When choosing a new front door for your home, there are many elements to consider. These include the material of the door, additional accessories as well as the configuration of the door. However, front door security and strength are also vital aspects to consider. According to research, a burglary takes place every 108 seconds in the UK, so it important to find a secure front door to improve your home’s security.
Here, we take you through what to look for in a new secure front door, and how to choose a reputable front door supplier.
Click the links below to jump to the relevant section:
Read the key features you should look for when finding a safe and secure exterior door.
Find out why aluminium is a strong and reliable option for exterior doors.
Read the meaning of high-security hinges and how to find high-security door hinges.
Find out how to find a strong and secure handle for your front door.
Read about the importance of high-security glass and what to look out for when shopping for a new front door.
Find out what other security features you need to consider when buying a new high-security front door.
Read what Origin Front Doors can offer you.
We answer common concerns on choosing a new front door.
What should you look for in a safe and secure front door?
A safe and secure front door is made of very strong material and features the best-quality locks and security features, such as handles. Often, the strongest and highest-quality front doors contain the following features:
- A multi-point locking system (with cylinder)
- High-security hinges
- A strong handle
- Security glass (if the door has glass panels)
- Other door security features.
To find out more about our front doors security features, you can view our aluminium front door range here.
What is the most secure material for your front door frame?
Aluminium is one of the strongest and most durable materials available when it comes to buying a new front door. Aluminium weighs 67% less than steel yet carries a lot of its strength properties, creating a lighter and easier way of operating doors and windows. Choosing aluminium also allows for slim sightlines to be achieved for maximising views and can be made in complex configurations without compromising on performance or security. Find out more about the benefits of aluminium here.
Read our comparison of the different front door materials below:
Wood | Aluminium | Composite | uPVC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Strength | Strong. | Very strong. | Quality composite doors are reasonably strong, though not as strong as aluminium or wood. | Weakest of all materials. |
Wear | Can warp, expand and contract when exposed to the elements, compromising the shape and affecting opening and closing. | Resilient to warping or changing shape, not prone to wear. | Often installed with uPVC outer frame, meaning there is a risk of warping, expanding and contracting. | Susceptible to wear from the elements. Will become brittle over time and can discolour. Can warp, expand and contract, affecting shape and opening and closing. |
Maintenance | Wood may need treating for rot, mites or discolouration of the finish. | Low maintenance, other than minimal cleaning every now and again. Quality doors will be finished to ensure they are rust-proof. Do not need retreating. | Reasonably low maintenance. | Reasonably low maintenance, though will look worn quicker than alternatives. |
Insulation & weather-resistance | Reasonably good insulator but can be draughty if doors warp. | Quality aluminium doors with thermal breaks offer excellent efficiency. | Quality composite doors will have reasonable thermal efficiency, but low quality tend to be similar to uPVC. | Varies hugely depending on the provider. |
Aesthetic | Wooden doors tend to look traditional and are available in a wide range of designs. | Available in a wide range of colours and styles. Aluminium looks sleek and contemporary. | Available in woodgrain effect and often in a range of colours. But since they tend to be “off-the-shelf”, the colour and design options are limited. | Tend to only be available in white, which can discolour over time. These doors are considered the least aesthetically pleasing. |
Cost | Varies based on quality, but comparable to aluminium. | Higher cost compared to uPVC or composite. More durable and requires less maintenance, which can save on costs long-term. | Cheaper than aluminium. | The cheapest option available. |
Read our full guide to the different front door materials here.
What are the different types of front door locks?
Front door locks come in many different types and vary in the level of security they provide. You can read our complete guide to the different front door locks here. Some of the more common locks are shown below.
LOW SECURITY | ||
|---|---|---|
Nightlatch (or rim automatic deadlatch) | A secondary lock mounted to the inside of the door. How does it work?
How secure?
| |
MEDIUM SECURITY | ||
Five-lever mortice deadlock | Once the standard front door lock, now largely replaced by the British Standard 3621 deadlock. Nowadays, they tend to be seen only on:
How does it work?
How secure?
| |
Cylinder lock (or euro profile lock) | Where the keyhole and pin-and-tumbler mechanism are contained inside a cylinder (also called a barrel) that fits into the door. How does it work?
How secure?
Origin offers a choice of two 3-star British Kite Mark rated barrels with its Front Door: Both are proven to withstand housebreaking techniques such as snapping, picking, drilling and bumping. | |
British Standard BS 3621 deadlock | The BS 3621 Kitemark is the British Standards Institution’s (BSI) certification that a lock meets their strict standards for security. How does it work?
How secure?
| |
Are you choosing a front door colour? Read our full guide to the different front door colours here.
What are multi-point locking systems?
Multi-point locking systems work by engaging a number of bolts and hooks around the frame by lifting the handle, often known as ‘lever/lever’.
Three-point and five-point locking systems are most common:
- Three-point systems have two hook bolts at the top and bottom of the frame and a combination of latch and deadbolt in the middle of the door
- Five-point systems have the same, plus two points of locking around the frame.
- Origin Front Doors come with a choice of two high-security locking systems:
Multi-point locking systems work by engaging a number of bolts and hooks around the frame by lifting the handle, often known as ‘lever/lever’.
Three-point and five-point locking systems are most common:
- Three-point systems have two hook bolts at the top and bottom of the frame and a combination of latch and deadbolt in the middle of the door
- Five-point systems have the same, plus a pair of additional points of locking around the frame
Origin Front Doors come with a choice of two high-security locking systems:
5-point automatic locking system | A unique 8-point locking system |
|---|---|
Fitted on doors which have a bar or pull bar handle | Fitted to doors which have a security lever handle |
A lock that can only be disengaged with a key | 20 mm shoot bolts at the top and bottom of the track—these are chamfered (cut with angled corners) to make them smoother and more weatherproof |
Locks without having to lift the handle | Deep-throw security hooks—locking into the frame, these 25 mm hooks are the deepest hooks currently available |
Unique Origin design |
Shop the complete aluminium Origin Front Door range here.
Are you looking for an aluminium, high-quality front door?
Each home has its own unique character, and your front door is a big part of that. Our front doors are made bespoke to your needs, so you can ensure it’s making the right statement for your home:
- Specify your size
- Pick a panel or mid-rail option
- Pick a colour on the frame, sash and panel
- Select your handle & colour
- Choose your knocker and letterbox
- Select whether you want your door to include a letterbox, knocker or a spyhole.
- Pick your threshold.
A multi-point locking system also has the advantage of potentially lowering your premium when you arrange home/contents insurance. In an Origin case study, the homeowner said that their new Origin Front Door allowed them to meet insurance requirements to ensure their home was fully protected.
What are high-security hinges and why are they important?
Hinges can be a point of weakness—one that intruders will always look to exploit—if they are:
- damaged or worn
- poor-quality
- exposed to the outside of the house (if the door is outswinging).
Exposed hinges can be particularly troublesome. Burglars can tap the hinge pins out and lift the door off its hinges, all without having to unlock it.
Security hinges combat this flaw in a number of ways:
Interlocking security studs
As the two leaves of the hinge come together, the studs lock into slots on the opposite leaf, stopping the door from being lifted off the hinges.
Secured hinge pins
Having a pin that can’t be removed means there’s no way for an intruder to knock the door off its hinges.
What are set screws?
This screw keeps the hinge pin in place and can only be removed when the door is open.
Origin Front Doors have four security hinges made of zinc. These hinges are specifically designed to prevent the doors being forced off from the outside.
Read our complete guide to choosing a front door design here.
What classes as strong handle?
After the cylinder/barrel, the handle is considered the next weakest part of a door. Thieves have a number of methods to exploit this weakness, and so the strongest front door handles will adopt the following measures:
- Solid-cast metal body secured with hardened metal bolts—protects the handle against simple brute force
- Cylinder guard—covers the handle, making it more resistant to lock snapping
- Rotating cylinder shield—protects the barrel against lock drilling
- Chamfered backplate—stops thieves using mole-grips or clamps to detach the handle from the door.
PAS 24 is the minimum standard a door manufacturer must meet for their product to be certified as a door of “enhanced security”. Origin’s door handle and cylinder combination are PAS 24-approved and combine modern design with unmatched long-term durability. In fact, they are so durable that they have outperformed special strength tests and proven capable of resisting over 350 pounds of force.
Security glass
In the past, having glass panels in your front door made your home more vulnerable—they were easy for thieves to break to enter your property. Now, with security glass, this is no longer the case.
Security glass is laminated glass—two or more sheets of glass bound together with a layer of plastic that ensures the pane cracks rather than break into pieces (in the same way your car windscreen would).
When this happens, not only does the glass remain in place but it acts as a deterrent, as it takes burglars much longer to break through.
Your chosen installation partner will be responsible for sourcing the glass, so contact them to discuss.
What other security features are available?
Security restrictors
These limit how widely you can open the door when answering the door to visitors.
Our front doors can be fitted with a security restrictor and these have been designed to lock in place and release (when the door is open).
Spyholes
Any security expert will tell you that your first response to a knock at the door is to see who’s there. Spyholes enable you to identify your visitor without having to open the door.
Our modern front doors can incorporate a spyhole into the door knocker, or as a separate feature.
View our complete aluminium front door range here to find out more.
What are the benefits of the Origin Front Door?
What are the benefits of the Origin Front Door?
The Origin Front Door is made from premium-grade aluminium and is available in a large range of colours and designs to suit your needs. The key benefits of the Origin Front Door include the following:
- Incredible strength and durability. The increased strength means the doors are available in larger sizes, giving a grander appearance.
- 10-panel options available in 150 RAL colours: you can choose the door you want and customise it to suit your home’s style
- Fully weather protected.
- Extremely hard-wearing powder coating, which prevents oxidation and water stains and comes with up to a 20-year guarantee.
- Thermal efficiency exceeds current industry and government standards.
- Very low maintenance needed; just wiping the doors down is enough in most environments.
- Can be PAS 24 and Secured by Design accredited. Available with either an 8-point or 5-point automatic firing locking system and 3-star British Kite Marked tamper-proof barrels.
Find out more about the Origin Front Door here.
Frequently asked questions
Why are aluminium front doors better than wooden doors?
High-quality wooden and aluminium doors will both perform well, but there are some unique advantages offered by aluminium that wooden doors can’t compete with.
Aluminium doors are resilient to warping in different weather conditions. Origin Doors are powder coated with a high-quality finish to prevent the risk of rust. Bi-fold doors, French and single doors are also available in a woodgrain finish, to achieve a truly realistic wood effect without taking the risks that come with real wood.
Although quality wooden doors will come with good finishes, initially preventing the risk of contracting and expanding in different temperatures and humidity, the risk is still present. Over time, the finish will start to wear too. Once a door warps, the entire functionality is compromised. This can lead to gaps between the door and the frame, creating draughts and water leakages.
Can a front door be made to measure?
Yes. Not all homes throughout the UK have the same-sized doors and doorways and so it’s typical for people to request a custom-sized front door.
All Origin Front Doors are completely bespoke, tailored to your exact requirements not just in size but also colour, finish and additional accessories such as handles and letterboxes.
Find out more about front door sizes here.
How often should you clean your front door?
How often you decide to clean your front door is truly down to personal preference. The Origin Residential Door is designed to require minimal maintenance, however, as a general guideline, we would recommend cleaning your aluminium front door every few months to keep it looking fresh and to prevent any build-up of tough stains.
View our full range of aluminium front doors here.
