The first impression: Apartment Entrance Doors play the role of connection, invitation, protection, and boundary. They are designed to prevent uninvited guests, noise, and airflow while fitting perfectly into the space concept of the apartment. Therefore, the apartment entrance door must be convincing both visually and functionally.
Discover apartment entrance doors here!
Top priority: protective function
- Sound insulation
- Protection against warp
- Burglar resistance
- Fire and smoke resistance
Requirements for an apartment entrance door
Sound insulation for apartment entrance doors
Noise causes stress and is considered pollution. Therefore, a minimum level of soundproofing is required by law for apartment entrance doors. The “requirements for the structural soundproofing of door elements” are defined by DIN 4109. This includes the door leaf, frame, and seal, which are fully certified. The sound insulation classes are determined in the laboratory and given a sound insulation test value (RW, P).
Sound Insulation Classes
Sound insulation class I has an index of 32 dB Rw, P and is especially suitable for doors leading from stairs to corridors. A 37 dB Rw P-value is maintained for sound insulation class II. Sound insulation class III with a test value of 42 dB Rw, P is recommended for doors leading directly from the stairs to the living room.
Since sound waves penetrate even the smallest openings, a floor seal is essential for a good apartment entrance door. The floor seal is included as standard with most apartment entrance doors.
Apartment entrance doors must at least correspond to sound insulation class I and almost always have a floor seal.
Apartment entrance doors directly leading to the living room from the corridor should be equipped with sound insulation class III.
Climatic stability for apartment entrance doors
With different temperatures and humidity between the corridor and the apartment, rapid warping of the apartment entrance door may occur. Climate classes, therefore, indicate the temperature range for which particular doors are suitable.
The climate class thus describes the durability ( warp resistance ) of the door. This is important when a cold, damp corridor is separated from the warm, dry apartment.
With an apartment entrance door in climate class II or III, you can not only actively counteract the warping of door elements but also save energy.
Burglary protection for apartment entrance doors
An apartment entrance door should have sufficient burglary resistance to protect your apartment from theft and keep uninvited guests away.
Burglary resistance is defined by the Resistance Class (RC) – also known as Resistance Class (WK).
The classes are standardized according to DIN EN 1627 and are externally monitored, checked, and certified through a standardized test. The door is subjected to a test break-in attempt. The entire door element is constantly tested, including the door leaf, frame, lock, fittings, and hinges. Depending on how long and with which tool the door withstands the attempted break-in, it is assigned a resistance class.
For apartment entrance doors, it is recommended to use at least RC 2.
Fire and smoke resistance for apartment entrance doors
In apartment buildings, protection in the event of a fire is primarily ensured by an apartment entrance door. To prevent the passage of fire, fire doors are self-closing. The combination with a smoke resistance function (RS) is essential in apartment buildings. Fire protection doors must also be installed with smoke-resistance properties in long corridors, stairwells, and escape routes.
Types of apartment entrance doors
White apartment entrance doors
White stands for purity, elegance, and timelessness. Thanks to their pure appearance, white apartment entrance doors are suitable for almost any style.
The smooth, white apartment entrance doors are classic, as they look particularly simple. However, white does not have to be discreet. For example, milled grooves turn white apartment entrance doors into modern design elements, and elegant cassettes create a romantic country house style.
The product advantages of white apartment entrance doors are therefore obvious:
- An eternal appearance
- Diverse design options
- Can be combined with all styles
Solid wood veneered apartment entrance doors
Solid wood veneered apartment entrance doors are among the most popular apartment entrance doors. Their unique structure, grain, and natural coloring create an inviting atmosphere.
Solid wood veneered surfaces score above all with the economical use of valuable solid wood types. During production, a thin layer of solid wood is coated on the top layer, creating excellent cost performance.
Solid wood veneered apartment entrance doors offer a wide range of design options because there are many veneered wood to choose from. Oak and beech are particularly popular, as are cherry and walnut. Veneers can also be applied vertically in the traditional way or horizontally for a remarkably modern look.
- Great value for money
- Various types of wood and designs
- Economical use of solid wood
CPL apartment entrance doors
CPL apartment entrance doors are exceptionally durable and prove themselves repeatedly in everyday life. Their manufacturing process makes the apartment entrance doors impact and scratch-resistant, stain, and light-resistant and therefore very easy to care for.
CPL stands for Continuous Pressure Laminate, an artificial surface made of multiple resin layers and printed paper. During their production, melamine resins are pressed and hardened with printed decor paper in a unique process.
Since the color-determining print determines the design of a CPL apartment entrance door, almost any look can be imitated. Almost anything is possible, from plain white surfaces to striking uni colors to elaborate wood grains.
The advantage of this is that the paint will not darken.
- Solid surface
- Suitable for families
- Countless designs
HPL apartment entrance doors
HPL apartment entrance doors are indestructible even under heavy use and are therefore mainly used in buildings where doors are used intensively, e.g., in schools, kindergartens, and hospitals.
HPL (High-Pressure Laminate ) is created by the high-pressure pressing of several layers of paper with hardening synthetic resin. Like CPL, HPL is an artificial surface that can be covered with printed decorative paper, and thus almost any design can be artificially created. However, due to its discontinuous production, an HPL surface has a significantly higher resistance, so HPL doors are resistant to common household chemicals.
- Extremely resistant surface
- Suitable for high loads
- Large selection of designs
How wide do apartment entrance doors have to be?
It is advisable to plan the apartment entrance door with a width of 860 mm in the standard size. This enables comfortable access to the apartment even with large bags and ensures that furniture can be easily carried through it when moving.
Standard door leaf width of an apartment entrance door:
- 610mm
- 735mm
- 860mm
- 985mm
Install apartment entrance doors
For skilled customers with experience in door installation, installing an apartment entrance door is undoubtedly a straightforward exercise.
However, if you have no experience installing doors, the installation of an apartment entrance door should be done by a craftsman. Improper installation and handling can otherwise result in damage to the door leaf and frame, and the protective functions of the door can no longer be guaranteed.
For example, have the new entrance door installed by a carpenter or craftsman with experience.
Conclusion on the purchase of apartment entrance doors
There is a large selection of wood types, materials, and model variants for apartment entrance doors as with interior doors. The optimal apartment entrance door protects against burglary, noise, and warping.
- Optimal functionality
- A wide variety of models
- High quality
Several factors play a role when buying an apartment entrance door. Almost all individual needs can be met with a large selection of door models.
Apartment entrance doors should primarily offer protection. Therefore, they should be convincing regarding burglary protection (resistance class), soundproofing, fire and smoke resistance, and climate stability.
