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The threshold to your door is often a part of the entrance that is paid little attention to. Yet without it, your door would quite simply fail to operate, keep your home secure and protect against the weather.

A door threshold helps stop rain water and wind from sneaking in at the bottom of your door. It has a rebate which sits over the top of the door itself which creates a seal keeping the outside exactly where it should be, outside!

Depending on the door style, a threshold also provides a place for the door’s locking mechanism to lock into, keeping the door strong and robust at the bottom end. This is an important feature to keep burglars from trying to prise the door open.

So the threshold is an important physical part of the door, but a threshold can come in different materials too, which have their own advantages also.

uPVC Door Thresholds

Thresholds for entrance doors generally come in two main materials: PVC and aluminium. Both have been used for years by the industry and each come with their own benefits and advantages. So lets start with PVC…

With the rising popularity of coloured doors, a PVC threshold allows for a full coloured outer frames to keep that colour continuous. Imagine a black door for example, with a black outer frame.

By having a PVC threshold which is made as part of the door overall, it allows that black colour to fully surround the door, rather than it being cut off at the bottom by using a different material. For those that are detail conscious, especially when it comes to colour, this is going to be an important detail.

A PVC threshold also provides a good solid rebate in which to keep the weather at bay. Because of it’s deep profile, this extra depth provides a deeper rebate than some other types of thresholds can provide.

The low threshold option on our external upvc doors is a major benefit to those that gain entry to there home using a wheelchair, buggy, pram, pushchair or mobility scooter. The up stand on the standard pvc thresh is obtrusive and forms a barrier to which access is restricted or hampered.

What to consider when choosing a threshold?

U Value & Thermal Efficiency – whilst all thresholds provide excellent thermal efficiency inline with building regulations, the lower u-values can be found with the full PVC threshold. Functionality – You may require the convenience of a Low Aluminium Threshold if you need disabled access, or if you need to take a pram in and out for example. It also prevents you tripping over the door threshold when entering the front door or back door.

Flooring height – different thresholds are suitable for different applications. Very often flooring heights will dictate what type of threshold is right for your property which your installer may highlight. Flooring style – again different thresholds suit different floor styles, so please talk this through with your Rockdoor installer.