Composite door reviews: what to check before you buy

Composite slabs come in a handful of broad styles, and the right one is usually decided by the age of the house rather than personal taste alone.

Traditional four panel and six panel slabs suit Victorian and Edwardian terraces, especially with a leaded or etched glass detail. Cottage style doors with a small top light work on older brick and stone properties. Contemporary slabs with long vertical glazing or offset square lights suit post war semis and new builds.

Side panels and top lights matter more than people expect. A wide opening filled with one oversized slab looks heavy; splitting it with a glazed side panel keeps the hallway bright and the proportions right.

Colour on a composite door runs through the GRP skin rather than sitting on top as paint, which is why a light scuff does not reveal a different colour underneath.

Woodgrain textures read as painted timber from the pavement, while smooth finishes suit modern frontages. Dual colour is common: a strong colour outside, white or a light grey inside, so the hallway is not darkened.

Very dark colours on a south facing elevation take more heat, so ask what core and reinforcement the door uses before committing to anthracite or black on full sun.

The slab is only one part of a door's security. The cylinder, the multi point lock, the frame reinforcement and the fixings decide the outcome of most forced entry attempts.

Look for a cylinder rated TS007 three star, or a one star cylinder paired with two star security handles. Check the doorset is tested to PAS 24, not merely made from components that are.

On any slab wider than a metre, three hinges rather than two keep the door from dropping over time, which is what causes sticking and mis-aligned locking a few years in.

A solid core is the main reason a composite door feels warmer than an old timber one. Foam filled slabs are lighter and cheaper, but they are also the ones we most often see bowing on hot elevations.

For glazed panels, ask for the glass specification in writing: a warm edge spacer, argon fill and a low emissivity coating make a measurable difference to a cold hallway.

A laminated inner pane in any glazed panel is worth specifying. It holds together if struck, which matters most on a door beside a letterplate or a lock.

Most disappointment with composite doors comes from spec, not from the concept. Get the following written down and two quotes become directly comparable.

Slab thickness and whether the core is solid or foam filled. Cylinder rating and handle rating. Whether the doorset is PAS 24 tested as a complete unit.

Frame reinforcement and the number of hinges. Glass specification, including whether panes are laminated or toughened. Whether removal, disposal, sealing and making good are included in the price.

A well specified composite door holds colour, resists knocks and keeps a hallway noticeably warmer than the timber or early uPVC door it replaces. A poorly specified one looks identical in a photograph and behaves very differently after a few winters, which is why the spec questions above are worth asking of whoever you buy from.

If you want a second opinion on a quote you already have, we are happy to read it through with you, and there is no obligation to buy anything from us.

Most complaints in composite door reviews trace back to installation rather than the door itself: a frame packed out of square, a door that catches after the first winter, or poor sealing. A review that praises the product but names no fitter tells you little about what you will get.

Reviews posted in the first week describe appearance. Reviews posted after a year describe hinges, locks, draughts and colour fade, which is the information you actually need.

Before comparing quotes, ask each company:

Is the doorset PAS 24 tested, and is the cylinder TS007 3-star?

Is the guarantee insurance-backed, and for how long?

Are the fitters your own team or subcontractors?

Is the written quote itemised, including removal and disposal?