A brand new front door is capable of transforming your home and creating an excellent first impression for the people who visit your home. However, it is vital to conduct your research appropriately beforehand. This is essential because choosing the wrong style or size can be a costly and time-consuming blunder. There are many aspects to consider when choosing a door such as design, size, material, construction, budget, and accessories. They are as follows:
Size
Off-the-shelf doors are available in different standard and popular sizes. These sizes are usually classified by width, and they range from 30” to 36”. If your frame does not fall under any standard size, you can trim the door to fit. A lot of wooden doors can be trimmed by up to 12mm along each edge. In some instances, you might be better of purchasing an entire door set, which comprises of a frame and matching door. This can be beneficial if you possess an older property whose original frame may have cracked or warped after a given period.
Design
The front door usually sets the tone for your entire home. Therefore it is vital to pick a design and color that matches with the overall architectural style. For instance, an ornate glazed and paneled door is suitable for an Edwardian or Victorian house, whereas clean and minimalist lines are usually the right choice for modern homes. This is also the case for other fittings like door handles and letterboxes as well.
Construction
The way the door is constructed plays a significant role too. Less expensive dowel doors are built from kiln-dried wood that is assembled using adhesive and fluted dowels. Premium M&T (mortice and tenon) are created from specially picked kiln-dried timber and assembled using traditional mortice and tenon joints and adhesive so as to have heavy weather- proof properties.
Material
The most common type of natural material utilized in front doors is timber, mainly pine, hemlock, and oak. Solid timber usually warps or cracks over time. Because of this issue, most wooden doors are made from engineered timber. This is done by gluing together small pieces of wood to create a multi-layered construction that is stable and stronger than solid timber.
Budget
Your choice will obviously be dependent on the size of your budget. If it happens that price is a major concern for you, it is advisable to select a door manufactured from engineered hemlock or pine. A lot of doors are available without glazing thus giving you the option of inserting your own stained or patterned glass so as to have an individual touch.