An aluminium front door is a long-term purchase, so it pays to judge it on more than the picture. Here is the short checklist we give homeowners.
Match it to the windows
A front door reads best when its frame depth, colour and glazing bar style echo the windows either side of it. If you are replacing windows at the same time, coordinate the whole frontage — our guide to Schüco AWS windows pairs naturally with an aluminium entrance.
- Colour
- any RAL, dual-colour possible
- Glazing
- clear/obscure/feature
- Handle & hardware
- lever, pull bar or knob
- Threshold
- low weathered or flush
- Test rating
- ask for PAS 24
Get the security right
Multi-point locking and an anti-snap cylinder are the baseline. If the door is not overlooked, a PAS 24 tested set-up is worth the modest extra. The full picture is in security standards and in our Schüco front doors overview.
Think about the threshold
A low or flush threshold looks clean and helps prams and wheelchairs, but needs proper weathering. Discuss it before order, because it affects the floor build-up — see installation.
Where to buy
Buy from someone who fits aluminium entrances week in, week out. In Hertfordshire 5EC Aluminium supply and install front doors alongside matching windows, which keeps the frontage consistent.