. So, the key thing to understand is whether you’re getting the performance you want at a price that fits your budget.

Whatever design you select, bear in mind a bespoke front door will only perform as expected if it’s correctly installed. So, we’d never recommend that homeowners try fitting products themselves. Get it wrong, and you could void the guarantee as well as compromise the security and thermal efficiency of your home. At Origin, we work with nationwide partners who are offered training on how to achieve a high-quality installation.