Opening up the door market
The Residence Collection launched a new range of entrance doors at the FIT Show under the Residence Doors (RD) brand. Sarah Hitchings, sales and marketing director, outlines the design principles and rationale of this new range.
The Residence Collection was born under the mantra of ‘Windows the way they’re meant to be,’ in recognition of the fact that Residence 9 (R9), is the only PVCU window system that’s been completely designed and engineered based on the visible features of a 19th century window.
So, it seemed pertinent to launch a new range of engineered entrance doors at the FIT Show as ‘Doors, the way they’re meant to be’ just like we did with R9 back in 2012. These doors are designed to be beautiful with all the hallmarks of a hand-crafted door, much akin to a high-end timber offering, yet without the price tag and maintenance issues.
If we look at the composite door market the first designs, and indeed many to this day, are designed to look like timber but with the use of modern low maintenance materials. We’ve taken a similar view in terms of the original design, but wrapped it up in a different manufacturing process to look and perform as a true premium door.
We’ve taken our three-in-one system approach to our RD range by offering three different frame options through R2, R7 and R9, each available fully mechanically jointed or manufactured with the new welding technologies to give a similar appearance. While the window market is moving at a pace with these corner joint options, it seems that for the most part the composite door sector hasn’t moved on with the market, by reverting back to the welded corner, shadow grooved default.
Like our windows, RD have been designed to not only look visually superior, but designed to achieve PAS24 and to last a lifetime. We are starting to hear of increased failure rates from some composite doors due to bowing and warping, which is why we’re back with a door range using the trusted methodology of frame and sash, with a number of glazing beading options and the ability to make oversized doors.
Each RD is carefully manufactured from profiles and panels, a production methodology that’s widely adopted and accepted throughout Europe on both mid-range and high-end doors. It’s also the same process for the manufacture of our windows, so installers can sell a matching door as well as R2, R7 and R9, and for consumers it provides the proposition of a ‘Residence Home’ with French and inward opening double door options.
This product design philosophy also means that we can create a wide range of door styles from the period inspired derivatives with a true timber alternative R9 frame, to the contemporary with an R2 outer frame. As you would expect from The Residence Collection there’s a huge range of single and dual colour options, all presented to help create a unique and luxurious entrance door. We’ve even prototyped a stable door option, which will be out in the coming months.
Glazing options include 28mm and 48mm panels and triple glazed units that you can find from any of the leading glass producers, while hardware options are considerable. There are standard handles, pull bar handles, multi-point locking systems and 3-Star Sold Secure Diamond cylinders that can be used on the specification of a RD. Drip bars are also available directly from us, thanks to sister company Window Widgets, and there is also the authentic deep nose Radlington sill to further enhance the appearance and authenticity of RD.
True to form, everything with the Residence Doors collection has been carefully designed and engineered, so our fabricators benefit from the manufacturing opportunities and so too will installers and consumers looking for a beautiful and long-lasting premium entrance door. So, with the entrance door market so buoyant, we’ve been able to develop a product that proudly carries the Residence name as a reflection on careful product design and outstanding product performance characteristics.