“If your house is a journey, then the front door is its cover. So, make sure it’s welcoming!”
- Anonymous
The front door provides character to the house. Unfortunately, the front door becomes the victim of hazardous climatic conditions, which wears it out prematurely.
Most people forget the significance of an entry door; however, it would help if you understood that it is the first thing that people see when they visit your house or pass by it. Making your home beautiful from the inside is one thing and making sure everything (inside as well as outside) is perfect, is another.
Some typical entry door materials:
- Wood
- Fiberglass
- Steel
- Aluminum
- Vinyl
Several extensive guides are available on the internet about how you can transform the interiors of your house; however, not many experts offer entry door buying guides. So, read ahead to know how to choose a perfect front door for your house:
- Research
Thorough research is essential to know what are the options available in the market. The research should not only be about different designs and styles but also be about the price range and material options. There is no correct answer to the question, “Which is the most suitable front door design, material or style for your home”? The market is becoming highly competitive each day, and the confusion among the many available options is increasing exponentially as well. Extensive research will help you with the following steps too.
- Materials
As already mentioned above, several materials are preferred to manufacture front/entry doors across the globe. The three most significant materials and their pros and cons are mentioned below:
- Steel
- Pros- Relatively inexpensive, ensures security, low maintenance and energy-efficient
- Cons- Dents and scratches and rust are common and not weather resistant
- Fiberglass
- Pros- Low maintenance, dent-resistant, moderately priced and almost scratch-free
- Cons- Cracks are prevalent
- Wood
- Pros- Natural look, elegance, customizable and dent-free
- Cons- Relatively high-priced, prone to insects and weather damage and high-maintenance
- Features
Different material offers different features, like wood and fiberglass, ensures insulation; making them energy-efficient options while glass installations in steel doors diminish its insulation properties. Similarly, wood is considered more customizable than fiberglass, i.e., wood doors can be tailor-made to fit the size. Moreover, fiberglass is relatively cheaper than wood and can be installed as a perfect look-alike to wood; making it a better option for people on a budget. Thorough research and a proper understanding of your requirements will help you identify the right features that are needed in your entry door.
- Installation
Fiberglass doors are considered more challenging to install than wood doors; however, if you are calling a professional to get the job done, then the installation wouldn’t be a concern for you. Similarly, entry door replacement should be kept in mind too, i.e. what if you wish to replace it with some other material in the near future? Don’t go for a material which is hard to install and replace when the need arises.
- Maintenance and repairs
It would help if you estimated the costs of maintenance and repairs while browsing through your options because you may be buying a near-inexpensive front door right now, but it might cost you a fortune in the future on repairs, like installing a low-quality wood door will cost you a considerable amount of money on recoating and repainting after every few months. If you could add these estimated costs to the price of the product, then you can identify the most cost-appropriate option for your house.
- Security
Peace of mind is a priority while buying a front door and not all options ensure the safety of your loved ones. The preference of door materials in descending order of the security that they ensure are steel, fiberglass, and wood. However, many people still prefer wood to steel because of the many advantages that it provides. If you are also inclined towards other options than make sure that you invest your money in high-quality products (doors and security locks) to ensure utmost security of your loved ones.
- Price
The last, but not the least is to ensure that you choose a product that offers value for money. The product should not only fit your budget boundaries but also meet your requirements precisely. Note: Please don’t prefer cost to quality because an entry door is more than just a passage inside the home.
Decision-making Made Easy
All the door buying steps mentioned above are inclined towards making you realize the significance of a front door and how & why you must choose the right one for your home. In addition to that, it would help if you could find a style and a texture that complement the interiors of the house.
Don’t hurry up; take your time and pick a suitable choice!