The gateway to any house is through its door — which not only serves the age-old function of security, but also insulates and enhances the looks of the house. In Nepal, composite doors of timbre have long been the defining feature of any house.However, in recent years, aluminium frames and panels are gaining popularity for interior doors and decorative purposes.

Maheshwor Lal Silpakar, technical supervisor of Alteck Private Limited, a manufacturer and supplier of aluminium products, says, “Aluminium frames are 25 per cent cheaper than timbre ones, and have life span of around 50 years. These doors are 100 per cent airtight and sound-proof in their hinge models, while the sliding models include 75 per cent of these characteristics.” This is quite a different scenario from just three years ago, when aluminium products cost almost 30 per cent more in comparison to their timbre counterparts.

According to Silpakar, timbre doors definitely offer stylish look, but require advanced care and high maintenance. He adds, “On the other hand, aluminium doors are quite affordable to maintain.“ Current ly, the minimum cost of an aluminium panel is around Rs 2,500, while a timbre one costs at least Rs 3,000. Silpakar explains, “In aluminium frames, you also have an option of adding reflective glasses to enjoy better insulation — they cost just around three to five per cent more than normal glass. Aluminium frames require glasses with a thickness of five millimeters, while timbre frames use glass of just three millimetres. But for s e c u r i t y , grilles should be used, whether the frame is t i m b r e , aluminium, or any other material.” However, as per Interior Decorator Binita Gurung of Exterior Interior at Hattisar, for security purposes, it is better to use timbre frames for exterior doors .

She opines, “It’s more of an individual approach; however, exterior doors must not only be attractive but also provide high security and resistance against water and heat. On the other hand, internal doors should be flexible with user-friendly operation.” An interior door is any door that does not provide access to the outside of a home or building — used in both residential and c o m mercial c o n struction.S o m e standard interior doors are solid wood, but many are hollow. Pocket doors are interior doors that slide away from the opening and into the wall.

Gurung adds, “Doors for closets, bedrooms, offices and bathrooms are all considered interior ones. Standard interior doors are simply one-piece doors that fit an opening and are mounted on hinges to one side of the opening.At the same time, pockets doors allow an opening to be fully accessible while not requiring any space. They can be locked, and thus work for any room — but converting interior doors to pocket ones can be heavy on your pockets.” Whether you are undergoing new construction or remodelling an existing home, there are plenty of door options. However, looking into the issues like security and insulation are vital before you give in to experimentation.

source:Himalayan News Service(2011),"Guaranteeing a Grand Entrance", The Himalayan Times,26 Dec 2011