The entrance door to your home is a primary feature that any visitor or passer by sees. The look of your entrance door allows people to envision what the rest of your home will look like and can create intrigue amongst your peers. As well as creating maximum kerb appeal, having the right entrance door for your home can give you peace of mind that your home is safe and secure.
The process of designing your front door is an exciting one and a personal experience to the individual. However, to make sure that you choose an entrance door that is the perfect fit for your home there are a few primary door features you should consider. This will ensure that you create a door that is both aesthetically pleasing and keeps your home secure.
In this post we will focus on the top 6 features to consider when choosing the right front door for your home.
Materials
People are often surprised at how much choice is available when it comes to choosing or replacing their entrance door, with a variety of designs, colours, and materials. However, the type of material used most commonly for designing entrance doors PVC and timber.
Both materials have their desirable qualities, however more recently timber doors have become increasingly popular.
Timber doors and incredibly durable, and therefore it will be unlikely that you need to replace your door for potentially decades after purchasing; the average lifespan of a timber door can range between 55-65 years. Contrastingly, PVC doors usually need to be replaced within half of this time.
However, PVC entrance doors can be set at a much lower price point compared to wooden doors making them a lot more accessible for customers. Although this low cost can be desirable at the point of purchase, timber doors actually can be a much more cost-effective investment. Where you might have to replace your PVC door multiple times over the duration of living in your home, a timber door need only be fitted once if it is properly maintained.
Looking at your investment long term, you may find that the cost of a PVC door actually amounts to a bigger cost than a wooden door.
Maintenance
The maintenance of your door, and the amount of effort you are willing to invest in the upkeep of it is also a key aspect for you to consider.
It is important to keep in mind that to maintain the quality of a timber entrance door requires regular upkeep, especially if you want to maintain its durability. Where PVC doors can simply be wiped down and cleaned, wooden doors will need to be repainted and potentially resealed every few years.
This is a process that cannot be avoided as this treatment is what will stop your wood from warping and cracking but is so important if you do not want to have to replace your door often.
Glazing
Glazing can also be a key decision in the process of designing you new entrance door too and is completely dependent on your personal preference.
On one hand, glass panelling will allow a lot of natural light into your home, which can help in making the interior seem much bigger and brighter than it already is, whereas not having it can help you to increase the privacy of your home.
If privacy is something you are concerned about, many entrance door manufactures offer their panelling in several different designs ranging from completely clear, frosted, and opaque. All three types of panelling have their benefits, however both opaque and frosted glass will allow you to maintain a certain degree of privacy.
Security
The security of your home is a crucial consideration to make when deciding what entrance door, you will choose for your house. Features such as the locking systems installed on the door and its robustness are important aspects which should be looked at closely.
Although it is desirable that your entrance door fits seamlessly with your home décor, the security of your home should be equally as important.
At Timber Windows, all of our entrance doors are manufactured with full height locking systems and created with tough, sturdy hinges to ensure you are safe from any potential intruders. Our locking systems are also made with anti-pick, anti-drill, and anti-snap barrels, which prohibits any potential break ins. Timber is also an incredibly tough material, making it difficult for intruders to penetrate too.
The safety and security of our customers is paramount at Timber Windows, and this should be no different elsewhere. When purchasing your new entrance door, always ask about the doors locking specifications. Any reputable manufacturer will happily provide you with these documents to give you with a sense of security.
Thermal Efficiency
Where there has been a recent surge in the price of energy bills, homeowners are more conscious about how to make their home thermally efficient, than ever before. Although you might not think it, a well-insulated entrance door can be a key way of retaining heat within your home and keeping cool drafts out.
When purchasing your entrance door, consider the material that it is made from. Timber is a great insulator, as the air pockets within the wood allow warm air to be held inside them, rather than being transferred elsewhere. This in turn helps to conserve hear within your home.
As well as being made from timber, all of the doors that we manufacture at Timber Windows are patented with double capillary seals and thermally divided raised panels which help to minimise any unwanted draughts.
Further, if you choose to install glass panelling with your front door, we use advanced double glazing, providing you with twice as much efficiency as standardised double glazing.
Aesthetic
Finally, one of the most important decision for customers to make is the design and aesthetic of their entrance door. As already mentioned, your front door can create kerb appeal for your home and can make passers-by enviable of your style and taste.
Think about whether you want a traditional, or more contemporary look for your door, as the material that you use will have an impact on the aesthetic that your door gives. Timber doors can provide your door with a rustic and natural feel, whereas PVC doors provide you with a more modern look.
A timber entrance door can also give you a lot more freedom with your design. Inevitably, your tastes will naturally change over time and a timber door can be re-painted to accommodate these aesthetic changes. PVC doors, however, tend to come in one set design and aren’t typically interchangeable, meaning you will likely be stuck with your original choice until the end of the doors lifecycle.
Ultimately, It’s Up To You
Whatever entrance door you choose to have on your home has to be the perfect fit for you, and that is why you need to take into consideration all of the above, to make sure you get what you want.
Whether your main focus is on the appearance of the door, its security, or you would like to try and save a little extra money on your energy bills, always ask questions regarding all of these points when buying your door, so you get the best option possible.
Here at Timber Windows North, we want to put our customers first. We are happy to answer any of your questions and help you in any way we can to get you the door that is perfect for you. If you’d like to have a chat, contact us here, or come and visit our showroom to take a closer look at what we have to offer.
