A Complete Guide to Double Glazing Doors

Why Double Glazed Doors?

Glass panels on any kind of door greatly benefit from having double glazing fitted. A single panel isn’t enough to provide the thermal efficiency that you’d require, much like windows. By double glazing your doors, you can also have better security and further sound reduction. It doesn’t matter how much glazing is on your door – you’ll always benefit from double glazing.

When new double glazed doors are installed, they are fitted with a secure locking system to comply with Building Regulations. Upgrading exterior doors in this way can also increase the value of your property. Double glazing your doors is a sound investment that is designed to last. They are also available in a variety of different colours.

Options for Double Glazing Doors at the Front

Front Door

The main entrance to your home should leave an impression on your guests and provide a warm welcome for your return. Its colour doesn’t have to match any other part of your home either, as it can be used as a statement or to stand out instead. When it comes to having double glazing in your doors, you don’t have to have a full pane of glass either. You can settle for obscure glazing in smaller shapes or sizes in a design that suits you.

Porch

A door for your porch adds an additional layer of security on top of your front door. Usually, the colours of these match. Depending on the material used in your porch, your double glazed doors will be the same, like uPVC. However, just because the porch door is one material, doesn’t mean the main door has to be the same. When double glazing doors, you can mix and match as you see fit.

Options for Double Glazing Doors at the Rear

French Doors

Perhaps the most classic option for double glazing your doors, French doors allow for plenty of natural light. Opening inwards or outwards, fresh air can greet you and help ventilate your home when needed. They can be fully glazed or with half a panel fitted. French doors and double glazing are a match made in heaven.

Even though they’ve been around for years, it doesn’t mean you can’t give French doors a contemporary feel. Various materials can be used and glazing techniques can help separate the glass to match your windows. Double glazing in your doors can help with the overall aesthetic.

Patio Doors

These sliding doors make use of floor to ceiling glazing to give you an open feel to your garden or outside space. They are great for compact spaces where the opening of a door is not practical. Patio double glazing doors can cut down on the amount of energy lost too.

Gone are the days of the two part sliding doors of old. You can get three or four part sliding doors to fit any space, with fixed double glazed doors to sit either side of the functioning one. You can effectively customise any setup to suit your home when double glazing your doors.

Bifolds

When double glazing doors, bifolds offer the most contemporary feel. Able to fold in on themselves like a concertina, these double glazed doors peel the whole wall away to combine the indoor and outdoor environments. They bring out the best of all available doors, maximising the amount of natural light that comes in and giving more room.

With flexible designs, you can open as few or as many doors as you need. There is normally a primary door as well, making it easier to enter and exit without having to commit to a full operation of the whole bifold. Bifolds are impressive, secure and make a bold statement, which makes them the perfect choice when double glazing doors.

Materials for Double Glazed Doors

Composite

Double glazing doors with composite materials gives you the advantage of security with low maintenance and high thermal efficiency. They are made of timber, uPVC, GRP, steel reinforcement and foam insulation.

You can get the following composite doors:

• Front and back doors

• Porches

uPVC

The most cost-effective material available, uPVC is weatherproof, secure and low maintenance. They are also incredibly light, without causing security concerns. Double glazing doors in uPVC can give you many different window options, such as small viewing panes to full length glazing.

You don’t have to limit yourself to uPVC front doors either, as the material can be used in many styles.

uPVC doors come in the following options:

• Front and back doors

• Porches

• French doors

• Patio doors

• Bifolds

Timber

Natural wood is a timeless classic, useful for traditional homes. Adding double glazing to your doors can be done in a number of ways. From small panes to double panels side by side, you can even go so far as two full panes of glazing on the top and bottom half. The customisable options give you plenty of choice to suit the design of your home.

Timber doors can be made in the following designs:

• Front and back doors

• French doors

Aluminium

Durable and with a modern powder coated finish, aluminium double glazed doors come in a variety of colours and last many years. They are also one of the strongest types of door you can have and are made relatively thin compared to other materials, saving on space.

Double glazing your doors with powder coated aluminium prevents them from corroding and discolouring. It also means they are easy to look after and maintain. The frames even come with insulation, helping to reduce draughts and heat loss.

Aluminium doors come in the following options:

• Front and back doors

• French doors

• Bifolds

Thermal Efficiency

When choosing a front door for your home, it’s also important to consider the letterbox. Some homes have an external postbox that’s usually wall-mounted, but others won’t necessarily have or want this option. When it comes to heat loss, the letterbox can be a point of concern, especially for your heating bills. In colder seasons, a letterbox can allow for cold air to seep into the home, reducing the thermal efficiency.

To get around this, you can fit flaps on the inside and outside and have bristles installed in the gap. This makes it harder for cold air to leak in, but not impossible. Letterbox covers only dampen the effects, but can still reduce the thermal performance of your home. For a fully airtight home when double glazing your doors, opt for an external letterbox instead.

How Much Does Double Glazing Doors Cost?

Different companies will offer you different rates, depending on the size and type of door that you choose. As a general rule of thumb, the materials go in the following order, from cheapest to most expensive:

• uPVC

• Composite

• Aluminium

• Timber

In terms of door types, bifolds are currently the most expensive double glazed door you can buy. The sheer size of them and the mechanics involved in their operation will set you back at least £5,000, but this depends on the size of the wall they are being installed in. A standard timber front door will be around £2,800, but relatively small French doors will be around £1,000.

You can see typical costs for double glazing your doors in the graph below.

According to Checkatrade, the average cost of labour is around £25 an hour. This is for double glazing doors made from uPVC, and also doesn’t include any building work that might be required prior to installing them. Patio doors come out at the cheapest, but the style and size also affects the cost, so they can be up to around £2,000 as well.

Everest estimates that timber doors are about 75% more expensive than uPVC, which makes them one of the more expensive options for double glazing your doors. Although not as costly as bifolds, timber designs have extra maintenance involved, which needs to be factored into their price. With a potential lifespan of over 50 years, this exceeds other materials.

uPVC, although the cheapest option, will last about 30 years. Composite double glazing can last up to 35 years, while aluminium can be as long as 45 years. Although the frame has the potential to be around for this many years, issues with the double glazing can shorten this. Double glazing repairs and maintenance can prevent this from happening though.