Thermal curtain for the front door: how to choose one against the cold

A poorly insulated front door lets cold air in all winter: draughts at floor level, a chilly hallway and a heating system that never switches off. A thermal curtain for the front door is a quick and simple fix that needs no building work. Here is how to choose the right model for your door, your routine and your home.

Why hang a thermal curtain in front of the door?

The front door is often the coldest spot in the home: a gap between door and frame, a worn threshold, single glazing. A thick curtain hung in front of the door adds an extra barrier that slows draughts and reduces the cold feeling near the entrance. It also blocks views from outside and dampens some of the noise from the street or stairwell.

A curtain does not replace a faulty seal or a door that needs replacing, but it is one of the fastest measures you can take – and it comes down easily in spring.

What to look for

1. A thick, quilted fabric

The denser the fabric, the better it holds back air. Multi-layer quilted curtains work best against the cold. As a guide, our thermal door curtains weigh between 380 and 540 g/m² – far more than a typical decorative curtain.

2. The right size: wider and longer than the door

To stop air slipping past the sides, the curtain should overlap the door frame by a few centimetres on each side and reach the floor. Measure the width and height of the frame, then add some allowance at the sides and top depending on how you will hang it.

3. The fixing method

• Self-adhesive hook-and-loop tape: no drilling, ideal for rented homes.
• Eyelets on a rod: the curtain slides aside easily during the day.
• Magnetic closure: the two panels close by themselves after you walk through – handy with children or pets.

4. With or without a window

If your hallway is dark or you want to see who is at the door, choose a model with a clear window: you keep the daylight while keeping the cold air out.

Which model for which door?

Standard-size front door

For a door of about 90 × 210 cm, the magnetic thermal door curtain (540 g/m²) fixes with hook-and-loop tape without drilling and closes by itself. The version with a large clear window (380 g/m², window 40 × 97 cm) lets daylight in.

A door you use all the time

For busy doorways, a curtain with eyelets is easy to push aside: the quilted thermal door curtain, 420 g/m² comes with eyelets or as a self-adhesive version, and the waterproof thermal door curtain (405 g/m²) has eyelets at the top and a rod pocket at the bottom, in two widths (110 and 132 cm).

Wide doors, patio doors or custom sizes

For patio and balcony doors, wide passages or the garage, the made-to-measure Gravento thermal door curtain is made to your dimensions: width 100 to 400 cm, height 60 to 270 cm. Its three-layer quilting (about 420 g/m²) is wind- and water-repellent, with eyelets, loops or hook-and-loop tape at the top.

And the windows? The thermal liner

If you already have curtains you love, there is no need to replace them: the quilted thermal curtain liner (280 g/m², 140 cm wide, four lengths) hangs behind your existing curtains or works on its own. You will find all insulating models in our thermal curtains collection.

Fitting tips

• Clean and dry the frame before sticking on any adhesive tape.
• Let the curtain reach the floor – that is where most cold air gets in.
• Allow an overlap at the sides to cover the gap between door and wall.
• Keep the doorway clear: the curtain must not block the door from opening or an escape route.

Checklist before you order

• [ ] Width and height of the door frame measured
• [ ] Fixing chosen: adhesive, eyelets or magnetic
• [ ] With or without a clear window
• [ ] Standard size or made to measure

Not sure which model to pick, or does your door have unusual dimensions? Email us at sales@btto.com and we will help you choose. See all door curtains at a glance.