Choose the door set from the actual entrance conditions before choosing the finish or comparing prices. Separate enclosed-corridor doors from sheltered and directly exposed openings. State the rain, sun, frame, threshold, seal and performance requirements for each door mark; an attractive leaf or a “weather-resistant” description is not enough to approve an exterior assembly.
1. Classify the opening, not just the building
An apartment project may contain several entrance conditions. A unit opening into a conditioned corridor is different from one opening onto an outdoor access balcony. A recessed lobby entrance may still receive wind-driven rain. Group repeated doors only where the exposure and assembly requirements are genuinely the same.
| Opening condition | Record in the brief | Decision before approval |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosed internal corridor | Whether both sides are enclosed, their environmental conditions and the door’s location within the project. | The specified fire, smoke, acoustic, security and access requirements, without assuming an exterior weather specification. |
| Sheltered outdoor entrance | Porch or canopy depth, side protection, door recess, orientation and photographs showing the opening. | Whether the exact construction and finish are suitable for the remaining rain and sun exposure. |
| Direct exterior exposure | Likely rain direction, direct sun, surrounding levels and the intended threshold and drainage detail. | Product suitability, the complete weather-sealing arrangement and evidence required by the project reviewer. |
| Coastal or demanding local environment | Site conditions affecting the leaf, frame, hardware and maintenance access, rather than the country name alone. | Appropriate finish/hardware selection and the supplier’s maintenance conditions for the actual assembly. |
These groups organise an inquiry; they are not formal performance classes or proof of compliance. If the exposure is uncertain, mark it as unresolved and ask the responsible project team to confirm it before production approval.
2. Review rain protection and the complete threshold detail
A canopy is useful information, not a universal permission to use any door outdoors. Provide an elevation or photographs that show its depth, height and side coverage. Describe whether rain can reach the face, frame joints or floor immediately outside the opening. Follow the selected manufacturer’s instructions rather than copying an overhang dimension from another product.
Ask the designer and installer to coordinate the leaf, frame, wall junction, threshold, bottom seal and perimeter seals as one opening. The quotation should identify what is supplied, what is preparation only and what the site contractor must provide. A sealing detail that is absent from the quotation should not be assumed included.
- Show the finished floor levels on both sides and identify the threshold surface.
- Provide the intended drainage and wall-interface detail for review by the responsible designer.
- Identify seal profiles, their locations and compatibility with the chosen door, frame and hardware.
- Separate factory preparation from site sealing, fixing and finishing responsibilities.
Do not reduce or remove a threshold, cut a seal or drill a new opening without the required product and project review. For dimensional coordination, use the door undercut and finished-floor guide; it does not establish an exterior water rating.
3. Approve the surface for the sun exposure
Specify the facing material and finish system, not only a colour name. For a dark finish, ask the supplier to confirm suitability for the actual solar exposure, the selected construction and any finishing restrictions. Simpson’s published care guidance illustrates that exterior colour and overhang conditions can depend on a particular product range. Its conditions are not VISFURN specifications.
Confirm who will finish exposed edges and any permitted cut surfaces, which instructions apply before installation and how the finish will be maintained. Use an identified physical sample for colour, sheen and texture approval. Keep the performance review separate from that visual approval.
The charcoal panel entrance door provides a geometric design direction. Its images are disclosed design visualisations: they do not establish the leaf material, smart-lock functions or suitability for a fully exposed location. Send the actual exposure with that design reference so the construction can be reviewed before quotation.
4. Ask for evidence that matches the quoted configuration
“Durable”, “secure” and “weatherproof” are not interchangeable technical specifications. Have the responsible project reviewer identify which performance criteria and documents apply to the opening. Do not infer fire, security, thermal, acoustic, air or water performance from the material name or lock appearance.
- Identify the report: manufacturer or supplier, product reference, issuing organisation, date and the stated test or assessment scope.
- Compare the assembly: leaf construction and dimensions, frame, glazing if present, seals, threshold and relevant hardware.
- Check the limits: permitted configurations, installation conditions and any exclusions or supporting instructions.
- Resolve differences: obtain a documented response where the quoted assembly differs from the evidence, then refer it to the project reviewer.
One favourable component result does not establish every property of the complete opening. A weather review also does not replace required security, fire or accessibility approval. This guide provides procurement questions, not a local compliance decision.
5. Compare complete scope rather than a leaf-only price
Request a separate line or clear scope for the leaf, frame, architraves if used, threshold, seals, hardware and preparation. Include packing, door-mark labels and the agreed delivery basis. If one offer is leaf-only and another includes a complete set, clarify the difference before treating it as a price advantage.
Use the door supplier quotation comparison guide for the commercial comparison. Do not assume a particular lock type is mandatory for every project, or that one core or material is always the most durable. The applicable requirements and available evidence should drive the selection.
Ask for product-specific care and maintenance instructions before approval, especially where hardware or finishes will face a demanding environment. Record who receives the instructions and who can access the opening for inspection and maintenance after handover.
6. Copy this exposure brief into the RFQ
- Project: application, destination, quantities by door mark and required project dates.
- Location: enclosed corridor, sheltered entrance or direct exterior exposure; photographs and orientation.
- Protection: canopy/recess dimensions, side coverage and known rain or sun conditions.
- Dimensions: leaf and opening references, required clear opening, frame size, wall thickness and units.
- Interfaces: finished-floor levels, threshold, seal, wall junction and drainage drawings.
- Design: product/design reference, facing and finish direction, sample requirements and hardware scope.
- Evidence: project-specified performance criteria, required documents and the responsible reviewer.
- Supply and release: included components, installer responsibilities, packing groups, provisional items and approval revision.
Keep unresolved suitability, dimensions or evidence requirements visible in the inquiry. Ask what can be quoted now and what must be confirmed before the affected door marks are released.
Buyer questions
Is every apartment entrance door an exterior door?
No. An entrance from an enclosed corridor and a door opening directly outdoors have different exposure conditions. Identify the actual location, environment and project requirements for each door mark.
Does a canopy make any wooden door suitable outside?
No. Record canopy dimensions, side protection, rain direction and sun exposure, then obtain suitability and finishing instructions for the exact door set. Do not apply another manufacturer’s overhang rule to an unreviewed product.
Can a dark entrance door be specified for direct sunlight?
Request confirmation for the selected facing, core, frame and finish under the actual sun exposure. A charcoal colour image establishes a design direction, not evidence of heat resistance or exterior performance.
Does a weather-resistant door leaf prove the complete opening will resist water?
No. Review the frame, threshold, seals, hardware preparation and installation interfaces, together with any required assembly test evidence. Do not infer an assembly rating from one component.
What should a buyer send for an exterior entrance door quotation?
Send quantities by door mark, application and destination, exposure photographs or elevations, dimensions and wall thickness, floor and threshold details, finish reference, hardware scope, project dates and specified performance evidence.
Sources and scope
Primary references checked 16 October 2026: Simpson Door care and finishing guidance (product-specific exposure, protection and colour conditions); JELD-WEN product testing (different environmental and durability evaluations); and JELD-WEN maintenance guidance (finish, seals and environment-dependent hardware care). Their products, warranties, numerical limits and approvals are not VISFURN commitments. No universal overhang formula, performance value or market approval is prescribed here.
Entrance door project inquiry
Send the opening schedule with the exposure brief
Review the exterior door collection and entrance door systems, then send your door marks, quantities, drawings, exposure, finish direction, required evidence, destination and project dates. VISFURN can review the submitted scope; product suitability and commercial terms require confirmation for the selected configuration.
Request an entrance door project quotation ↗