•You have been thinking about a new entry door since you bought your house. You saw a door you like, but have no idea where to find one or how to get it installed. You love your old house, but the front door detracts from its curb appeal. You wish you could bring more sunlight into your entryway.
A front door reflects the personality of a home and the family who lives there. The style is one element of your home's design, so it should compliment and enhance the overall look and feel. Style can be casual, traditional, formal or artistically reflect influences from around the world.
Doors are also functional. The first step to selecting a door, like many large purchases, is to decide what you hope to gain from a new door. Requirements to consider when purchasing a new door include the style of the door, use of glass and surrounding trim, materials and energy efficiency, security, brand and budget.
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When picking a front door, view the house from the street. Do you see the door, a well designed home, or a beautiful home within a landscaped setting. When the door is the focal point, choose a door style, glass, materials and surrounding trim to create a door that captures the eye. If the door plays a supporting role, consider a simple style to compliment the larger image you're creating. The following doors illustrate how simple details add interest. You can upgrade from a glassless door style, to a style with glass grids or select from hundreds of glass designs to create a unique look and feel.
It is
possible to expand the visual effect of a front door by adding glass
sidelights to one or both sides of the door. If you want even more
light for your interior entryway, you can add a transom (window) over the door. Standard door trim is either brick moulding or flat casing, whichever matches the existing trim or style of the house. There are many choices for trim to enhance an entry door, from columns to head boards, such as the Ram's Head illustrated (3rd door on right).
You have 3 choices of materials for all exterior doors. It is important to consider the look you want as well as the ongoing maintenance requirements to keep your door in good working condition. The pros and cons for each material are:
- Wood doors are either solid wood or have an engineered-wood core faced with wood veneer. The engineered wood doors are less prone to warping and somewhat easier to maintain but veneers are easily damaged, especially when they are 1/16 inch or thinner.
- Fiberglass are very durable and withstand the elements (sun, rain and humidity) very well. They also require less maintenance than wood doors which makes them very popular. Therma-Tru offers fiberglass with a smooth, paintable surface (Smooth-Star) or a wood grain surface (Fiber-Classic) which can be stained.
- Steel doors are the most secure and durable doors available. They are constructed similar to other doors with a polyurethane foam core. There are many styles to choose from and for a little more money, you can get a steel door with a wood fiber front which can be stained.
For energy efficiency, you should look for a door with an Energy Star label.
Doors are available either unfinished or pre-finished. Manufacturer installation directions will outline painting/staining requirements to maintain your door. More severe exposure to the elements will require more frequent maintenance.
Energy Star is a government program that defines specifications for energy efficiency. Many doors are Energy Star "qualified" and a door with a solid polyurethane foam core provides 5 times the insulating efficiency of a wood door. Do not forget the door between your home and attached garage.
Door hardware choices are both simple and complex. There are door knobs versus levers, with levers being the choice for seniors and people who have trouble gripping a knob. Door handle sets include a matching deadbolt. If you're keeping the old door frame which is already drilled for a lock, you must use the same tubular or mortise (square) style. Picking the color (chrome, nickel, brass, black, bronze or pewter) and finish (bright, satin, antique, etc) is probably the most difficult decision, given the many choices.
State Farm offers several recommendations to protect your home from intruders:
- Install locks with deadbolts that have at least 1 inch throw (extends out of the door edge).
- Install locks with key control so copies of keys are tightly controlled.
- Use locks with an ANSI Grade 1 classification.
- Use locks with a high security strike plate (heavy gauge metal) that gets installed with 3 inch long screws that secure the strike to the wall framing, not just the door jamb.
The cost of your door is based on the style and manufacturer, the amount of glass and/or trim, hardware and the installation. Key factors in selecting your door are:
- An entry door should enhance your home's curb appeal while meeting your functional requirements
- Time and budget to maintain, i.e. painting, your door should influence the materials you select
- Budget will narrow your choices from a simple, attractive front door costing $300 to 500 to a premium front door which can cost up to $15,000. Hardware costs range from less than $100 to more than $500.
Before you give up on your dream door, consider how much a door upgrade will add to the value of your home. Therma-Tru had a Home Valuation Study done which shows the difference can amount to $20,000 or more.
Proper installation is critical to avoid problems with water damage. The job requires professional level carpentry skills. Problems addressed during a recent My Handyman door install included rebuilding the sub-floor (large hole found when old threshold removed), crafting a custom threshold to meet a new tile floor and extending the door jamb to support a standard size storm door.
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