Front Doors

Composite front doors are a popular choice for homeowners replacing an ageing entrance door. They combine an insulated construction with a wide selection of colours, panel styles and glazing designs.

South Lakes Windows supplies composite door ranges including Apeer, Diamond, Rockdoor and Silka, providing options for traditional and contemporary properties. Apeer doors use GRP fibreglass skins with an insulating core and are available in numerous styles and finishes. Depending on the chosen specification, homeowners can select different glazing, colours and hardware to create an entrance suited to the property.

Rockdoor and other composite ranges provide further choices for customers looking for a secure, insulated replacement front door. Composite doors also require relatively little routine maintenance. Unlike an older painted timber door, there is no regular painting schedule required to maintain the original colour.

The exact construction, thermal performance and security specification varies between door ranges, so our team can explain the available options before you choose your new entrance door.

Composite is not the only option. South Lakes Windows can also provide UPVC, timber and aluminium front doors for different property types. UPVC entrance doors provide a low-maintenance choice that can coordinate with existing UPVC windows. A range of colours, woodgrain finishes, panel arrangements and glazing designs can be considered.

Our UPVC door options include the Tricept Entrance Door and Suffolk Door Collection. These ranges provide numerous styles and finishes for homeowners looking for a made-to-measure replacement entrance. For traditional homes, a timber front door provides the character and natural appearance of real wood. Timber can work particularly well with cottages, farmhouses, period homes, barn conversions and properties where existing timber windows form an important part of the exterior.

South Lakes Windows supplies Bereco timber door options across several ranges, including traditional and contemporary designs.

Aluminium front doors provide another choice for modern homes and renovation projects. The strength of aluminium allows distinctive entrance designs and can coordinate particularly well with aluminium windows, bi-fold doors and sliding doors elsewhere on the property.

Security is understandably one of the most important considerations when selecting a new front door.

Modern entrance doors use multi-point locking systems and purpose-made hardware to secure the door at several positions within the frame. The exact locking specification will depend on the door range selected. South Lakes Windows can also supply door options incorporating Ultion locking systems, providing homeowners with additional choices when specifying the security of their entrance.

Glass should also be considered as part of the overall door specification. Where glazing forms part of the design, suitable safety and security glass can be specified according to its position and the requirements of the chosen door. Side panels and toplights can introduce more daylight into a hallway, but they also form part of the complete entrance and should be specified accordingly.

Professional fitting is equally important. Even a high-quality front door relies on a correctly installed frame and properly adjusted locking system. Accurate installation helps ensure the door closes firmly against its seals and locks as intended.

Replacing an ageing front door can help address draughts and heat loss around the entrance to a property.

Older timber and early-generation UPVC doors may develop gaps around their frames, worn weather seals or poorly performing glazed sections. Modern replacement doors use insulated construction and effective sealing to improve thermal performance. Composite doors commonly incorporate insulating materials within the door slab. Modern UPVC systems use multi-chambered profiles, while suitable timber doors benefit from the natural insulating properties of wood. Thermally broken aluminium systems reduce heat transfer through metal sections.

Where a front door includes glass, energy efficient double or triple glazing may be available depending on the selected product. Thermal performance varies between products and specifications, so it is important to compare the complete door rather than choosing one based purely on its material.

This is especially relevant for exposed homes throughout Cumbria and the South Lakes, where an entrance door may regularly face strong winds, rain and low winter temperatures.

A replacement front door provides an opportunity to change the appearance of the entrance without making major alterations to the property. Traditional colours can complement cottages and period houses, while stronger shades can create a distinctive feature on modern and traditional homes. Contemporary greys, blacks and neutral finishes provide further choices.

Glazing can range from relatively simple clear or obscure glass to decorative designs. The amount of glass can also vary considerably, from small feature panels to larger glazed sections that introduce more daylight into the hallway.

Privacy should be considered when selecting front door glass. Obscure glazing can allow daylight through while limiting direct views into the property. Handles, knockers, letterplates and other door furniture provide the finishing details. Their style and finish can be selected to complement the door and surrounding architecture.

Side panels can also be incorporated where the entrance opening is wider than a standard single door. These can be glazed or include solid sections depending on the design and level of privacy required.

Choosing a replacement front door for an older property often requires greater attention to the original architecture.

Cumbria, the Lake District, North Lancashire and adjoining Yorkshire contain many conservation areas, listed buildings and historically important properties. In these locations, changing the material, design or appearance of an entrance door may require additional consideration.

Traditional timber doors can provide a suitable option where maintaining established materials and proportions is important. Composite and other door types may also be suitable for some properties, depending on the building and any applicable planning restrictions. Listed buildings and properties affected by specific conservation controls may require consent before an original door is replaced.

South Lakes Windows can discuss suitable entrance door options, but homeowners should establish any planning or Listed Building Consent requirements before work proceeds.