Which front door will survive fire, burglars, and time
Reliable front doors are more than an interior detail. They ensure your safety, peace, comfort between seasons, and sometimes even your reputation among neighbours. However, choosing the right door isn’t easy. In 2025, the market offers dozens of models with different features, and it’s easy to get lost.
News.LIVE explains key factors to consider when choosing an apartment door, from construction and filling to security and design.
Which door format suits you best
Start with the basics — size and construction type. Most apartments have standard-width doorways from 82 to 96 cm, with heights between 200-206 cm. Non-standard openings require custom orders.
The standard choice is a single-leaf door, but one-and-a-half leaf models are gaining popularity. These have a narrow extra section that opens only when needed. They’re convenient, look solid, and make it easier to move large items, note Keramis experts.
Why metal is the only logical choice
The material choice is practically non-negotiable: steel only. Wood or plastic isn’t suitable for apartment entry doors.
Most commonly used are cold-rolled or hot-rolled steel. Hot-rolled is cheaper but less corrosion-resistant. Cold-rolled costs more but offers better durability, strength, and appearance.
Door finish options
Appearance matters. The cheapest is painted metal, but it looks basic. More popular are MDF or wood-effect film panels, offering modern looks with a wide range of colours and textures.
Other options like veneer, vinyl leather, or natural wood look prestigious but cost more and can be prone to damage.
It’s important your door matches your hallway or entrance decor: tiles, skirting boards, wallpaper.
Internal filling: warmth, quiet, and safety
The core of the door determines its sound and heat insulation. The cheapest filler is foam rubber — light and inexpensive but loses shape quickly.
Polystyrene retains heat better and is moisture resistant but highly flammable. The best (and most expensive) option is mineral wool: fireproof, soundproof, eco-friendly, but requires proper waterproofing inside the door.
Frame: the foundation of durability
To prevent your door from warping within a year, pay attention to the frame structure. The strongest is made from bent profile pipes — monolithic and rigid compared to budget models assembled from pieces.
Internal stiffening ribs, both vertical and horizontal, significantly enhance durability and reduce deformation risks.
Apartment-specific requirements
Apartment doors have unique demands. They don’t need to protect against weather like house doors but must block sounds and smells from the hallway.
- Optimal thickness: 5–8 cm
- Weight: under 80-90 kg for ease of use, especially for elderly residents
- Double perimeter seals greatly improve insulation
True security: protecting against intruders
Security is the top criterion. Key aspects:
- Steel thickness: at least 1.5 mm; ideally 2–2.5 mm
- Solid sheets are stronger than welded ones
- Anti-burglary features: protective pins, reinforced hinges, night latches, hardened lock shields
- Protective coatings to resist scratches, paint damage, acids
- Fire resistance rating (EI30 or EI60) indicating how long the door maintains integrity in a fire
What about the lock?
Strong doors require reliable locks. Ideally two: a main lever lock plus a cylinder or electronic lock. Multi-lock systems with several fixation points make forced entry harder.
Tips for choosing your front door
- Set priorities: if security is top, invest in locks and steel thickness; for design, look at vandal-resistant MDF panels
- Check the weight: over 90 kg strains hinges and daily use
- Measure accurately to avoid installation mistakes
- Consider humidity: for damp hallways, choose corrosion-proof materials and moisture-safe insulation
- Verify certifications for fire resistance and burglary protection
Earlier, we shared 5 home gadgets that will transform your daily life.
We also reported which part of a house is the most useless and worth skipping in design.