Your front door is the first thing your guests see before they enter your home. If you’re putting in the money to buy a new front door, you might as well invest in one that commands attention. But you should do some homework before you buy a new front door. There are different materials to choose from. Each choice has its advantages and disadvantages. To help you make the right choice, here’s how to choose the right front door installation.
Most of the time, you’ll only have to exchange one door for another. However, if the wood members in your door jambs or threshold have begun to rot, more work is involved.
It’s also possible your wall studs bowed and settled out of square due to its age. You’ll know because it’s difficult for you to open and close the door.
If you have any damage, you can still continue with your front door installation. You just need to plane the top and bottom or possibly trim one of the edges to make the door hang properly.
One note, you only have this option with a wood door. Metal and fiberglass doors can’t be paned or cut.
Thankfully, now most doors are prehung. This means the door hangs on hinges within the new frame. It’s a perfect solution if your old frame is damaged or you’re enlarging the opening.
Just make sure you know which side the new prehung door will open. It’s possible to do both a left or right-hand front door installation. One way to tell is if the lockset is on your right, it’s a right-hand door.
To see if a wood door is a right choice for your front door installation, let’s compare the pros and cons.
Wood is a popular choice. They can be customized exactly to your size, shape, and even style preferences. They’re also easy to personalize with decorative glass, sidelights, and transoms.
You also have several varieties of wood to choose from such as oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany, maple, fir, and pine.
Wood doors also achieve a high-end look that neither fiberglass nor steel can compete with.
Solid wood also resists normal wear and tear well. They’re the least likely to dent and scratches are easy to repair.
Wood doors are the most expensive. They cost anywhere between $500 and $2,000 depending on how fancy you want them.
If you’re looking for an environmentally-friendly choice for your front door installation, it’s really difficult to track the environmental impact.
Every year or two wood doors should be refinished or repainted to prevent splitting and warping.
Even if you perform regular maintenance on your door, wood is prone to warping due to the outside elements. Over time, the door’s air-sealing capabilities may diminish leading you to replace them sooner than a fiberglass or steel door.
Fiberglass is a practical choice for a front door installation choice for many people. One reason is that the fiberglass mimics the look of wood. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of fiberglass.
A fiberglass door with an edge treatment makes them look like real wood. They also are more resistant to wear and tear than steel.
Fiberglass doors are stained in a variety of colors. You can get them painted or stained.
They also require little maintenance and are more durable than wood doors. Fiberglass tends to stand up to nicks and dents fairly well.
For those interested in conserving energy, they come with an insulated core. They can also expand or contract along with weather changes. It adds additional protection against the elements and intruders.
As a result, it’s possible to enjoy more savings on your energy bills. You’ll enjoy these savings for a long time since most can go for years without needing a touch-up.
They also last up to 20 years.
Fiberglass doors are prone to cracking under severe impact.
Fiberglass tends to fall between steel and wood when it comes to price. Most models at large stores cost between $150 and $600.
About half of the front door installation market is for steel doors. Let’s see why they’re so popular.
Cost-wise, steel doors are the least expensive. The cost usually runs between $150 and $400. They also offer similar security and weather resistance protection that both fiberglass and wood doors provide.
Steel doors are extremely easy to maintain. They’re also very energy-efficient.
However, they become less energy-efficient if you add glass panels to them.
The disadvantages of choosing steel for your front door installation starts with the fact that if you’re prone to dents, this is a bad choice for you. Any dents will stay there until you replace your door.
Don’t expect your steel door to last very long, either. If you live in an area prone to salt air, heavy traffic, or extreme elements, your door might only last you between five and seven years.
If you get a scratch on your steel door, you’ll have to paint it promptly. They’re prone to rusting otherwise.
Solid glass is also an option for a front door installation choice. Let’s check out their pros and cons.
A glass door provides you and your family members with great views and tons of natural light.
Unfortunately, if there are cracks, cold air can easily creep in. Also, if you have noisy neighbors or live in an unsafe neighborhood, glass isn’t a safe idea.
Once you have determined which type of front door installation is best for your home, it’s time to figure out where to buy it.
We’re one of the oldest door and window companies in southern California. We offer a wide variety of doors available in different styles, sizes, and colors.
Our installation experts will ensure that you’ll enjoy your door for years to come with no hassle. We also provide you with a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty and our own lifetime warranty on labor.
Trust us to provide you with the best quality. Take a look at our door models here.
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