There is no easier way to update your home’s first impression than with the addition of a new front door. Not only does a new entry door add considerable curb appeal, but it can set the overall style theme for your home. For example, if you take the same house and add the sleek, clean lines of a modern door style, then switch to the rustic charm of a craftsman style, you’ll see a change in the home’s overall appeal. When paired with a garage door along the same lines, you’ll see that the change can nearly create the feeling of a top to bottom makeover.
When choosing a new door, here are the details you’ll want to consider:
Material
Begin by thinking about what your new front door will be made of. Since the entry door’s construction plays a major factor in the security and energy efficiency of your home, this decision goes well beyond a simple preference for looks.
Steel
Steel entry doors are the most popular choice for Canadian homes due to their strength and the fact that these doors feature energy efficient insulation at the core (this style is ENERGY STAR qualified). They are also resistant to warping and cracking and are resistant to fire; however, they can be dented and scratched.
Wood
Wooden entry doors offer a traditional, almost romantic appeal that can lend a refined elegance to the look of your home. This natural option is sturdy and provides homeowners with the ability to sand and repaint or stain the door. However, they offer no fire resistance and are less energy efficient than other options.
Fibreglass
Fibreglass doors are the most recent addition to entry door material options. This type of doors is considered by many to offer the best of wood and steel combined. They feature the durability and energy-efficiency of steel, but can mimic the traditional good looks of wood, along with the option to be stained or repainted to match your home’s exterior.
Slab and Pre-hung
Another of the more essential choices you’ll need to make when shopping for a new entry door is whether you want a simple door slab or a pre-hung door system. A door slab is exactly as it sounds. It is simply the door with nothing else. This will be your ideal choice if your home’s existing frame is in good condition. Alternatively, a pre-hung system includes the door, frame, and hinges.
Styles
There are two main entry door styles on the market today:
- Flush –This style is flat and features no bevelling, carvings, or inserts.
- Panel –Panel doors offer a decorative charm to your home’s first impression. They are available in multiple panel options (typically from 1-panel up to 12-panel) and with different panel shapes such as squares, rectangles and arches.
Both flush and panel doors can feature glass inserts. Traditional panel style doors tend to position the glass panel in the top middle section of the door. However, more modern styles may set a succession of multiple panels in different sizes and shapes along the length of a flush door. There are of course always exceptions to what may be typically seen.
Some glass panel doors (also called doorlights) can become the primary material in some door styles. These doors feature expansive glass panels that can be textured, beveled, stained or frosted.
NOTE: If choosing a full-glass front door keep in mind that it may pose a number of different challenges to your home and lifestyle. Things such as privacy, security, and maintenance (think about how many fingerprints you’ll be cleaning off, especially if you have little ones.
Colour
Choosing a new door isn’t just a black or white decision, entry doors are available in almost any colour imaginable and can be perfectly matched to your home’s style, trim, and additional exterior details.
Hardware
Your entry door’s entry and trim set not only provides essential functionality and security, but it adds the finishing touch as well. To learn more about choosing the right hardware for your home, be on the lookout for part 2 in our complete guide to selecting a front door!
For more home improvement information and inspiration, be sure to explore the articles and listings here on eieihome.com.
