In our last post we discussed interior doors. This week we’re bringing our door discovery outside and looking instead at exterior entrances. MATERIALSSteel: The main choice to consider when picking an exterior door is the door material. There are three main choices available including steel, fiberglass, and wood. The most affordable option of the three is steel. However, while steel doors offer a slight advantage over fiberglass and wood in terms of barrier strength, their life expectancy is also shorter – five to seven years on average. Still, the return on project investment is high with a steel door – Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value Report estimates the total project cost of installing a 20-gauge steel door at about $1,200—and the project, on average, returns about 73% of cost. Fiberglass: Fiberglass doors offer the highest degree of stylistic options, including variations that very accurately mimic the look of wood. Fiberglass doors are all but maintenance free and are known to last nearly twice as long as their steel or wood counterparts. Their price typically falls somewhere between the steel and wood options. Wood: Wood doors are typically the preferred choice for high-end projects or those looking for a luxury entryway aesthetic. However, wood is also the most expensive and most maintenance-intensive option. DIRECTIONInswing Versus Outswing: Like with interior doors, when choosing exterior doors the direction of the door’s swing must be considered. A door with an inswing opens toward the inside of the house. Alternately, a door with an outswing opens toward the outside of the house. Inswing doors are more prevalent and most homes are naturally designed to accommodate them. Right Hand Versus Left Hand: In addition to the directional swing, the placement of door hinges must all be well thought-out. Hinges must be placed on the left side for an outswing door and on the right side for an inswing door. STYLEYour front door is the first impression that most guests will get when visiting your home. As such your exterior door should be a reflection of your interior style. To help convey that style, consider color, size, and shape. In addition, don’t hesitate to incorporate unique decorative elements such as colored glass, etchings, decorative bars, or unique shapes. When you are ready to choose and install a new exterior door, contact Homecare Inc. to get your project underway!
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