Exterior doors help complement your building’s exterior design and general appeal. Examples include entry doors, which form a passage for people to enter a building. The type of exterior doors installed on your property depends on your style and preferences.
With the diverse door designs available today, choosing one can be quite daunting. In this guide, you’ll discover tips to follow when getting the best exterior doors.
Table of Contents
1. Consider Energy Efficiency as a Factor for Choosing the Best Exterior Doors
Consider the insulating value of the door you’re purchasing. Most fiberglass and steel doors have a higher insulating value as compared to wooden ones.
When choosing energy-efficient windows, consider their energy rating. The greater the number of energy stars, the higher the insulative capabilities of the windows.
Exterior doors that are triple-glazed are best for minimizing heat gains or losses. When you compare triple pane units with their double pane counterparts, the former consistently outperform the latter in insulation and energy savings.
Other features include energy-efficient cores and tight-fitting frames.
Note that triple pane doors only contribute a small fraction to the insulation of a building. They can work hand in hand with other insulating devices installed in your property to prevent heat loss.
2. Research Your Options
Spend time researching the options you have at hand before buying an exterior door. You have better chances of finding your ideal door with research.
Understand your budgetary limitations as you explore the cost-effective options at hand.
You can get insights on exterior doors from watching home and garden TV or web series. Consulting a window and door specialist may help too. Decide on the final attributes the door should have once you get this information.
3. Consider the Types of Exterior Doors
Exterior doors can be made of materials including steel, wood, and fiberglass. Such materials vary in aesthetic appeal, durability and weather resistance.
Steel doors are inexpensive and favorable in terms of weather resistance and security. They can help you save energy bills since they feature low maintenance frames with a high insulating value.
Wood may be ideal if your goal is to improve the aesthetic value of your property’s exteriors.
Wooden exterior doors are sold in various designs and can absorb any paint or stain color. They come treated with substances that prevent warping, swelling and shrinking. The downside is that they’re expensive to purchase and maintain (regular varnishing or painting).
Fiberglass and composite are the raw materials used to make some of the best exterior doors. The two elements are maintenance-free and resistant to harsh weather conditions.
Besides mimicking the look and feel of wooden doors, they have a higher insulating value. Fiberglass or composite entry doors will cost you thousands of dollars to buy and install.
4. Look at the Door Features
Hundreds of options for transoms, grille patterns and panel, and glass designs are available on the market. The more elaborate a door appears, the more money you’ll spend buying it.
Standard features found on exterior doors include rails and stiles, door locks and an adjustable threshold.
Rails and stiles are the parts that horizontally and vertically brace wooden doors. Choose laminated wood rails and stiles covered with veneer since they’re resistant to warping.
An adjustable threshold helps increase your door’s insulating value. This accessory prevents rainwater and snow and keeps the door weather-tight throughout all seasons.
A door lock system helps prevent home invasions and burglaries. Choose a door with a lock system that features a metal box strike that’s reinforced and a one-inch deadbolt. The door should have three-inch long screws lodged on the system to make it difficult to break.
5. Consider the Hue of the Finishes or Painting
Your exterior door and windows may have similar colors to add aesthetic value to your property’s exteriors.
Brightly-colored finishes or paint can help your property appear colorful and bold. You may choose a duller shade of color if you want to achieve a simple look. Consult with your local authorities on the colors recommended for door finishes or painting.
Most exterior doors feature vinyl coatings or baked-on finishes that are limited in selection. If your choice is a wooden door, get wood veneer for a natural look.
Choose your colors depending on the climate and weather conditions in your area. Bright hues are ideal for hot areas while dull colors are ideal for cold regions.
6. Evaluate the Installation Procedures
Leave the installation work to a contractor since exterior doors come with sophisticated parts that require technical knowledge to handle. Choose a door that can take less time and money to install.
Most exterior doors feature hanging frames. Get one that’s similar in size as your previous one if you’re remodeling your property.
A larger door will require you to have the door framing adjusted. You can approach a contractor for advice on the right door fit for your property.
Home improvement stores or centers are among the places you can seek referrals for highly-skilled door installers.
7. Budget Depending on the Price of the Exterior Door
Exterior doors can be economical (made of steel), mid-priced (made of fiberglass) or luxurious (made of wood). Get steel doors if you want to achieve a stylish, inexpensive and energy-efficient look. Besides being fire resistant, steel is low maintenance.
Fiberglass doors may be ideal for a property owner who wants the look and feel of wood without spending lots of cash. Though it’s more costly than steel, fiberglass has excellent insulating and rust resistant properties.
Wooden exterior doors can suit those looking to complement their buildings with high-end materials. They come in different architectural styles and finishes to complement your property’s exterior design.
Give Your Building the Exterior Doors It Deserves
Some of the best exterior doors are weather resistant, appealing and durable. Research and understand your options before buying one of them. Ensure that the door suits your budget, design tastes, and door needs.
Consider getting a door specialist to help you navigate through your choices to find a door that fits your budget and needs.
Interested in learning the various ways to spruce up your home exteriors? Check out our article on how to create a home landscape design that’s functional and beautiful. For industrial doors for your business, check out Larnec Doors and Systems
