Can you use a cavity-style door for front entrance?

[Debbie2]

Hello, just wondering if anyone can give advice on if you can use a cavity style door for your front entrance door to save space?  BAL is 19.

many thanks

Debbie

[EricL]

Hello @Debbie2

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about a cavity style door for your front entrance.

The only thing that comes to mind is that you'll have to use heavy-duty wheels to support the weight of a front entry door. My uncle had a front sliding door in his house and it worked for years. It had a Lockwood Double Cylinder 355 Deadlock, I've never ever seen it get fixed or maintained. 

However, I do recall that it would often make a lot of noise when the wind was blowing through it. Being a hanging door in the cavity it would swing slowly inside the cavity creating a soft knocking sound. Often times a lot of our relatives would try to open their door traditionally by trying to swing it open only to realize that it was a sliding door. 

It had a heavy-duty floor bracket that prevented it from being pushed from the bottom. Having experienced a front sliding door as the main entrance, it's a great way to save on space.

Let me tag our experienced members @TedBear and @Brad for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Brad]

I can't remember seeing a front door like that.

Not my daughter has a fire rated door in her appartment, heavy is an understatement.

Standard internal door is 35mm and enterance doors are 40mm, that may be a problem with the gap in the standard frames. Weight os a Hume door is 40kg for a Bal 19 with glass so that fits well under the 90kg limit of the slider.

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @Debbie2,

While I'm sure this would be OK,

As a Fire Officer here in New Zealand, we expect a swinging door at the front door to open into a hallway or whatever room, when we make entry.

I would ask your local council planning department on what they require and also check your local building rules before you start the modification.

Installing something like this could compromise your Insurance, as most doors "seal" reasonably well when closed, therefore preventing spread of fire,

should one happen.

Don't get me wrong, I am not pouring scorn on your idea, at all, but the door needs to seal as well as the hinged type.

Should you need any further advice, by all means, let us know.

Cheers,

Mike T.