The front door serves as the main entry for your home, but it’s also a key element in providing visitors a glimpse of your style. Since the exterior door is what first people see, it should showcase your home’s personality in the best way possible. Selecting the size, style, material, accents, and finishing can significantly create an appealing and welcoming entrance.
Aside from the aesthetic aspect, your front door should be solid and durable enough to withstand constant exposure to the elements as well as wear and tear while effectively keeping intruders out.
The Importance Of Doors
Among the various elements in your home, the main doorway deserves special attention. Investing in a door with superior quality materials and undergoes professional installation will keep your house safe from the elements and ensure a comfortable interior environment throughout the year.
Preventing the entry of drafts and moisture from the outside ensures better energy efficiency. In the long run, it can help save on your monthly utility bills. Aside from saving money and boosting the resale value of your home, the safety of a well-built door is a welcome bonus. When your door can efficiently keep air and water out, it can prevent unwanted entry of intruders and animals.
If you want to invest in a good-quality exterior door for your home, checking out sites like https://jbros.com/products/doors-windows-and-skylights/ and others will ensure a durable and aesthetically appealing door.
Considerations On Selecting A New Exterior Door
Once your current front door shows signs of deterioration after years of service, it’s time to look for a suitable replacement. With the variety of options to choose from in the market these days, you might find the selection process challenging.
If you want to find the right front door, here are several valuable tips on selecting the perfect one for your home:
1. Budget Range
The initial step to any project is to decide on the budget you’re eager to spend. In most cases, home improvement projects tend to go over the budget due to various reasons. Generally, a spike in the expenses might be due to delays or not accounting for all the costs before the project starts.
If it’s your first time tackling a door replacement project, you need to avoid mistakes that can significantly increase your expenses. When your main door needs a replacement, consider it an investment, and your budget must reflect meticulous planning and decision-making.
Some of the elements to consider when calculating the costs of the replacement project include:
- Upfront expenses versus long-term benefits
- Energy efficiency
- Estimated life span
- Features
- Maintenance requirements
- Level of protection against the weather and overall performance
- Hardware and accessories
- Pre-finishing add-ons or extra staining or painting
- Remodeling entry elements such as the lighting, stairs, or doorbell
Selecting the main door for your home can impart value and beauty without adding to your expenses in the long run. In some cases, you’ll find energy-efficient doors with a high upfront price but can significantly save money over time. If you have an extra budget, some energy-efficient doors can successfully lower your home’s cooling and heating costs by preventing leaks and drafts. With proper construction, durable materials, and quality installation, it’ll avoid high maintenance expenses.
2. Material
Today, the popular materials most doors are made of include wood, steel, and fiberglass. If you want a modern front door system, it’s usually a combination of two or more materials.
- Wood
Throughout the years, wood has been a widely accepted choice for the front door since it imparts a high-end look along with resistance to dents. Some of the common types of wood you’ll find include oak, cherry, maple, mahogany, fir, and pine. If you’re going to invest in a solid wooden door, you need to pay close attention to the details.Choose a thick door with intricate moldings and carvings since it’s going to be more durable. Remember, though, that a wooden door will require periodic painting or varnishing to maintain its beauty. Additionally, an annual inspection is necessary to detect any signs of damage. - Steel
If you want a cost-effective yet versatile material for your front door along with better security and resistance to the weather elements, a steel door might be a good choice. Among the materials, steel is relatively more robust and won’t warp or crack. The majority of premium steel doors usually have an interior steel structure with high-density foam insulation. A custom steel door can take on the appearance of wood with a laminated-wood veneer or various types of finishing. - Fiberglass
For many homeowners, a fiberglass front door is a common choice. The material is resistant to wear and tear, available in various textures, stained or painted, and low maintenance. However, the low-quality models are likely to crack under strong impact. A superior quality fiberglass door will fetch a higher price tag. - Glass
In recent years, glass has been gaining recognition as a material for front doors. Although it might appear as a less secure material, the latest models of glass safety doors boast all the essential security features to keep your home safe and secure.
3. Hardware And Security
Throughout the years, there have been major improvements in the security and locks of doors. If you want the best protection for your home, especially against forced entry, consider getting steel security plates in which the hardware affixes to the door with a PVC block backer.
Other notable options include a locking system with keyless entry via Bluetooth connectivity or a keypad combination. In some models, they have a transponder or RFID entry. Some extra features worth considering when installing a new door system include peepholes, knobs, doorbells, and deadbolts.
4. Color
Depending on your preferences, there are different choices to choose from when deciding on the color. If you want a classic look, you can always count on natural varnished wood. When you want your home to stand out and make a statement, go for bold colors such as blue, red, orange, green, high-gloss black, or even stainless steel. During the selection process, you need to consider the local weather, your neighborhood’s prevalent style, and your home’s exterior paint.
5. Energy Efficiency And Insulation
Regarding energy efficiency and insulation, fiberglass and steel doors are the suitable options than wood doors. Remember that heat loss is usually due to the air leaks around the door rather than the door material.
During the selection process, you need to consider the grade of the doorframe’s construction and the quality of the design joining both the door and the frame. In most cases, weatherstripping is the solution to ensure a secure seal and must lock seamlessly with the base of the door.
Today, the modern door options come in a combination of materials. Generally, a door contains several materials to ensure the best safety and insulation. Some of the top-quality fiberglass and steel doors include a thermal break which is a heat-resistant material in between the interior and exterior layers. It works by preventing both heat and cold from moving through the layers.
6. Style
If you’re going to replace your old front door, you need to look for one that complements the design of your home and boosts the overall curb appeal. Generally, the front door of your home is the first element anyone will see.
When you want to create a traditional look, you can choose a classic wood-paneled door as a replacement. If you want a creative flair, you can include decorative glass features. Depending on your specific preferences, selecting the ideal front door that best represents your personality and home design is crucial.
7. Size
When thinking about the size of your front door, you can choose from various door sizes, but the standard entry door is 80 inches tall by 36 inches wide and around 2 inches thick. Depending on your home’s design and preferences, the entryway might need a broader, more prominent, or taller door.
If you want to get the right door size, consider the transoms, sidelights, and other decorative elements.
8. Contractor
It’d be best to work with a reliable contractor to handle the door replacement job. You need to do your research during the selection process by checking out reviews or getting recommendations from family or friends. Installing a new exterior door for your home isn’t a massive project, but you need to work with a contractor who can get the job done.
Final Thoughts
When the front door in your home is showing signs of deterioration or years of damage, it might be time to get a brand-new replacement soon. With the variety of choices available in the market and several considerations to think about, it’ll take time to find the suitable exterior door .
If it’s your first time to replace the front door, consider it as a worthy investment that’ll keep your home safe and secure. These valuable tips will serve as a guide in helping you find the perfect front door for your home. Take note of the ideas mentioned here as you select a new exterior door.