How long do composite doors last?

Slab (the door itself): 30+ years. The GRP outer skin doesn't fade noticeably, doesn't rot and doesn't warp.

Hinges: 10–15 years before they need adjustment or replacement. Heavy doors drop slightly over time.

Seals: 10–15 years. Rubber gaskets harden and need replacing to keep the weather seal tight.

Cylinder: replace every 8–10 years as a security measure, regardless of whether it still works.

Hardware (handles, letterbox): 15–20 years.

A correctly squared frame. 80% of premature door failures we see in Leicester are because the frame wasn't packed and shimmed level — the door drops, the multi-point lock binds, and the hinges fail early.

Annual lubrication of the hinges and lock. 5 minutes a year, doubles hinge life.

Cleaning the gaskets with a damp cloth twice a year. Prevents the rubber from hardening prematurely.

Not slamming the door. Multi-point locks aren't designed for impact closing.

The cylinder. Even good cylinders develop slight wear after 8–10 years. Replacing is a 10-minute job.

The seals. A whistling or draughty door is almost always a seal issue, not a slab issue.

The hinge adjustment. Re-aligning the hinges restores the door to factory-perfect alignment.