Last Updated on 6 September 2024 by Josh Lucas
External stable doors, often split horizontally, allow the top half to open whilst the bottom half remains closed, providing ventilation and light while maintaining security and containment.
When it comes to selecting the right door for your home, it’s not just about choosing a door that offers your home great security, but also one that enhances your home’s aesthetics too.
Over the past few years, the stable door, or Dutch door, has gained popularity in both modern and traditional UK homes due to both its charming looks and practical benefits.
In this guide, we’ll delve into the advantages, variations, materials and maintenance of stable doors to help you with your decision-making process.
Looking for answers ina hurry? Jump to:
- Stable Doors: What are they?
- What are the Benefits of a Stable Door?
- Different Types of Stable Doors
- Materials Used in Stable Doors
- Selecting the Right Stable Door for Your Home
- Invest in a Great Quality Stable Door with GFD Homes
- FAQs
Understanding Stable Doors: What are they?
The top half of a stable door functions like a window, so you can open it to let air and natural light into your home.
A stable door, more commonly known as a Dutch door, is divided horizontally into two parts, allowing independent opening and closing of the top and bottom sections.
This unique design offers flexibility, enabling ventilation through the top while maintaining privacy and security by keeping the bottom closed.
Due to having this unique design, stable doors are often seen as a great alternative to sliding patio doors.
What are the Benefits of Choosing a Stable Door?
Versatility stands as one of the primary advantages of a stable door. Its dual operation allows homeowners to manage airflow (by opening the top half of the door to let airflow inside the home on a summer’s day for example) and security selectively. This feature is particularly beneficial for households with children or pets.
Additionally, stable doors can contribute to a home’s visual appeal and character as they are available in a range of various colours, materials and designs. This allows the doors to offer versatility across different architectural styles.
(If you’re looking for information on popular door colours, you may want to read our ‘What’s the Most Popular Composite Door Colour?’ article.)
Exploring the Different Types of Stable Doors
Stable doors offer a home great energy efficiency, helping you to keep your home warm in winter & cool in the summer.
Currently, there are several types of stable doors available in the market, which are:
1. Solid Stable Doors
Unadorned with glass panels, these doors provide excellent insulation and a traditional aesthetic, ideal for colder climates.
2. Glazed Stable Doors
Featuring glass panels in either the top or bottom sections, these doors allow natural light to enter and brighten up your home, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
3. Half Glazed Stable Doors
A fusion of solid and glazed doors, offering the perfect balance between privacy and natural light.
Here’s a Solidor Flint 1 Composite Stable Door in Anthracite Grey, helping to enhance the beauty of this entrance.
Materials Used in Stable Doors
Stable doors are usually made from any of the following materials:
Wood
Offers a classic, rustic appearance but requires more maintenance and is prone to warping and rotting.
uPVC
uPVC stable doors offer extremely low maintenance and are budget-friendly. However, they’re also less durable compared to composite doors.
Composite
Composite doors involve a range of materials like a strong timber core and outer layer for durability and weather resistance.
At GFD Homes, our popular Solidor Stable Door collection perfectly merges traditional style with modern durability.
Selecting the Right Stable Door for your Home
We also offer nationwide fitting for a large range of our products, including all of our stable door options too.
To ensure that you choose the right stable door for your home, we recommend considering the following factors:
Style
Match the door’s style with your home’s aesthetics.
Material
Select the material based on your region’s weather conditions and durability needs.
Security
Look for robust locking systems to ensure safety. (All of our Solidor Stable Doors come with a 3-star Ultion cylinder as standard- this is one the most secure locks on the market!)
Stable Door Installation and Maintenance
Professional installation is often recommended for stable doors due to their unique setup.
Regular maintenance involves occasional cleaning with mild detergent and water, plus checks on the hinges and locks to ensure optimum functionality and performance.
Invest in a Great Quality Stable Door with GFD Homes today
If you’re dreaming of an entrance that combines versatility, security and aesthetics, a stable door will let you achieve exactly that.
At GFD Homes, we’re proud to have a fantastic range of Solidor Stable Doors on our website, all coming with an incredible 10 year guarantee so you don’t need to worry about buying a replacement in a few years.
If our Solidor Stable Door range isn’t for you, that’s fine! Although not available on our website, we also offer Comp Door stable doors too which might be a better fit for your home, simply click here to contact our team about this.
For more information on our composite door range, visit our blog or if you have any questions, call us on 01642 309576, we’re happy to help!
FAQs about External Stable Doors
Are external stable doors secure?
External stable doors offer security with multi-point locking systems and sturdy hinges.
Although all our stable door options have been designed to ensure maximum protection for your home, you can also opt for extra security features too.
Feel free to contact us if you need more info on stable door security.
Can I install a stable door myself?
Although you could probably install a stable door yourself, we recommend professional installation due to the unique installation process.
At GFD Homes, we’re pleased to announce that we now offer nationwide fitting on a large range of our products, including our stable door options.
How often do external stable doors need maintenance?
Composite stable doors require minimal maintenance with the occasional clean using mild detergent and water.
Checking the hinges and locks for any issues now and again will help you to ensure that your door is working as it should be.
Are external stable doors suitable for all home styles?
Yes, they come in various designs and materials, making them versatile enough to complement different architectural styles, including both modern and traditional.
How much do external stable doors cost?
The cost of stable doors can vary depending on factors such as the door material, size, design and whether any additional features have been chosen too.
Generally, prices for good quality stable doors in the UK can range from about £600 to £1,450.
While opting for lower prices may seem attractive at first, it often correlates with lower quality. Hence, we strongly advise considering options starting from at least the mid-range pricing bracket and above to ensure better quality and durability in your choice.
If you enjoyed this article, here are some others we think might be useful..
- Do composite doors warp?
- What are the best composite front doors UK (2024)?
- Can you put a cat flap in a composite door?
- Exploring the diversity of our composite door range.
