Pete’s Perspective
For more than 35 years, our Managing Director, Peter Wheeler, has been totally committed to searching out new and better ways for improving our customers’ homes.
Here, every month he shares his learning and insights, along with new ideas and top tips.
Choosing a New Front Door
Over recent years, one option has clearly pulled ahead when it comes to replacing your front door: The composite door.
Composite doors are now available in an extensive range of designs, from traditional to ultra-modern, with a wide selection of decorative glass options that can be glazed directly into the door. This makes them a welcome upgrade from older uPVC panelled doors, which were often limited in both style and appearance — many looking like “a door within a door.”
As with most products, improvements come over time. While composite doors have evolved significantly, not all are created equal, and this is where homeowners need to be careful.
The Hidden Issues with Cheaper Composite Doors
Many companies offer lower-cost composite doors that use foam-filled, sprayed door slabs. While these doors can look great when first installed, problems often start to appear during warmer months.
Dark-coloured doors absorb heat, and when combined with a thin GRP skin over a foam core, the door slab can begin to twist or warp. This can lead to doors becoming difficult to open, close, or even lock — something no homeowner wants from their front door.
Sprayed doors can also suffer from colour stability issues. Fading can occur within a year, leaving the door with a cloudy or milky appearance. This is particularly common on new-build developments, where cheaper doors are often installed — and within a year or two, you’ll notice doors being replaced across the site.
Sound familiar?
The Next Generation of Composite Doors Is Here..!
At SEHBAC, our composite doors are built with a solid timber core, delivering superior strength, security and stability — avoiding the operational issues that can affect other doors throughout the year.
Unlike many alternatives, our doors are not a spray-finished, meaning there’s no risk of fading or colour deterioration over time. The finish is designed to maintain its appearance year after year, keeping your entrance looking as good as the day it was installed.
Alternative Door Options Worth Considering
While composite doors are an excellent all-round choice, there are two alternative ranges that are definitely worth consideration, depending on the style of your property.
uPVC front doors still offer excellent value and have come a long way in recent years. Today’s designs focus more on specialist coloured and leaded glass options, making them ideal for Victorian and heritage properties, where composite doors can sometimes struggle to retain the original character.
Our Suffolk door range provides the perfect maintenance-free solution, offering a like-for-like replacement for beautiful period doors. With stunning leadwork and traditional detailing, these doors retain all the original charm and character — without the ongoing upkeep.
Over recent years, aluminium doors have also grown in popularity, delivering a striking contemporary look and creating a true statement at the front of a property. Aluminium doors are extremely strong, durable, and visually impressive — but they do come at a cost, with average prices often around £6,000.
If this contemporary style appeals to you, it’s well worth taking a look at our Meridian range. It offers the same modern aesthetic, complete with stainless steel inlay stripes and contemporary bar handles — but with one key difference: around half the price of aluminium.
Final Thoughts
With over 35 years in the industry, I’ve seen where front doors succeed — and where they fail. I know the common industry faults, and at SEHBAC we’ve worked hard to source products that eliminate these issues altogether. Quite simply, we don’t want to be taking the same aftersales calls that many of our competitors deal with on a daily basis.
You’re welcome to download any of our brochures, take a look at our latest offers, or visit one of our showrooms to see the true difference in quality, construction, and design.
Once you see our front doors in person, the difference is easy to see.
