The entry door is the first thing your guests interact with before entering your premises. As first impressions leave a powerful mark, how your entry door looks matters.
You must be keen as you install your door. One of the aspects to consider is the material you adopt for this door.
There are many material options to choose from, making the selection process challenging.
However, this article makes the selection process more manageable by giving a guide on choosing the best material for an entry door.
Here’s the guide:
Factor In Security
Your entry door serves as the boundary between the outside world and the inside. Therefore, security is important.
The door should prevent unauthorized entry into your space. The material you choose is one of the factors that contribute to security.
Some materials are stronger than others. Your choice of material depends on the level of security you want.
A steel entry door is quite robust and will provide high levels of security. Burglars can’t kick it down and gain access. Wrought iron is also ideal if you seek door replacement service Springfield to enhance security in your building.
Consider Exposure To Weather Elements
Different materials will react differently to similar weather conditions. For instance, some won’t last with prolonged exposure to moisture, and others to the sun’s rays.
Your entry door’s position should guide your choice in this case. If your door is on an enclosed porch, weather elements are aspects you shouldn’t worry about.
Here, you can adopt wood, despite its property of rotting with moisture exposure. The fact that it’s not exposed makes it an ideal choice. However, it wouldn’t be the best choice for an exposed entry door.
Where there’s exposure, your ideal door material is fiberglass and wrought iron. Fiberglass is known to withstand high humidity; it’ll serve you for a long time.
Wrought iron will also give you the same result. Here, steel isn’t an ideal choice. It’s prone to rust, which might interfere with its performance features.
Factor In The Level Of Traffic
Your entry door is a high-touch area in your building, making it prone to mishandling and wear and tear due to all the opening and closing. Based on this, it’s important to get a door material that will withstand everyday use.
Suppose you service hundreds of people daily in your building. Your ideal door shouldn’t easily get dents and scratches. Here, the right choice is wood or fiberglass, which is highly resistant to scratches and dents.
However, with wood, ensure you choose solid wood compared to hollow doors. Solid wood is more robust than hollow ones, hence will stand the test of time.
Where traffic is moderate to minimal, aluminum is an ideal choice.
Consider Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency involves reducing the energy you need to meet a need. It’s an important factor to consider as you choose the best material for your entry door.
As stated herein, the entry door is one of the elements that separates your indoor and outdoor space. In this case, the need you have to meet is thermal insulation.
Your chosen material shouldn’t reduce your home’s insulation. By definition, insulation entails maintaining the indoor temperatures of your space by preventing heat loss or gain.
Different materials have varying insulation properties. For instance, fiberglass and wood have high-insulating properties. They won’t allow for heat loss and gain. To add to their insulating properties, it’s important to adopt thick wooden and fiberglass doors.
There are other materials, like steel, whose insulating properties you can adjust. Today, you can add foam in between your steel door. The foam will prevent heat conduction between the steel plates, which would have otherwise reduced insulation.
As you buy your ideal entry door, look for an energy-star rating. This rating is depicted as a U-Factor (how much heat can pass through a material.) The lower the U-Factor rating, the more energy-efficient your door is.
Look At Costs
Your entry door shouldn’t cost you a fortune, and choosing one must be dictated by your budget.
Entry door materials will cost differently based on availability, transportation, and installation needs. The harder it is to get the raw material, e.g., for a solid door, the higher the project costs. The cost will also be high if your chosen door requires a lot of energy and special installation skills, such as wrought iron.
With this aspect, it’s important to work with a budget. Before heading to your vendor, write down the maximum amount you’re willing to spend on your entry door. Present this amount to your vendor as you make your purchase.
They’ll give you the best material for your entry door within your price range, inclusive of all the other factors. With this approach, you won’t spend more than you can afford.
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Look At Maintenance Needs
Despite most door materials’ longevity, you’ll need to maintain them to ensure they serve you efficiently throughout. Some materials require more maintenance than others.
For instance, a wooden entry door will require staining and treatment to prevent rotting and fading, which interferes with its aesthetics and functionality.
The other material needing frequent maintenance is steel. It’s prone to rust; hence, you need to paint regularly.
On the other hand, other materials like fiberglass require minimal maintenance.
Here, your choice of material is based on the finances and time you have on your hands to cater to the maintenance needs.
Factor In Aesthetics
You can create a good first impression by considering aesthetics as you choose the material for your entry door. Its design can reflect the surrounding walls’ design or contrast beautifully.
Suppose the walls have a traditional outlook, adopt a material like wood, which is associated with traditional themes. You can choose your preferred shade of wood, from light brown to dark brown.
Where you prefer a modern theme, opt for modern door materials like fiberglass, aluminum, and steel and paint them with your preferred color.
There are many choices regarding design and aesthetics to choose from for your doors. Most vendors will have several color options; ask for a stock catalog to see what’s available.
Conclusion
An entry door serves many important functions in a building, from security to privacy to aesthetics. The material you choose for this door should meet all these needs.
Finding the suitable one shouldn’t worry you anymore. The discussion above guides you in finding the right material for your entry door. Be sure to adopt it for an easier time.