The top 3 door mistakes to avoid when planning a new build

When it comes to choosing the right door systems, details matter. For builders and specifiers, it’s important to consider how those choices will stand up to wear and tear over time and ensure you avoid any future headaches from your projects. The wrong door decisions can lead to costly repairs and damage to your brand reputation.

Here are the top three mistakes we see builders make when choosing their doors and door systems.

One of the most common mistakes we see when people install external doors is a lack of overhead protection. It might seem simple, but not having adequate overhead cover can impact both the functionality and life of your doors. 

External timber doors are vulnerable to conditions such as rain, ocean spray and direct sunlight. Without protection, moisture and heat can cause wooden doors to split, warp, and shrink, resulting in joint separation and panel damage that compromises both how the door looks and how it operates. Water can also penetrate between panels, frames and glass, compromising the structural integrity of the door system and potentially requiring repairs by the builder who installed them.  

To make sure your external door is protected, the first step is to consider your location’s climate zone and the direction the door faces. For example, in areas with heavy rainfall, you’ll want to select a deeper canopy, especially if the door faces directly into prevailing winds or heavy rain.  

The second step is to know the size of the overhead protection and what building codes or standards relate to you in your state/territory. The minimum width of the overhead protection should at least match the width of the door frame. This ensures that water doesn’t spill over the sides, effectively protecting the door from all angles. 

[Caption] Select the house’s climate zone and the direction the door faces. The result will define the Depth (D) for the overhead awning based on the Height (H) from the base of the door to the underside of the awning.

The NCC (National Construction Code) 2022 requires certain protections for doorways and other openings in buildings. An effective overhead protection structure above your external doors is important to prevent water and weather damage.  

In some cases, often for side laundry doors for homes on narrow blocks, there isn’t space for adequate overhead protection. For a durable and weather-resistant door system, check out our Endura Collection. Thanks to their high impact-resistant skins and a composite structure, these doors won’t rust, rot, warp or dent and are designed to withstand harsh Australian weather conditions. 

Choosing timber cavity units for areas exposed to high moisture, such as bathrooms or laundries, can come with its own risks. While timber is a popular material for door systems, it can be susceptible to damage when exposed to moisture over time. 

Why? Timber is naturally porous and absorbs moisture, which can cause timber cavity units to warp or swell. This also makes it a prime target for mould and mildew growth. 

Beyond the risk from moisture, there’s also the risk that comes from choosing timber cavity units with heavily tiled walls or oversized and tall doors. Timber cavity units are not designed to support the weight of these wall and door features, risking sagging or bowing of the frame and eventually impacting alignment and function of your door.   

To avoid these issues, always opt for Platinum Steel cavities for your wet areas. Steel cavity units prevent moisture damage and are designed to handle the weight of heavy tiles or large doors without compromising performance, making sure your door system remains structurally sound and free from warping, swelling or mildew growth.

While dark doors may look striking, they absorb more heat, which can cause damage over time, particularly when the air inside the home is cooled by air conditioning. This is especially true for areas exposed to direct sunlight, where constant heat during the day can lead to warping.   

Dark-coloured doors absorb more solar radiation than lighter ones. This increase in temperatures can cause thermal expansion and warping of door components. Thermal stress can also cause operational issues like sticking or gradual misalignment that affects the usability of your doors. 

Consider lighter shades for your external doors, as they reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat. The Light Reflective Value (LRV) measures how much visible light a paint colour reflects: 0 indicating no reflection and 100 indicating total reflection. We recommend an LRV of 50 or above when selecting paint colours to finish your external doors.  

Of course, sometimes a project requires dark colours for exterior doors. For the best protection, our Endura Collection has a higher insulation performance, is engineered to withstand harsh weather conditions and temperatures and comes with a 10-year warranty, no matter what colour you apply.

At Corinthian, we understand that your reputation is built on the quality and performance of every product you install.

That is why we back our range with responsive local support to help keep your projects moving. From selecting the right system to navigating compliance requirements, our team is here to make sure you get it right the first time.

To discuss procurement and trade partnerships or to find out more about our range, get in touch today.