The perfect welcome for your guests – How to choose your dream door

Last Updated on July 5, 2015 by Kravelv

The front door is the face of your home. It speaks volumes about your values, standards and your status in society. It is the first impression and the entrance to your world. We all want make a great impression on our visitors, passers-by and our neighbor, so what should we consider when choosing the front door? Apart from satisfying our esthetic preferences, the front door should also be secure, durable, energy efficient, fit into our budget and add to the overall porch and patio design. Not an easy task. There are three main options for our exterior door: wood, steel and fiberglass doors.

Steel

Steel doors are the least expensive option. They will never twist, crack or swell and will require little maintenance. However, they are prone to dents which can rust, especially if combined with a storm door. Steel is the strongest barrier against forced entry, but wood and fiberglass doors are not far behind. Steel doors come with energy efficient foam core insulation within the door itself. They can be done in various finishes even with coatings that mimic the look of real wood. New on the market and similar to steel doors are aluminum doors, which are slightly more expensive.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass doors usually fall between steel and wood in price and they come in a great variety of styles, many of which mimic genuine wood exactly. They can be stained or painted as one chooses. They are higher maintenance than steel and you might have to repaint them every five years or so. They won’t rust or dent, they are resistant to weather conditions and they offer the longest life. Fiberglass is sturdy and has a hard coating so it is more secure than wood although it feels light to touch. They also come with foam cores providing good insulation and blocking heat and cold.

Wood

Wood is the most expensive of the three and it is the classic and traditional choice. Wood doors are heavy and offer the most luxurious and impressive look. Any type of logged wood is available and they come in a wide variety of stains, colors and styles. They are best used in entryways sheltered from the elements as they are not so resistant and they require the most maintenance. Repainting or refinishing them annually should prevent splitting and warping. The drawback of wood is that it is the weakest choice as far as insulation goes, but this depends on other factors like the framework and windows.

Picking an energy-efficient exterior door, you may save up on your energy bills and this can provide a high return on your investment. As for security, exterior doors have extra hinges but professional locksmiths from Sydney also emphasize the importance of a trusty lock on entry doors of any material. Wood will make your entrance stylish and elegant, but sometimes it is really hard to tell it from faux wood.

We would say your dream door is the one that serves your needs and fits into your exterior best. Consider what kind of a message you want to send across and choose colors and accessories that match the porch. Red – “welcome”, white – purity and neutrality, black – strength and authority. Match with doorknobs, handles, locks and the house number. Add flower pots, statuettes and wind chimes. There are endless possibilities.

Most importantly, follow your intuition and feel for the right entrance to your “home sweet home”!