Out of all the furnishings in your home, your front door sees the most action. It’s the place where you greet your guests. It’s the first thing that people see when they approach your yard.
That door ties your entire exterior aesthetic together. Your front door is also your first line of defense against unwanted visitors.
With all the jobs that you need it to perform, you need to put some thought into purchasing the best front entry doors for your home. We can help you out with that! Don’t start shopping around until you’ve read this handy buyer’s guide.
Materials
When people think of front doors in their minds, they’re most likely picturing wood. It’s the most common material that you can get, but it’s not the only one.
If you want your new front door to offer a bit more in terms of security, you may want to go with steel. Aluminum and fiberglass are also fine choices.
Wood
Almost all types of front doors are going to be made with wood. The material has a lot to offer in the aesthetics department. It will cost you a hefty penny, but you can often have wooden doors customized.
You can paint and stain your wood door in whatever color you think would best match your home. The biggest problem with wood is that it takes a lot of maintenance.
You’ll have to sand the door down and repaint it every two years or sooner than that if you live in a particularly humid environment.
You see, wood is porous. That means it expands and extracts when faced with humidity and moisture.
If you don’t take care of your door, it will begin to crack over time. It may even start to rot away on you.
Fiberglass
Are you looking for a door that offers the same visual appeal as wood without all the maintenance? Fiberglass ProVia entry doors might be right for you.
With a little staining, nobody will be able to tell that your door isn’t actually made with solid cherry wood.
You’ll never have to worry about your fiberglass door rusting or rotting. Insects can’t penetrate the material, and the outside elements aren’t going to do much to it. These doors come with huge warranties, and they provide enough insulation to keep your utility costs down.
Steel
Some will say that steel doors don’t pack the same aesthetic punch as wood, but this material has its own charm. You can buy steel doors with decorative panels if you don’t like the plain look. If you really want your door to wow your neighbors, you can buy one with glass panels.
Steel is a durable material that, like fiberglass, doesn’t care about the elements too much. These doors provide more security than any other type you can get. They also insulate fairly well, which is great news for your energy bill.
Aluminum
The last door material we’re going to talk about is aluminum. It comes in tons of finishes and colors. If you want your aluminum door to mimic the appearance of wood, that’s an option.
Aluminum has a baked-on finish that makes it impervious to rust. You’ll also never have to paint it. The downside is that an aluminum door are one of the most expensive options on the market.
Style
Now that you know the material you want to go with, it’s time to talk about style. There are many different types of entry doors for your home that you can choose from, but we’re only going to touch on three.
Decorative
You could go with the normal panel look, or you can get a door with a little more pizazz. They’ll do wondrous things for your curb appeal, but they are expensive due to all the work that goes into making them.
Storm Door
You can buy a wooden storm door, but metal ones are much more common. They’re heavy doors that provide plenty of security.
They don’t do much as far as aesthetics go. You can buy a decorative storm door, but it’s going to cost you.
Sliding Patio Door
Sliding patio doors are made with large panes of glass surrounded by either a wooden or metal frame. If you’ve put a lot of work into your yard, a sliding patio door will give you the best view of it.
Cost
Of course, you can’t buy a decorative aluminum door with all the bells and whistles if your budget doesn’t allow for it. Your wallet is going to play a huge role in the type of door you purchase.
Before you get too turned off by the initial price tag, however, think about the long-term savings the door can offer you. For example, opting for a door that offers more insulation might take a sizable chunk out of your budget now, but you’ll make that money back over the years due to the energy savings.
Size
If you have a standard entryway, a regular 32X36 door will suit your needs fine. If you’re working with something a bit larger than that, you may have to upgrade to a 42-inch door or invest in a double-door setup.
Make sure to measure your entryway before you go shopping. Don’t forget to account for all the trimmings and hardware.
Choosing the Best Front Entry Doors for Your Home
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider if you want to choose the best front entry doors for your house. The last thing you want is to invest in a material that can’t withstand the pressures of the climate in your area.
You’ve also got to think about the style of door you want, the size, and your budget. We hope that you’re able to use the tips that you’ve read here today to find the right fit. For more homeowner’s advice, visit the Home Life section of our blog.
