Choosing Exterior Doors

An exterior door can include any entry door such as the front door or back door. Generally, this door leads from the outside into your home. Exterior doors are heavy duty and should be weatherproof and painted or stained with a quality product to help it last. They also usually have a sturdy lock system to prevent intruders from entering into the home.

There are many reasons for homeowners to decide to replace an exterior door, apart from it needing repair or re-painting. Reasons may include poor fitting, poor weather-stripping, unfashionable appearance, and poor state of repair, or squeaking and sticking when used. Moreover, you may wish for your exterior door to let in some form of light from the outside to brighten up a hallway or room.

Exterior doors, especially front doors, are usually decorative and wood is the most popular material. Unfortunately, wood is disadvantageous in that it can warp overtime, its finishes deteriorate rapidly when exposed to weather, and it is not a good thermal insulator. However, with the proper sealing and routine maintenance a wood door can provide warmth and elegance to the exterior of your house and also offer a long lasting service life.

Metal Exterior Doors
If appearance is not a major consideration, you should consider exterior metal doors. Because of their many benefits, metal doors and frames are being recognized as a smart choice for both new and existing homes. For starters, they resist many of the problems that can occur with wood doors, like shrinking, sagging, warping and rotting. Furthermore, they have lasting finishes, and insulated metal doors provide safety and security, energy efficiency and long-term wear.

For stylishness and security, you should consider using ornate steel and wrought iron doors on the front. They provide great detail in design and also offer substantial security. You should feel extra safe because these doors come with deadbolt-type locks and double vault pins that secure it into the frame. In addition, they are also available as double doors or with sidelights.

Wood Exterior Doors
If appearance is a major concern, you might want to consider an ornate solid wood combination door with a reasonable amount of decorative glass. You can order them from the factory with a natural wood surface to be stained or primed. Also, brass-plated decorative hinges can add a classy touch to the door. Less ornate solid wood doors are hard-wearing and perfect for a back door. However, I would recommend installing a heavy 23-gauge stainless steel screen in the back for durability and security.

Steel Entry Doors

If security and durability are your top priorities, a steel door might be your best choice. A steel door is far stronger than either fiberglass or wood. In addition, it won't crack, warp or come apart. Although residential steel doors can be dented, repairs may be made with an auto-body repair kit.

A steel door isn't as industrial as it sounds. Most steel doors have surfaces of heavy-gauge galvanized steel that has been embossed with a wood-grain pattern. Some types are given a wood-fiber coating that allows them to be stained. High-end doors may even have real-wood veneer laminated to their surfaces.

Conventional steel doors are factory primed with a baked-on polyester finish; they generally require periodic repainting. Some are given a vinyl coating for greater weather resistance. All have an inner frame that may be made of wood or--for greater strength--steel. The cavities within the frame are filled with high-density foam insulation. Weather Shield's insulated steel door with hardwood veneer facings has an insulation value of about R-8.

Steel doors are less expensive than fiberglass and wood. As with fiberglass doors, the price can run nearly as high as a wood entry system when you add amenities such as sidelites and high quality hardware.