Category: Uncategorized

If you’ve just moved to a new house, you’ll be getting used to your new surroundings and that includes the fixtures and fittings which come with it. Most homes will have a variety of different style doors and it can be challenging to know what type is installed.

To help guide you, we’ve been looking at the more popular ones in Australian homes.

Panel Doors

Probably the most common door in Australia, the frame of each door is constructed out of wood and the shutter panels made of wood or plywood. Chances are you probably have one of these in your home as they are affordable, elegant and hardwearing.

The beauty of panel doors is that they can come with single, double or triple panels and can be plain or ornamental. Extremely durable, they can be used internally and externally and can be either painted or polished. Panel doors have the added luxury of providing good noise insulation and their benefits mean you can usually find one on most homes. You can mix the wood with glass so it becomes a panelled and glazed door.

Glass Door

A glass door enhances the flow of light and gives the impression of a greater sense of space. Internal glass doors usually incorporate a single or multiple glass panel in a wooden door frame.

While they are most used as doors leading onto patios, gardens and verandahs, they can also be used internally to maximise light and to create a bright, airy feel to any home.

Bifold Doors

Bifold doors, are exactly as they sound, a set of doors hinged together which fold neatly back onto each other in a concertina effect. When opened, you can achieve interrupted views of an outside area. Glazed bifold doors are a great feature leading out onto a garden.

As well as being used on external areas, they can also be used internally when they’re more likely to be made of wood and are a popular choice for wardrobes and an ensuite. The doors are installed on a track which hangs from the top or the head of the opening.

French Doors

French doors are traditionally hinged double doors which usually open outwards. When both sides are opened, they provide an unblocked view. Many people like them at the back of the house so they can open-up onto an al fresco area.

For smaller openings, they are more desirable than sliding or French doors and can be installed with sidelights or additional windows as an added feature.

Sliding Doors

The beauty of sliding doors is that they do not protrude from the wall when you open them so you can really open-up an area of space.

Like bifold doors, they run on a track and the doors will either slide to the left or right, with each pane sitting behind each other. Sliding doors are efficient insulators, so your home will stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

If you’re thinking of replacing your doors and need expert advice, come and visit a Door Stop showroom in either Joondalup or Osborne Park. With 35 years of industry experience, we can advise you on all your door requirements and install custom doors unique to your needs.

If you’re adapting a home for a relative who has a disability, you’ll want to ensure the doors are wheelchair friendly.

New build homes are being developed with accessibility in mind, but older properties are less inclusive. Accessible doors are ones which are easy for wheelchair users to navigate so they can pass freely through them.

One in five people in Australia have a disability, that’s around four million people, with 84% having a disability which limits their mobility. As our elderly population increases along with the number of people with disabilities, how’s best to open doors to wheelchair users?

Accommodating A Wheelchair

A standard wheelchair is 635mm wide, which means a doorway needs to be at least 900mm to have the clearance required for a wheelchair to fit through. An electric wheelchair may take up even more space.

Many doorknobs and handles are not accessible because of the way you need to hold and twist them, and they may well be out of reach for someone in a wheelchair. The strength required to push and pull a door can be difficult for a person with a weakened grip capacity.

People in a wheelchair want to be able to easily reach door controls or hardware, so they should be installed between 900mm and 1100mm above the floor.

Functionality Of Doors

Traditional hinged swing doors can be awkward for wheelchair users to navigate because of the way they open and close and the way a wheelchair must be manoeuvred.

For doors into small rooms such as a bathroom, the swing of the door would be better outwards rather than inwards to free up internal bathroom space as a wheelchair takes up more space. It’s easy to change the swing on the door, just reverse the hinges to the other side.

The width of a wheelchair means a double door which has an automated opening mechanism would be a good choice. A sensor system could be fitted to allow them to automatically open and close. Smart technology could allow you to open a door through an app on your mobile phone.

Sliding Doors

A sliding door with a flat or very low threshold, is probably the preferred choice for a wheelchair. A low threshold no higher than 20mm from the floor works best so the wheelchair can navigate smoothly across. A flat threshold reduces the risk of any trip hazards.

Unlike swing doors, sliding doors open wide, and encroach less into a room and can also have a push button operation or sensor to open them.

If you need further advice, come and talk to the team at Door Stop. Our doors are on display at two showrooms in Perth. We can help you find a door solution for your accessibility requirements and guide you through suitable options. All our doors come with a seven-year warranty for peace of mind, plus we offer interest free finance. For quality doors at affordable prices, give us a call today.

So, when the sun’s gone away and the nights have drawn in, is your room going to be cosy and snug or cold and draughty? Are your big doors going to mean big heating bills – or a big chill?

Feel The Heat

Replacing a solid wall with glass doors can affect a room’s heat retention – something that’s true of all doors. Luckily, your choice of style is not as important as the quality of the frame and glass when it comes to avoiding draughts. If you have a fancy for French style, or are reckoning on a ranchslider, their relative winter performance needn’t be a deciding factor.

Swings Or Roundabouts?

Traditionally, French doors have had a reputation as draughty and hard to maintain. While it is true that wear and tear on the hinges may require some maintenance, modern techniques have refined both the finish and the function.

Similarly, sliding doors are known to feel cold to the touch, a sign of heat loss through the glass. Fortunately, modern sealed and gas-filled glazed units are surprisingly energy-efficient. Double glazing or thicker panes will keep out the cold much more effectively than standard glass, and a variety of coatings are also available which make the glass more resilient against the cold.

Shivering Or Scorching?

The added value of winter-proofing your patio doors is that you will also feel the benefit during the real summer scorchers by keeping out the heat. Air-conditioning units work best with the doors and windows closed and with no heat transference from outside, you can be guaranteed to keep your cool.

Perfect Fit

Whatever style of doors you choose, good fitting is essential. A professional fitter will ensure that your doors will close perfectly without leaving any gaps. The correct fit will not only shut out draughts, but deaden sound from outside, helping to create a ‘haven’ for your winter hibernation.

If you need further advice, talk to the team at Door Stop. Our doors come with a seven-year warranty for peace of mind and we offer interest free finance. We can help you find a door solution which will work best for the age, style and orientation of your property, so you can look forward to many warm winters ahead.

With a climate like ours, it’s no wonder that Western Australians are big fans of the indoor/outdoor flow and our best homes are designed to open-up to the garden with ease.

Crucial to achieving the seamless transition between house and patio is the retractable door – open it and your living space extends right into your yard, and the fresh air circulates right in.

Close your doors and you can retreat into a secure room, conserving heat and keeping out any chills, while still allowing plenty of light in. There are many ways to achieve the perfect retractable doors – popular options are sliding doors and French doors. While there are a few notable differences between French doors and sliding doors, they do share many similarities, but which is best?

French Doors

French doors are a style that was developed over hundreds of years in Europe, when an increase in the availability and affordability of glass meant that windows could be enlarged, filling rooms with light and air.

These glass-based doors became known as the French style. Panes of glass are set in a wooden door frame, which opens outwards on hinges. French doors create a large opening for maximizing your ventilation and space when open and creating that seamless flow between outside and inside.

French doors are a design focus and point of interest within a room, adding classic glamour and vintage European style your living space. Frames are a prominent feature of French doors and can come in a range of woods, natural, varnished or painted, or aluminium in a variety of colours.

Traditionally, French doors have had a reputation as draughty and hard to maintain. While it is true that wear and tear on the hinges may require some maintenance, modern techniques have refined both the finish and the versatility of the product so modern French doors are now highly robust.

Sliding Doors

Sliding doors usually consist of a fixed glass door and a moveable one that slides behind it, creating an opening of half the width. They are the classic Aussie solution, simple to use and requiring no clearance to operate.

Sliding doors can incorporate far greater quantities of glass and can open out over a much larger space so they’re suitable for bigger rooms. With one door tucking behind the other, there is no need for clearance on either side of the glass. This makes them ideal for openings onto balconies or small patios where space is at a premium.

The large glass panels in sliding doors allow unobstructed views of the outside, and maximise light entering the room, allowing the view to be the focus rather than the door itself.

Do What Feels Right

So, when it comes down to it, it’s really a matter of taste.

Whatever your choice, Door Stop has a solution. We offer an installation service making it easy to get your new doors from our showroom, into your home. Visit our Joondalup or Osborne Park showroom today to find out more.

An exterior door says more about you then you probably realise. Your front door is the gateway to your house and while its appearance is of utmost importance, selecting one which is energy efficient and can reduce your bills should be a priority.

Look at exterior doors in your neighbourhood and you’ll come across many impressive wooden doors. While they look like solid wood the likelihood is many will be engineered.

Why Is An Engineered Door Best?

Our exterior doors are engineered doors which are constructed using large precision machines with the wood coming from sustainable forests so the trees will be replaced for future generations.

Individual pieces of hardwood timber are laminated together in different directions with veneer applied to the surface giving them extra strength. Lipping to the edges matches the colour of the door providing a neat, clean finish with no unsightly knots. This lipping locks out moisture to make it extra tough and a far superior product.

If you buy an engineered door, you’re buying a product which is better adapted to changing weather conditions.

The way its constructed means it’s perfect for the harsh Australian climate as it won’t warp. You needn’t worry about its appearance; it still looks like a natural wood door but is far more robust.

You can still have a solid hardwood frame to match your exterior engineered door so anyone visiting your home will be greeted by a beautiful, natural looking door.

Why Is It Energy Efficient?

An engineered door not only looks elegant, but it’s specially built to be hardwearing with better thermal insulation. In contrast, solid wood doors are prone to expansion and shrinkage due to changes in temperature or moisture. In these doors the timber runs in one direction which means it can easily split.

Greater insulation properties mean you’ll also have a quieter house, so you don’t need to worry about the next-door neighbours late night party. The biggest plus is longevity, wood-engineered doors will last for decades and need very minimal maintenance.

Install it correctly with a good frame and you can say goodbye to high energy bills. Our doors all reach mandatory fire ratings and with a quality lock you can have peace of mind about security.

At Door Stop we have a variety of superior engineered exterior doors which can be bought off-the-shelf. We offer an affordable installation service and can fit your door at a time which suits you.

We’re confident our doors will meet your expectations and we offer a seven-year warranty for reassurance. We’re one of the largest suppliers and stockists of doors in WA and use only premium graded veneers and solid wood components. With two showrooms in Osborne Park and Joondalup and with 35 year’s industry experience, we’re the company of choice for doors in Perth.

There’s an obvious purpose to a front door, but aside from letting you in and out, it needs to be robust, secure and add curb appeal to your home

A front door is the gateway to a home and as such it should contribute to its aesthetic appeal. Get the wrong style and you’ll be reminded of your mistake every time you cross the door’s threshold.

Will It Suit Your House?

When considering what’s best for you, look at the design of your home and consider whether a front door with glass within it will complement the building. You don’t have to select a door that is completely glazed, you could opt for smaller glass panels instead within a wooden framework.

What should you consider with a glass door?

Living in Perth, which has the more sunshine hours than any other city, you’ll need a door which has a good thermal ability. In the summer you want to keep the heat out, while in the winter keep the warmth in.

If you live in a rural area you can buy doors with 6mm tempered safety glass, so it meets standard requirements of a building in a designated bush fire zone. It’s a very strong glazing option created with safety in mind.

A door also exists to protect you and your family, so consider the level of toughness with a glazed door and the force required to break the glass.

What Are The Pros?

Glass is transparent so even with smaller panels you’ll be letting in natural sunlight which could save on your energy bills and increase light flow.

With glazed elements in your door you’ll be able to see a guest and identify them before opening and greeting a visitor. Likewise, if it’s a salesman you’ll know whether you want to open the door to speak to them.

What Are The Cons?

Too much glass could result in a lack of privacy. It’s a two-way street – while you can see out, others can see in, it may bother you that your neighbours can see into your personal space.

Of course, there’s the option to have your door with frosted glass so that it can still let in light while you can retain your own privacy. If you want the best of both worlds you can have clear glass and install blinds, which is a great compromise.

Whether you just want to see out over your front garden, or enjoy the sunlight flooding into your front hall, glass panes in your front door can really enhance your home.

If you need guidance choosing a front door, speak to the team at Door Stop. Our five-star reviews illustrate customer satisfaction and all our doors come with a seven-year warranty. We have two showrooms in Osborne Park and Joondalup and offer 0% interest, so why not come and see us today?

Stacker doors can be truly eye-catching as well as serving a very functional purpose creating light open spaces and allowing you to make the most of any views. They look like sliding doors but contain more panels, with sections stacking to either one side or both sides. They get their name, because each door collects and rests, so it is effectively being ‘stacked’.

The way they function and stack away means they won’t inhibit or encroach your living space.

However, open-up your home and it also means you’re opening it up to pests such as mozzies and flies. What’s the point of having such lovely doors if you’re unable to keep these pesky insects out?

Functional And Stylish Fly Screens

The good news is that you can have stacker doors and fly screens, so you won’t have any unwanted guests in your house over the summer months.

Sturdy retractable insect screens can be paired with new or existing doors. They are pulled across in a horizontal manner along a track. The mesh screens retract into the system’s frame when not in use, so it’s safe and secure and hidden from view when it’s not needed.

A screen can be drawn across any opening with ease and operated with just one hand and the retractable mechanism means there are no ugly pleats.

Once open you can be assured it will remain in position without suddenly moving or snapping shut and the fly screens are produced to standards which mean they won’t sag.

Fly Screen Benefits

Once you’ve installed your fly screen, you can open your doors any time of the year, giving your house all-year-round ventilation. They’re ideal to manoeuvre if you’re going in and out of your house into the garden with food for a barbeque or want to take a dip in the pool.

A fly screen also offers security, your chances of being targeted by a burglar are reduced because they’re virtually impossible to break through.

They can be sized and fitted to suit your requirements and need minimal maintenance; you just need to clean the screen and the tracks now and again. An added benefit is they come with a guarantee and are hardwearing with many lasting a decade or more.

As for noise, you won’t create any disturbance when you draw the fly screen across as they’re very quiet to operate. The mesh also acts as a barrier against the sun reducing any glare.

If you want to know more about fly screens for your doors, speak to the experts at Door Stop. We have a showroom in Osborne Park and Joondalup. All our products are backed by warranties so you can buy with confidence. We offer 0% interest and have more than 35 years’ experience, so we are the top door experts in Perth.

We’re all trying to bring down our household energy bills, and there’s one easy way to cut costs and that’s by installing double-glazed doors. Double-glazed doors have been around for a long time, but as electricity and gas prices continue to rise, they’re becoming a more popular choice for homeowners.

A double-glazed window is exactly as it sounds, having two panes instead of one and these are around 16mm apart. In between the glass panes is a layer of argon gas, making them airtight so they insulate your home much better. We’ve been exploring why they’re the preferred choice for many.

Regulates Temperature Inside Your House

Double-glazed doors keep the draughts out and the warmth in. The thicker glass prevents heat energy from passing through in the summer, while blocking cooler air in the winter.

They work so efficiently at regulating temperatures internally, it means you won’t freeze when it’s cold outside or swelter when it’s sunny. Heat loss can be reduced by as much as half and even more if you install some good insulated curtains.

Better Security

Because double-glazed doors feature two panels, it means they’re extremely tough and harder to break making them a real deterrent for burglars. They offer a high level of durability and so can withstand a lot of force with advanced locking systems to keep you safe and secure.

Minimises Noise

Double-glazed doors are a great barrier against noise, which means if you live next to a park or school you won’t hear dogs barking or children playing during school break-time. The reason they’re so effective at keeping out noise is because of the two panes of glass.

A good set of double-glazed doors will keep out as much as 90% of external noise. Less noise means a quieter, more peaceful home which creates a better ambience.

Open-Up Space

One of the best features of double-glazed doors is that they can open-up a house and offer a sense of space. It’s lovely to look out of double-glazed doors and see the greenery and beauty of the outdoors. Double-glazed doors let in acopious amount of light making your rooms feel bright and airy.

Reduce Moisture And Look Appealing

Double-glazed windows can modernise your property transforming it from outdated to updated. They will also reduce the build-up of condensation and greatly limit the amount of excess moisture on the inside of your windows. Too much condensation can result in mould developing which can be both unhealthy and unsightly.

If you’ve been considering double-glazed doors, come and take a look at what we offer here at Door Stop. Double glazed doors offer all-round advantages and are guaranteed to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. All our doors come with a seven-year warranty and are both affordable and of a superior quality.

Chances are that you’ve never taken the time to study which way the doors in your house swing – either to the right or left.

When you come to replace the doors in your home, if you order one with the hinges on the wrong side, it can be hugely frustrating, but there’s a simple guide to determine what would be best for your room.

Making The Decision

Sometimes it doesn’t really matter the type of swing you opt for, but in other cases, if you go for a swing the wrong way it may restrict its use.

For example, if there’s a wall to one side of the door or a wardrobe, then that’s the best place to install your hinges, so the door opens against the wall, leaving plenty of space and clearance.

You wouldn’t want the door to knock into a wall and damage walls or any paintwork. It really is best for you to decide whether you want the door to open to the left or right, bearing in mind if there are any obstructions and which feels most natural to you. There is no right or wrong way.

If there are no obstructions in the room, you may want to reach for the leaver in whatever way feels most comfortable.

People who are right-handed often prefer the lever on the right-hand side, but of course not everyone is right-handed and not all rooms are best laid out to accommodate this configuration.

How Do I Know If It Is A Left Or Right-Hand Swing?

It is common to get confused over the way your door swings, but one of the best ways to remember is to always look at the hinges rather than the handle itself.

Looking towards the door if the hinges on the left. Then you have a left-handed door and if it is on the right, then you have a right-handed one and this will determine the lock you require.

Remember it has nothing to do with where the handle is on the door, but where the hinges are positioned.

Changing Your Mind

It’s ideal to know from the beginning your best swing direction, but if you want to install a wardrobe, desk or bed in a room then you may want to change swing direction.

This is possible by modifying the position of the hinges and strike plate on the door jamb. You will then obviously need to replace the hardware on the door.

Many people who are DIY enthusiasts will attempt this themselves, but if you are not very competent

at carpentry skills, it may be a wiser decision to ask an expert to do it or order a new door which swings the right way.

A handling and swing direction of a door is important as both factors can affect space and how best to use it.

If you need further advice talk to the experts at Door Stop. We have a no quibble 7-year warranty on all our doors and offer 0% interest.

We have two showrooms in Perth, one in Osborne Park and Joondalup and have 35 years’ experience, so come and talk to us today about your requirements.

Inwards or outwards? We take our doors for granted but when it comes to replacing them, we are forced to consider all sorts of questions and answers that can make us even more confused.

Take front doors. Traditionally, Australian doors follow the British model, and open inwards. But why is this?

Hinges On The Inside

The top answer is security. The simplest door designs have exposed hinges, a security weak point. By positioning these hinges on the inside of a front door, it makes it harder for burglars to gain entry. It’s also easier to open inward-facing doors just a crack to check who is outside.

Another argument for having front doors opening inward is that in extreme weather events a build-up of snow outside could trap residents inside their house. But this view is countered by the fact that in Scandinavia, where winter snows are an annual certainty, most exterior doors open outwards. Danes, Norwegians and Swedes assert that outward-opening doors are better sealed against wind and rain as they are less likely to blow open.

Hurricane Proof?

For the same reason, outward-facing doors are becoming the norm in hurricane-prone areas of the USA. Since the 1990s, all new homes in parts of Florida have to have outward-facing doors, which although it makes sense in defence against strong winds, can have some awkward side effects. Outward doors may lead to exits being blocked by dumped parcel deliveries, or visitors standing outside being hit by the opening heavy door.

Outward-facing exterior doors also can’t be fitted with screens, unless they’re on the inside. This is a necessity for many Australians who appreciate the improved airflow while keeping bugs at bay.

Private Versus Public

Add to the confusion the different standards for public buildings, where you’ll find most doors open outwards, which is a safety measure in case a busy building needs to be evacuated quickly. Crowd pressure on an inward-facing door can prevent it opening at all, so a simple push-out door is the easiest emergency exit.

Which Is Best?

So, with good points on both sides, the debate on inside or outside-opening front doors doesn’t look like being resolved any time soon. However, style and technology has moved on and today these are not your only options.

At Door Stop, we stock a full range of exterior and interior doors, which includes pivot doors (which open part-in, part out), sliding and bi-fold doors, so you can choose the style and fitting to suit your home.

The Inside Story

What about indoors? Traditionally, internal doors open into a room. One of the reasons given for this is modesty, as it is easier to cover up before someone comes around an opening door.

Another argument for inward-facing interior doors is safety. If your bedroom door opens onto a passageway with high traffic, you may knock someone over as they walk past. Inward-facing room doors have a disadvantage of requiring space inside the room to allow for the inward swing.

Save Space Without Compromising Safety

If space is an issue, Door Stop has the expertise and products to minimise door intrusion and maximise your room’s useable area, whatever way you swing. We have two showrooms in Perth, so talk to us about how a sliding door, French doors or a custom solution can make your home uniquely stylish and practical.