When it comes to enhancing the aesthetic appeal and functionality of a property, internal doors play a pivotal role. Here, Adam Franklin, Sales and Marketing Director at Staircraft, looks at why door kits add to this appeal by ensuring a precision installation and years of trouble free use.

New build snags are a source of frustration for homeowners. According to the Home Builders Federation National New Homes Customer Satisfaction Survey published in March 2024, around 95% of new build buyers reported snagging issues. This statistic is a stark reminder of the challenges that can arise when moving into a brand-new home as well as the time, resource and cost input required from developers post-handover.

One of the most common complaints among new homeowners, along with unfinished painting, faulty brickwork and dubiously installed loft insulation is poorly fitting doors. That usually means doors that snag, jar or constantly fall open or closed.

However, the introduction of door kits is helping tackle this issue, whilst making them significantly easier to install and resulting in a higher quality fit.

Why door kits?

One of the advantages of door kits is the simplification of the installation process. Each kit typically includes all necessary components, such as door, frames and hardware. This all-in-one approach eliminates the need for contractors to source individual parts, which can often lead to confusion and delays.

In addition to simplifying component sourcing, door kits reduce the labour time required for installation. Traditional methods often involve multiple steps and adjustments, which can be labourintensive. With door kits, the process is streamlined to a few straightforward steps. This efficiency translates to lower labour costs and faster project completion times, making door kits an attractive option for developers.

The pre-cut and pre-serviced components supplied with door kits are designed to fit together precisely, minimising the chances of errors during installation. This level of accuracy ensures that the doors not only look aesthetically pleasing but also function as they should.

The uniformity that is possible with door kits ensures that all doors are hung correctly, enhancing the overall appearance of the property. The quality of materials and precision of door kits is very high because they are produced in a quality-assessed production facility, which contributes to their long term low maintenance. Many kits feature robust materials that can withstand daily wear and tear, ensuring that the doors remain functional and visually appealing for years to come.

With a high-quality factory-applied finish, they often require less maintenance, saving time and costs in the long run. Significant savings result because the door kits are designed to include only what is necessary, there’s less chance of overordering or wasting materials.

By providing pre-cut components that fit together seamlessly, door kits eliminate the need for on-site cutting, thereby reducing waste significantly. In addition, our Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) mean we have evaluated every single one of our products, to help us understand its carbon footprint. This makes it easier and more efficient for customers who want to measure their environmental impact when working on their house building projects.

In addition, we use biomass fuel at our Bayton Road and Ansty factories to provide energy, reducing our overall carbon footprint and energy output. We are also actively making an effort to improve our sustainability by harvesting rainwater at our Ansty factory.

Compliance with Regulations

Using door kits can also help developers ensure compliance with local building regulations, particularly regarding fire safety and accessibility. Many kits are designed to meet these standards, simplifying the approval process. For buildings that require fire doors, there are suitable kits that comply with regulations.

Door kits are available in a wide range of styles, sizes and finishes, allowing developers to choose options that best suit their project’s aesthetic. Whether it’s a modern design or a more traditional look, there’s a door and doorkit to suit.

The way forward

The use of door kits for fitting internal doors offers many benefits for developers and housebuilders. From simplifying the installation process and enhancing the quality of fit to offering cost-effectiveness and sustainability benefits, door kits are one of the best ways of making sure internal doors are trouble free. Throughout it all, door kits are a way of addressing common snagging issues posthandover. For many developers that have switched to kits, that is enough to convince them that they are the way forward.”

More information on Staircraft, CLICK HERE

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Victoria Brocklesby, COO at Origin, the UK’s leading manufacturer of bespoke aluminium windows and doors, discusses why homebuilders that prioritise child safety when choosing suppliers have a lot to gain.

Each year, thousands of children are admitted to A&E with an injury that occurred at home. Millions more incur minor scratches and bumps due to incidents they’ve had around the house. Although accidents are a part of growing up, experimenting and testing boundaries are important for children’s development. However, most are completely preventable, and they are a worry for parents. Luckily, many of these accidents can be prevented in the build stage of a property.

Understanding children’s developmental stages

Much emphasis is put on baby proofing a home when children begin to crawl, but the truth is, there is danger in the home at all stages of development. So that housebuilders can effectively understand how to prevent home-based injuries, it’s important to know what contributes to them in the first place.

Every day, children are learning new things and pushing the boundaries of what they can do. They are curious and don’t feel fear or have the same concept of consequence as adults do. Children are also just physically more fragile than adults.

The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) has identified two main links between accidents and child development:

• Physical development – children’s skin is thinner than adults, their bodies process poison differently, and their heads are proportionally bigger and heavier.
• Cognitive development – they are still learning risk and consequence, and their ability to judge elements like distance and speed is still developing.

Top dangers in the home and how to design them out of a build

There are many potential risks in the home for young children. Some of the biggest include:

• Traps – doors and cupboards are a key reason that children trap their fingers and hands. Our research shows that children account for 25% of all hospital trips for hand or wrist injuries, with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) estimating that 30,000 children trap their hands in doors each year. Opting for doors with added safety features, like Origin’s aluminium bi-fold doors that feature finger-safe gaskets, will put prospective homebuyers minds at ease that their children will remain unharmed even if their fingers do get caught.
• Falls – children love to explore their surroundings, which can lead them to climb on furniture, windowsills, stairs, or countertops. When it comes to windows, it’s best to install systems that offer safety latches and restrictor hooks, such as Origin’s Premium Window (OW-80). This allows families to limit the window’s ability to open fully which means children cannot fall out.
• Slips/trips – still navigating their balance and often running around, children naturally slip and fall, but this can be more likely on certain types of flooring. For example, marble tiles are notoriously slippery, even for adults. To avoid serious injury, install non-slip alternatives, such as porcelain, as standard if supplying the flooring for your projects. Thresholds can also present a trip hazard. So, if installing a bi-fold or sliding door to a new-build home, it’s best to opt for a system that offers a low threshold option, like the Origin Bi-fold Door. This is also beneficial to older members of the family who may have mobility issues.

Final thoughts

It’s much easier to design a home with children in mind than to retrofit safety features, especially when it comes to elements like doors which would be expensive and wasteful to replace. Families can spend into the thousands on safety proofing a home, so designing new-build homes with safety in mind will not only mean homebuyers save in the future, but it will be a draw for them. Even if there aren’t currently little ones running around, couples often plan on having children or selling to another family in the future, so it’s worth thinking holistically about the home during the design phase so that’s it’s prepared for the generations to come.

Get in touch with Origin to find out more.   

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The Aria range of internal doors from JB Kind is based on the trend for fluted wall panels, tiles, and furnishings, featuring a design that incorporates two vertical side rails framing the door, with a pattern of square grooves running from top to bottom.

This collection offers three laminate finishes — black, grey, and oak — alongside a white primed option that allows for personal customization. Designed to fit various interior styles, from mid-century modern to industrial, the Aria range includes doors ready for installation, complete with options for glazed and fire doors.

Each door in the range is constructed with a 35mm thickness, utilising a semi-solid core for the laminate versions and a solid core for the primed doors, enhancing the overall quality feel. The series also extends to 44mm solid core fire doors for enhanced safety in all non-glazed designs.

The glazed Aria doors are distinguished by a central clear flat safety glass panel with raised beading, facilitating the flow of natural light between rooms while maintaining the option for space compartmentalisation. The laminate finishes ensure consistency in tone and colour, ready for immediate installation, whereas the white primed doors offer flexibility for individual customization. The construction quality and inclusion of a fire door option across all solid styles are key highlights of the range.

JB Kind also offers a Door Visualiser tool, enabling customers to preview the Aria doors and other models within various room settings online, supporting decision-making with a visualisation of different wall colours and flooring options.

More information on the Aria range  

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Combining the appearance of steel doors with the advantages of aluminium, the Alitherm 60 door system from Smart Architectural Aluminium provides a ready replacement for steel doors on heritage applications while meeting Document L of the Building Regulations.

Part of the Alitherm Heritage portfolio, the doors’ slim sightlines complement the existing Smart Alitherm window ranges to recreate the original appearance of steel doors and windows while their enhanced polyamide break ensures a 21^st century thermal performance.

The range includes single and double doors in both open-in and open-out styles and is complemented by a wide choice of hardware, including stainless steel, heritage and Art Deco fittings.

More information on Smart Systems’ Alitherm Heritage 60

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Jeld-Wen has expanded its portfolio with the launch of a new laminate door range. The collection of internal and communal doorsets comprises seven new laminate finishes in a variety of striking colours and glazing options and will replace its existing veneer designs.

The new range allows for a more consistent design scheme and can be easily incorporated into a variety of interiors. The laminate finish also carries significant benefits in terms of maintenance and durability, resisting water, impacts and scratches, and is easy to clean and maintain with no chemical products required.

The enhanced laminate designs also form part of Jeld-Wen’s SecureFIT and SecureSET ranges, meaning they are dual tested to provide 30-minute fire, smoke and security protection as listed under the Certifire and CertiSecure schemes – offering customers a complete and fully certified interior doorset solution.

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The OI-30 (Internal Door) is the company’s first ever interior product from Origin.

Made from high-grade aluminium, the OI-30 is designed to separate home and office footprints into practical spaces. It enhances interior design by allowing light to travel unhindered through the building, creating the sense of space and airiness that homeowners want, while providing protection from noise and distraction that they value. It is also a great option for commercial spaces to section out individual offices.

Its development comes as a result of market feedback highlighting a gap in the market for an affordable premium grade internal door. The move shifts the steel-look offering from a pipe dream to a reality for homeowners.

With ultra-slim sightlines, the internal door can accommodate 4mm, 6mm or 6.8mm glazing, and designers can opt for clear, frosted, or reeded glass, allowing them to offer the benefits of privacy where required while still maximising light.

Minimum widths for a single door begin at 300mm and extend to a maximum size of 1000mm. Height starts at 1500mm and extends to 2500mm, offering lots of flexibility. Additionally, fixed frames can be added to the top or side to fill larger apertures.

The OI-30 is available in a multitude of configurations, including fixed, single, French, and corner styles. Kickplates and solid panels can also be added which minimise fingerprints and scratches. The OI-30 is immediately available for Origin Partners to quote and order on Origin’s OSS.

Like all Origin products, it is manufactured in the UK and offers an industry-leading guarantee of up to 20-years.

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Internal timber doors are often specified purely on price and aesthetics, but taking a closer look at the core can make all the difference when it comes to meeting requirements relating to the wider room performance. Mike Ward, Managing Director at JELD-WEN explains the various timber door cores available.

It is understandable that cost typically dominates choice when it comes to internal doors, leading to them commonly been seen simply as a ‘gap filler’. However, as with almost every type of building product, failing to look any further than price and aesthetics can lead to ineffective performance which stops the room from meeting the full requirements of the end-user.

This can vary from creating a quiet and secure space, to a home office that demands privacy, or a conversion where fire regulations must be adhered to.

Light weight

A door with a standard or light weight core is currently the most typical choice for the majority of applications, mainly due to its cost effectiveness. At 35mm or 40mm thick, a door with a standard or light weight core is often a multi-cell or spacer pad which not only makes it light, but can undermine any additional acoustic measures that are being implemented within the rest of the room.

It is common to come across moulded panel doors with this type of core in new build properties across the UK. Where the housebuilder may specify these doors on cost alone, often the buyer will want greater protection against noise from adjoining rooms, and therefore upgrade to higher quality or denser cores at a later date. It’s therefore important for contractors to take a valuable learning from this; will the end-user expect or require a certain level of acoustics and if so, are the door cores being considered?

Plus, a door with a light weight core provides less resistance against impact and therefore damage. This is again often suitable for a standard domestic setting, but may increase the likelihood of maintenance or the need for replacement in the property is to be rented.

Middle weight

When it comes to doors with middle weight cores, on average 2kg is added to the overall weight of a 35mm or 40mm door. This not only improves the durability, acoustics, and insulation, but the general feeling of sturdiness and lasting quality. For example, these semi-solid cores provide a far greater surface area for a lock and latch fitting which results in a more secure and satisfying clunk on closure. The combined offering of quality, performance, and price, ultimately means that a middle weight core can provide the best of all worlds for a domestic application.

Heavy weight

Commonly 15kg heavier than their light weight core counterparts, a door with a solid or heavy weight internal construction gives a truly substantial feel. This is beneficial when working to a high specification and, when combined with high quality timber such as white oak, is ideal for meeting the expectations of a high-end show home or within new build properties that want to have a selection of ‘optional upgrades’. With this in mind, manufacturers such as JELD-WEN continue to extend the choice of oak door designs and offer everything from traditional styles to more contemporary looks such as the pictured Shaker Cottage oak door.

A heavy weight core of course also equals greater protection against damage or impact, plus a stronger base for the installation of door hardware. This makes it a more attractive proposition for areas of high traffic or where the door needs to be more than just functional; for instance, a communal entrance within a property that’s being developed for multiple occupants to share.

Acoustic benefits

Doors with heavy weight cores perhaps have the most to contribute to a room’s performance. One of the key benefits is the value it offers to acoustics. For a contractor, looking to comply with Approved Document E of the Building Regulations, which relates to the passage of sound, the contribution of the door has to be taken seriously.

Excellent acoustics can be of real value to the building occupant, particularly when used for a child’s bedrooms or for a laundry room, for example. Plus, they’re an important part of the housebuilder or architect’s responsibility to create a comfortable living environment that will stand the test of time. After all, being able to hear noisy neighbours or road traffic can be a detractor for buyers if managing or selling a property.

Fire doors

Fire doors also fall into the heavy weight core category. JELD-WEN offers 35mm, 44mm, and even 54mm thick fire doors options, which are approximately 45kg in comparison to the 12kg or 13kg of the light weight core design. In this case, the internal fire core would be part of the specification process as it’s so integral to the fire protection of properties. But again, the quality and acoustic properties that are innate with a door of this thickness should be seen as a huge added benefit.

Ultimately, timber doors can offer much more than a functional and indeed, an aesthetically pleasing, feature. Looking past purely price to take a closer look at the structure and performance of the door can reap benefits both for the occupant, who will use the door many times per day, and for landlords due to the reduced likelihood of maintenance call-outs or complaints.

We’re already seeing a number of UK housebuilders recognising the potential value that a heavier weight door core can offer to their customers due to the related quality and acoustic improvements; it is therefore time for property developers to follow suit through the wide range of options widely available from leading UK manufacturers.

Mike Ward is Managing Director at JELD-WEN. www.jeld-wen.co.uk

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