When you are no longer comfortable with your exterior doors, it is prudent to remove them and fix new ones. Several reasons such as rot, need to add value to your home, irreparable damage, changing entry’s style, and others are some of the reasons for installing a new door. Whatever reason prompts you to install new ones, make sure you do not waste your time for lack of enough information.
You can be sure that conducting proper research is probably the most important part of changing your front entrance. This is a more complex process than it looks at the first sight. Therefore, you need to be certain what your goals are and what you really need from the new doors you will buy. Basically, it all depends on the style your home has. It makes sense to say that you cannot use metal ones if your home is made of wood. Therefore, you need to have proper research and you need to know exactly what you need, based on your home’s looks.
Therefore, for a successful project, gather a few pieces of relevant information from other homeowners who have had the same experience as you. Thankfully, since a lot of people go through this process every day, we have a lot of experience to take notes from. Therefore, you can be certain that all the information that we’ve displayed is as credible as it can be. Let your exteriors set the standards for your home from the outside. Click here to learn more from Windows Tech Windows and Doors.
Benefits of Replacing Entry Doors
Surely, the time for replacing your front doors will come at one point. There are many different reasons this can happen due to all the negative effects of the weather. At the same time, we can see that mechanisms are not going to last forever. So, you can either replace the existing ones or just the mechanism.
However, it should be said that you are looking at replacing the whole openings in case it’s pretty old and you cannot find proper parts for its mechanism. Therefore, it’s inevitable that you will do it at least once. Replacing your old ones has undoubtedly numerous benefits. Now, let us take a look at some of the most prominent ones.
1. Changing Color
When replacing your front entrance, it is your chance to try out new colors. It is probably the reason that motivates you to replace your door, especially with types that cannot be repainted. Buying new ones that cannot be repainted is not something we would recommend to anyone since you can change your mind at any time.
A great tip is to look for an exciting color such as turquoise if you want all the attention. Such colors represent a bold character. If you prefer a calm and formal presentation, you can try glossy black. What’s important to know is that you need to have a color that will fit right into your home’s style.
All in all, make sure your color of choice is no way out of the surrounding environment and your house’s exterior. Your exterior entrance can also make you feel happy if you choose a color that blends well with your area’s climate. This last sentence is probably the best advice that you can have when it comes to the color of your doors.
2. Glazed Doors
You can have your exterior entrances wholly or partly glazed. The entrance is either double or triple glazed for energy efficiency and allowing natural light inside the house. Some materials are preferable when partly glazing the entrance, and the glazing is used as a decoration in addition to increasing energy efficiency.
3. Wood Doors
Another outstanding benefit of changing your entrance access is having a variety of materials to choose from. While wood is timeless and creates a comfortable environment, it is expensive to maintain. It is also costly to install and is prone to damages caused by weather elements. However, maintaining it properly will mean that you will be able to prevent this from happening.
A better alternative to wood is fiberglass. It is less expensive, is durable, and can withstand harsh weather elements. With fiberglass, you can imitate wood and still achieve the same luxury and appearance wood provides at a minimum cost. Even though these materials are cheaper than having a wooden doorway, we would like to say that wood is our favorite material.
If you insist on wood, as we would do, and have no problem spending on initial and maintenance costs, hardwood performs better than softwood. You can put a lot of creative carvings on the hardwood doors and achieve a priceless appearance for years if you give it proper and frequent maintenance.
4. Wrought Iron Doors
Wrought iron doors are ideal for homeowners that are skeptical about the security of their homes. Today, this material can be combined with fiberglass to provide insulation. Additionally, mixing the two allows you to avoid having that plain look and create beautiful designs. However, it should be said that there isn’t too much when it comes to the aesthetics of these types of entrances.
You can customize your wrought iron entry to match your architecture without compromising the aesthetic part.
Types of Exterior Door Opening
1. Pre-hung Entry Doors
When getting a standard pre-hung entry, you can be sure of having a few adjustments or none at all. They come with jambs and hinges ready for installation in the pre-existing openings. Pre-hung ones are available in hardware and home renovation stores.
They come in different sizes and materials. Standard pre-hung access measures between 80 to 96 inches high and 18 to 36 inches wide. These measures are something that you need to take seriously and check if your home is can fit them without too many problems. If you buy these without checking, you are looking at additional costs, either by buying new ones or renovating some parts of your home.
2. Doors from Slabs
Slabs are used on unusual door openings and by homeowners that want customization. Slabs can be found in home renovation and hardware stores. Adding slabs require you to include additional steps so your entry can be functional.
Make sure you take the correct measurements and that you have the right trimming tools for your slabs. It helps in covering all the spaces to allow proper insulation and to avoid compromising the security of your house. That is, if you do not fit your opening securely after adding the slabs, it can be weak to prevent break-ins.
If you are not familiar with cutting slabs, look for a professional to help you do the work. Make your exterior ones look spectacular, add value to your home, and provide efficiency the right way.
The Bottom Line
As we’ve mentioned earlier in our article, replacing your front doors is a much more complex thing than you would think. The reason is that you will need to pay close attention to a couple of highly-important aspects. Therefore, you need to be absolutely sure that changing them is of the essence.
At the same time, finding the right type, in terms of shape, size, color, and material is something that you shouldn’t treat lightly. So, here are some of the things that could help you on your journey of changing your front door in the most effective manner as it is possible. We certainly hope that you will find our article useful. We wish your luck on your quest.
