Service Ace Hints and Tips

Choosing The Right Front Entry Door For Your House
Written by Jason Scott

When deciding on a new entry door, a certain amount of planning must be made. After all, your front door is the focal point of the entire house and it creates a statement. Your front door should compliment your personal character and your home in the best way possible. The increased value of your home depends on the material, design, and hardware you select. By focusing on door material, size, style, and applied finishes the front door can reflect both your personality and the period of the home.

Wood doors offer the most traditional look. However, they do require a certain amount of maintenance, but many homeowners agree that wood will always be the beauty queen of doors. You can choose between several species of wood ranging from mahogany or maple, to oak or pine. Other favorites include cherry wood and fir. Furthermore, you have the option of selecting the glazing configuration for the species you choose. However, let it be known that solid wood doors are the most expensive type, especially when purchasing an entire entry door system. If budget is a concern, consider a composite wood door instead.

Fiberglass composite doors are maintenance free and usually come with a long limited warranty. If your heart is still set on wood, but you like the sound of maintenance free, then look into fiberglass composite doors that resemble the look of wood. They are typically less expensive, but still offer the durability found in wood. Their high quality composite makes these doors resistant to all sorts of weather as well as scratches and dents. Fiberglass is an excellent choice for extreme climates and high traffic entrances.

Steel doors are your source of security and stability. They are also less expensive then wood and fiberglass, but you still have the option of giving steel a wood-fiber coating. Certain steel doors can even be laminated with real wood veneer. They do require some maintenance which includes episodic repaints and special coatings to protect against weather. However, steel doors are not affected by sunlight the way wood doors are, but they can be damaged by dents. Lastly, steel doors consist of energy efficient foam core insulation and are fully weather-stripped by the manufacturer. They are highly resistant to shrinking, swelling and warping.