Front doors are an integral part of any property and are often the first thing that visitors and passersby notice about your home. A well selected front door can heavily influence a person’s first impression of your home and is capable of visually enhancing the exterior of the property. For this reason, if you ever put your home up for sale, a real estate agent will often recommend giving the front door a thorough clean down and a new coat of paint, or sometimes having it replaced altogether. Front doors also serve a number of more practical functions, with the obvious one being that they provide you with access to your property. Other functions of front doors include keeping the Toronto weather out of your home, and warm air in (or cool air during the summer months), and preventing unwanted intruders from gaining access to your property.
Direct Pro Windows & Doors is one of the leading windows and doors companies in the whole of Toronto. We not only install a large range of these products, but we manufacture them too. Everything is custom built in our own facility, allowing us to not only ensure a perfect fit but favorable prices too. Due to their importance, it’s vital that front doors are carefully selected. To do so, we recommend you consider the following factors.
Which Materials are Used?
Fronts doors can be made out of many different materials, each having their own set of pros and cons. Some of the main ones include:
Wood
Wood is the traditional choice and is still a popular material for front doors. Nothing can quite beat a perfectly finished wood door in terms of aesthetics, and oak, mahogany, cherry, walnut, and maple are some of the most common types that are used. Wood needs to be carefully maintained to ensure it is fully protected from the weather, as if it isn’t, moisture and heat from the sun’s rays can cause it to warp, crack and rot, severely cutting its usable lifespan and leaving your home vulnerable to burglars. Wood front doors can be bought either pre-finished, where stains are applied at the factory, or unfinished, which will require you to apply the finish to your property. Solid wood front doors can be expensive when compared to other options, but lower cost wood doors that combine wood-veneer skins with an engineered-wood core are available if you like the appearance of wood but don’t quite have the budget for a solid wood door.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass front doors have grown in popularity in recent years, largely because they are virtually maintenance-free and they are able to tolerate harsh or humid climates. Fiberglass is a material that also resists scratching and dents much better than wood, insulates your home well and is generally an affordable choice (especially when you consider there’s no long-term maintenance to take care of). Fiberglass doors can be manufactured with a range of different finishes, including various types of wood grain, and can enhance the appearance of your home.
Steel
Nothing can match steel front doors when it comes to security and protecting your family and possessions, as the material is considerably stronger than both wood and fiberglass, and therefore better able to prevent a forced entry. Another advantage of steel doors is that they won’t crack or rot and they also have high insulation values, ensuring your home remains energy efficient. They generally cost more than fiberglass doors, but slightly less than wood doors. Steel front doors typically come with a polyester finish that is applied during the manufacturing process, which provides better endurance against daily use and wears and tear. Higher end steel doors come with a vinyl cladding that offers better protection against a range of weather conditions, which can be useful when living in Toronto.
Styles
Another factor that needs to be carefully considered is the type of front door you would like to have installed and the style you are trying to achieve. The best choice will blend in well with other architectural elements of your property and help to enhance its overall visual appeal. Some of the most popular options include:
- Ranch
- Victorian
- Tudor
- Split-level
- Colonials and Capes
- Bungalow
- Modern
Security Features
With regards to security, there are generally two things that you need to consider – the material the door is made from and the locking system that is installed. As we have already mentioned, steel is the best choice in terms of the material, and we would recommend having either a cylinder deadbolt lock or a mortise security lock fitted, as these are both types of lock that are very resistant to break-in techniques.
Swing and Hinges
These factors won’t necessarily influence the performance of your front door, but you should select the type of swing and the placement of the hinges based on your own preferences. Doors can be made to either swing inwards or swing outwards (front doors usually swing inwards), and hinges can be positioned on the right or left side of the door frame (the right side is the most common).
If you are looking for a new front door and require some assistance call Direct Pro today and talk to a member of our team about your requirements.
