A European aluminum entry door is a 2.56 to 3.39 in (65 to 86 mm) thermally broken frame, usually with a multipoint lock, filled with an insulated panel or glass. I can source one built on the Aliplast Imperial 800 entrance-door system or on the door profiles of Reynaers MasterLine 8 and Aluprof MB-86. A front door is the one opening that has to look right, lock right and clear a US threshold, so the specification matters more than the catalog photo.
What Is a European Aluminum Entry Door?
A European aluminum entry door is a dedicated door profile, not a window frame with a handle added. The Aliplast Imperial 800 is a purpose-built entrance door system with a 2.56 in (65 mm) frame and leaf, in two thermal versions: the standard IP800 and the improved IP800 i+. The provider lists single and double doors, inside-opening and outside-opening doors, and panic doors. Aliplast's Imperial SU and Imperial OUT are window systems, not door variants.
Two alternatives sit on window platforms. The Reynaers MasterLine 8 lists entrance doors up to 551 lbs (250 kg), and the Aluprof MB-86 lists an entrance-door operation.
Aliplast Imperial aluminum profile section, provider drawing.
Which Systems Offer Aluminum Entry Doors?
Three systems cover it, and only the Imperial 800 is a dedicated door system. This is what I list for each one:
| System | Frame depth | Door weight or infill | Thermal value in US units | Burglar class listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aliplast Imperial 800 | 2.56 in (65 mm) | panel or glass, 0.16 to 2.01 in (4 to 51 mm) | frame Uf from 1.84 W/m2K (about 0.32), IP800 i+ from 1.67 (about 0.29); not a whole-door value | confirmed per assembly |
| Reynaers MasterLine 8 | 3.03 in (77 mm) | doors up to 551 lbs (250 kg) | panel-door variant lists Ud 0.8 W/m2K (about U-0.14), provider value | RC2 and RC3 variants |
| Aluprof MB-86 | 3.39 in (86 mm) | not published in my catalog | not published in my catalog | up to RC4 |
If you already use Reynaers or Aluprof windows, matching the door to the window system from the same provider may simplify procurement. If the entry should be a pivot, that is a different product: see pivot doors for luxury entries and the Cortizo Millennium Plus Pivot page.
Can I Get a Glass Front Door in Aluminum?
Yes. The Imperial 800 takes an insulated panel or glass infill from 0.16 to 2.01 in (4 to 51 mm), so the leaf can be mostly solid or mostly glass.
Glass in the door leaf is a hazardous location under IRC R308.4.1, and sidelight glass within 24 in of either door edge with its bottom edge under 60 in above the floor falls under R308.4.2. Both mean safety glazing; I confirm your adopted code and local amendments. Sidelight sizes are not published in my catalog, so I draw them per opening on the shop drawing.
What Locking Do European Aluminum Entry Doors Use?
European entry doors are normally specified with a multipoint lock; the multipoint lock entry explains how it works. Aliplast notes that the Imperial 800 lock sits far from the outer side, which it cites as an anti-burglary benefit. My catalog lists burglar-resistance classes under the European standard EN 1627 for the other two systems: RC2 and RC3 variants for the MasterLine 8 and up to RC4 for the MB-86.
A class applies to a tested assembly of leaf, frame, lock and glazing, so a catalog class is not a certificate for the door I supply; for the Imperial 800 and every other door I confirm the class per assembly and make no US security claim. What the classes mean is covered in security windows and burglar resistance.
What About Thresholds and Swing Direction on a US House?
Swing and threshold are drawing decisions. These are the options I can state from the data:
- Swing: the Imperial 800 provider page lists inside-opening and outside-opening doors, and single or double doors.
- Panic doors: the Imperial 800 is also listed as a panic door.
- Egress door: the IRC egress-door rule (R311.2) is commonly summarized as a side-hinged door with at least 32 in of clear width at 90 degrees and 78 in of clear height; confirm it with your adopted code.
I do not quote threshold types or heights here, because they depend on the profile and your local code, and I settle them on the shop drawing.
How Do I Order an Aluminum Entry Door?
Ordering follows four steps, the same as for windows:
- Add the door to the same schedule as your windows and send me the drawings.
- I return a budget the same or next working day.
- I send shop drawings 2 to 3 working days after your review, where swing, glass, lock and threshold are fixed.
- Lead time is confirmed per order, and your local team installs.
Start with the estimator or send me the drawings. To pair the entry with sliding doors on the same elevation, see aluminum sliding patio doors.
FAQ
Are European aluminum entry doors energy efficient? The Imperial 800 lists a frame Uf from 1.84 W/m2K for the IP800 and from 1.67 for the IP800 i+, about 0.32 and 0.29 in US units at 0.17611. That is the profile only; the whole door depends on the infill, so I confirm it per order. It is a metric provider value, not an NFRC rating.
Can an aluminum entry door be outward opening? On the Imperial 800, yes: the provider lists both inside-opening and outside-opening doors. Swing is fixed on the shop drawing.
Do aluminum front doors have multipoint locks? European entry doors are normally specified with a multipoint lock, and I confirm the lock on the shop drawing; see the multipoint lock entry for how it works.
Can an aluminum entry door be a double door? On the Imperial 800, yes: the provider lists single and double doors. Leaf widths and the opening are drawn per project.
Have an opening in mind? Run it through the estimator or send me the size. See also all door guides.
Kai, your window guy!