UK Home Improvement Blog

Door handles are essential for access in homes and businesses around the world, but it doesn’t follow that they should all be the same.  Designers and artists have been putting their own unique spin on an old classic for years, and below are just some of the interesting and unusual handles designed to make any humble door stand out.

 

#1 The Wonderland Doorknob 

Everyone knows the story of Alice in Wonderland, and among the memorable characters from the Disney version of the story is the Doorknob.  His nose forms the door handle, and his mouth is the keyhole, and his cartoonish appearance is a really different choice for any door, especially for children’s rooms, as it brings a little bit of magic and mystery to what would otherwise be just a simple internal door.

 

#2 Horsing Around

In most cases, the only limit to the type of door handle you go for is your imagination.  So it’s not impossible to have something a little bit special and completely unique.  Take this door handle in the shape of a centaur.  Elegant and unique without being garish, it adds a touch of ancient Greek mythology to any home, and really is a talking point – whether it’s on a cupboard or wardrobe door, or whether it provides access to your living room.

 

#3 How Do You Do?

Door handles are usually ergonomic in design and shape; none more so than a hand-shaped handle!  What could be more satisfying and friendly – if a little disconcerting – than shaking hands with a door as you open it?  This particular design is extremely lifelike, with knuckles and fingernails, and it certainly is a break from the norm!  It can give an otherwise ordinary door a bit of pizzazz, and will certainly be an interesting ice-breaker for friends and house guests!

 

#4 Dusting For Prints

If you’re looking for a door handle that’s sleek, chic but has something special about it, look no further than this design.  Thanks to its more traditional shape, this handle will look great on any door, adding interest while maintaining an attractive and subtle appearance.  Its modern, brushed steel finish is hugely popular, and it will look equally at home in contemporary apartments as well as traditional homes.

 

#5 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Of course, door handles don’t have to be small and subtle – this crab design spans the width of the door, and really makes itself a feature!  More suited to larger doors and those in restaurants and other commercial premises, the crab’s legs provide a range of handle heights, making it a great choice for any child-friendly premises.

While each of the above door handles are unique and unusual, you don’t have to have an outlandish or unusual handle to really make an impression or give an old door a new lease of life.  There are a wide range of modern and traditionally styled handles that can really bring interest to any door, whether it’s internal or external, and regardless of your budget.

Doorfit supply door handles in a variety of different shapes, sizes and materials – including brass and chrome – so you can be sure that there’s always something available to suit your tastes and requirements.  Whether you’re after a new handle for your front door or are looking to replace all of the handles on your interior doors to bring your home bang up to date, the Doorfit team will be happy to discuss your requirements and use their years of experience and expertise to recommend the most suitable handle for your requirements.

Why not get in touch to find out more?

 

Tags: Doors by UK Home Improvement Team
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Cabinet and closet doors can be given a brand new look with flush ring pulls, for a sleek style that is ideal for modern homes. These fittings are subtle and simple, featuring a base with a pull ring that fits snugly into the base until the door needs to be opened. Ideal for kitchen cupboards, closets, desks or any other type of cabinet, you can add these fittings with just the barest of DIY skills and the right tools.

The first step in replacing the handles of any cabinet door is to choose which type of ring pull you wish to add. Round shapes have a softer, gentler look, while rectangular shapes add a bit of visual impact. Always choose fittings that are forged from the highest quality pure metals, such as chrome, iron, stainless steel or nickel. Fulham Brass flush ring pulls can be ordered in the finish of your choice, allowing you to choose the option that best suits the overall look of your cabinet and home.

How to Install Flush Ring Pulls

Once you have selected the flush pull rings you wish to use, you will need to follow these easy steps to get things underway.

• Tools you will need include a drill, screwdriver and nails. Make sure that you have these on hand along with the new pull rings that you plan to add.
• First, you will need to remove the current handles or knobs. Carefully unscrew the fittings, and put them aside.
• As this opener is different from traditional handles, with four screws on the outside rather than one or two that are not shown on the pulls, you may need to add new holes to install the fitting.
• Use the existing holes to determine the position of the fitting, and mark each point with a pencil.
• From there, carefully drill any new holes that are required, paying extra care to avoid drilling right through the cupboard drawer or door.
• Adjust the new fittings over each hole, and then screw in the fitting so that the pulls are secured.
• You can also do a quick test to check that all fittings are in place, by using the ring pull to open and close the drawer or closet door.

You can also give the rest of the cabinet a new look with a fresh coat of paint that complements the finish of the flush ring pull, resulting in a brand new cabinet that oozes style.

Tags: Doors by adtrak_admin
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Roller shutters are ideal for the security conscious who want proven security in place for their home or business. First and foremost, roller shutters are an excellent deterrent to criminals due to their robust and complete construction. Unlike some other forms of permanent security, they can be rolled up to let in light and air during the day, and quickly rolled down at night to provide security. Their metal construction makes  it extremely difficult for anyone to gain access to your property without heavy duty cutting equipment.

Take a look below for additional benefits of roller shutters:

Temperature Regulation

Insulated roller shutters are ideal for keeping the cold out and the warm in, or vice versa during Summer. Their solid construction lets little heat and cold in or out. A high quality shutter can prevent almost 90 percent of a building’s heat escaping and as much as 70 percent of cold from moving in. It is for this reason that many people choose roller shutters to help regulate a comfortable living or working environment, working with your exisiting climate control measures and reducing the need for expensive air conditioning, therefore reducing your energy bills.

Sound Proofing

The same properties that make roller shutters excellent temperature regulators also helps to keep out the distracting noises of the outside. Consistently high levels of background noise are known to lower productivity and increase stress, so for your or your employees benefit an investment in an insulated roller shutter may be a good choice. Insulated shutter doors can reduce external noise by as much as 50 percent. And for domestic installations, roller shutters are perfect for preventing loud noises from bothering neighbours. So for those who like their music at home loud, or regularly play loud intruments, a roller shutter may be the ideal solution to your noise problem.

Blocking Light

For most people, the light kept out by curtains or blinds is plenty enough, but for those situations where a total blackout is required, roller shutters do the job perfectly. Roller shutters cover the entire window area, leaving no gaps at the top or sides. Whatever your reasons for needing total blackout, whether you’re a shift worker, have problems from glare from the sun or just want the added privacy, a roller shutter might be the perfect solution for you.

Roller shutters have other applications aside from those listed here, however these tend to be the most typically overlooked. For more advice on choosing the right roller shutters Nottingham and elsewhere for you, whether domestic or commercial property, contact the specialists at Total Security Systems Ltd.

Tags: Doors, Home Security by UK Home Improvement Team
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If you are planning to purchase an exterior door for your home, there are a few things that you should think about before you run right out and buy. The front door is the very first thing that most people notice on a home. As such, you want to be certain that you provide visitors with a door that makes a lasting first impression. You will need to consider your needs as far as security as well as the design of the door to ensure that it matches your home’s exterior well. Here is a list of 3 important things that you should think about when choosing a new exterior door.

1. Design – Of course you want to think about the design of the new door and how that design will match your home’s exterior. There are a number of styles, materials and finishes to consider. You certainly do not want to put a rustic door on your home if your exterior design is contemporary. Think strongly about your overall design and the colour of your home’s exterior before you purchase. Of course, you could always paint the door if you choose the wrong colour but it makes much more sense to get the right door in the first place and save yourself some time and frustration.
2. Material – You have to think about the specific material that you want for your door. Most exterior doors are available in either wood or metal and the material you choose should match your design as well as your preferences. Wooden doors typically do not require insulating materials to be added and they offer a wide variety of colour finishes. They are however a bit harder to maintain. Metal doors are very durable and offer the perfect design element for homes that are a bit more modern. They can be painted any colour to match your exterior and offer a layer of insulation inside. If you choose metal doors you should pay strict attention to the quality of the metal as well as the thickness of the material.
3. Features – When choosing your new door, consider any features that you want. Do you want windows? Do you prefer one larger window or smaller ones? Do you want decorative windows or would you prefer the door be solid? These are things that you have to think about before you begin shopping. It should also be noted that your budget should be determined. Your choice of a new exterior door may very well depend on what you can afford to spend. Although you certainly do not want to skimp on quality just to save a few dollars, you can find a perfectly safe and secure front door without spending a small fortune. You may just have to forgo the design features and select a basic door to fit your budget.

Choosing a quality exterior door for your home should not be a difficult decision. The door that you select is an excellent investment and depending on the specific type of door you choose, could help you to save money by cutting down on your energy usage. Be certain that you take your time and choose a durable door that gives your home an attractive appeal.

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This article was written by Rockdoor, manufacturers of secure front doors that are designed to fit many preferences as well as many budgets.

Tags: Doors by UK Home Improvement Team
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No one is safe from break-ins and robberies, even those who live in the safest, quietest neighborhood. But fortunatley, there are many ways to protect your home from crime. Among them, reinforcing your doors and windows can be effective. Here’s a few tricks that will help make your doors and windows practically burglar-proof.

Doors

1)      When moving in a new home, change the locks. You never know how many keys to your house were ever made, and, most importantly, you don’t know who might have one.

2)      Make sure the doors are made out of solid material, and not hollow. To be safe, doors should either be made of fiberglass, hardwood or metal. To know if your door is hollow, knock on it.

3)      Get double-cylinder locks. To be unlocked, those locks need a key both from the outside and the inside. Use them on your door especially if there are windows nearby. Otherwise, a burglar could break the window and simply reach out for the lock.

4)      Install a door that opens outwards. It makes it harder to force the entry.

5)      Do not choose doors with windows. They are more susceptible to be forced, since windows can be shattered. 

6)      Install dead bolt locks that are at least one inch long, and of great quality. Often, low quality dead bolt locks will be installed on doors. Make sure yours are at least one inch long, and that their structures are made of heavy-duty metal.

7)      Add an extra lock that can be used only from the inside, but visible from the outside.  Although it really protects you only when you are in the house, such a lock could act as a deterrent for a potential burglar, who will expect complications. Remember that burglars want the job to be quick and easy !

8)      Add extra protection to sliding doors. Place a thick wooden stick at the bottom track of the window to keep it from opening.

9)      Install a porch light above all doors, with a movement detector. It’s harder to commit a crime when you are bathed in bright light.

10)      Lock your doors ! Simple, right ? But, oddly enough, it is frequently neglected. Too often, a burglar will enter a house through an unlocked door and window. Make sure you lock them at all times, even if you are only going out for a few minutes.

Note: If you have a garage, use the same precautions on the door that leads from your garage to your home. Garage doors are easy to break through.

Windows

1)    Use windows that have a locking device. If the windows in your house can’t be locked, consider changing them.

2)      For new windows, choose glass that has been reinforced with laminated film. This material bonds with the glass and makes it almost unbreakable, or, at least, really hard to shatter.

3)      For new windows, choose tempered glass. More expensive, but for a reason: it’s about five times stronger than regular glass.

4)      Install metal bars. If you install metal bars on your window frames, most likely, the burglars won’t even bother trying to break in, as the metal bars make it impossible to enter. But some people feel like such installation is turning their house into a prison. Metal bars should be avoided for bedroom windows: if a fire is declared at night, you might need to exit the house fast, through the closest exist. A.k.a: your bedroom window!

5)      Protect sliding windows. Same as with sliding doors: place a thick wooden stick at the bottom track of the window. This trick can also be used for guillotine windows : the stick must then be placed on the upper side of the frame.

6)      Add extra protection to basement windows. They are the easiest and often weakest points of entry. Therefore, either install a lock on them, or bars, or choose wired glass windows: the wires are visible and will act as a deterrent.

7)      Put up a warning sign. Even if it’s a bit of a lie, the idea is to make the job seem complicated for the burglar. Whether a « Beware of the dog » sign when you have a harmless Corgy, or a sign that says « No sollicitors: day and night sleepers here » when you are away most of the time, or even an alarm company sticker when you don’t have an alarm system: anything is good to cast the bad guys away.

Note: remember that your windows can be used as an escape point in case of an emergency. So make sure that, while they lock burglars out, they don’t lock you in !

Even when applied thouroughly, those tricks can’t garantee that a burglar won’t find his way inside your home. Getting a proper and effective insurance policy is also a good protection against robbery : make sure yours is up-to-date !

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Mireille is a theater, music and travel enthousiast. She’s also a full-time Blogger for Merlin Insurance.

Tags: Doors, Windows, Glass & Glazing by UK Home Improvement Team
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Composite Doors

Composite doors are made from a selection of materials including wooden or steel cores, glass reinforced plastic (GRP), foam as well as uPVC. This is so the end user can enjoy features including:

Pros

• Security – a sturdy door frame and tough materials to form the door make for a rigid entry system. There are multiple locks at various heights of the door making it a more uniform lock, i.e. secure locking. The strong combination of materials means they don’t dent or
• Looks – you can have a range of colours and even a timber grain if you desire it. Plus, it will stay that colour thanks to being largely resistant to weathering. The great thing is, there will be no need to repaint a composite door, which is usually guaranteed to last 10 years.
• Insulation – formed using a combination of materials, composite doors also include a layer of insulation. This means that less energy can escape and heat stays inside, keeping your home warmer.

Cons

• Price! Being a developed product with numerous benefits, it wouldn’t be unusual to have to pay a little more for it. Whilst the benefits and usefulness should pay for themselves over time, do expect a decent outlay at first.

 

uPVC Doors

uPVC are made from plywood, polystyrene and of course plastic.  Some now include a steel core for improved rigidity as well as increased security.

Pros

• Price – prices are good with companies competing for business. The market is established now so expect good deals, particularly when combined with new windows for your home. A uPVC door will generally be cheaper than a composite door.
• Maintenance – uPVC requires minimal maintenance year by year. Whilst a wooden door would require painting, your uPVC is good to go and should last a good 10 years plus (backed by manufacturer’s warranty), with a simple wash down only required every now and again.
• Simple installation – thanks to their lightweight nature, the installation process for a new uPVC door should be straightforward and require minimal fuss. Plus, there is no preparation needed for the door itself, as would be the case with a wooden door.

Cons

• Limited colour choice – white or wood effect are the two options available in the UK making for a more limited choice. Should you be the type to neglect your door for years, there’s a possibility you could experience discolouration, where that bright white becomes a grubby yellow.
• Recycling – a uPVC door is a large slab of plastic. Once you are done with it, it will need to be disposed of properly as it will not degrade away as wood or other natural products would. Arguments over whether this is a simple job remain due to the fact it is difficult to disassemble a uPVC door to claim the separate parts.

Tags: Doors by UK Home Improvement Team
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