Interestingly enough, front door replacement is the fastest, best and easiest way to automatically increase the value of your home. However, choosing the right type and material is key in this fast equity fix.
For your home, the front door is it’s face. Maybe even it’s smile, more specifically. It is one of the first things that you or your guests will notice when driving up to you house. That’s why choosing the perfect front door replacement is so important to the curb appeal of your house! Not only that, but it must be able to withstand rain, snow, sleet, hail and scorching sun. It may seem like an easy feat, but for many front doors, it’s too much to ask.  In this article, we will go over your front door replacement options and what the pros and cons might be for each style and material – typically fiberglass, steel, and wood.  Most combine several materials; for example, many fiberglass and steel doors have wood frames. But it’s the surface material that most affects appearance, durability, security, and price.

Front Door Replacement Materials:

Steel Front Door replacementSteel doors are probably the most popular options for front door replacement, for several reasons. The first is that they are the least expensive. However, premium models can cost nearly as much as a solid wood door. Steel doors are durable, more secure than wood, and will never warp, twist or crack. They hold up well in the elements. Generally, the interior features a steel or wooden inner frame filled with insulating foam, resulting in a door that provides as much as five times the R-value of an ordinary wood door. However, for all their durability, steel doors are vulnerable to dents, and if the painted skin is breached by a scratch or severe dent, it can rust. It’s also not a good idea to combine a steel door with a storm door; heat build-up between the doors can cause the surface to peel.

Steel and fiberglass doors typically have more insulating value than wood doors. Models that are Energy Star-qualified must be independently tested and certified, and often boast tighter-fitting frames, energy-efficient cores, and, for models with glass, double- or triple-panel insulating glass to reduce heat transfer. But you may not save as much as you think, since doors are a small part of the surface area of a house and typically don’t allow significant amounts of warm air to escape. What’s more, heat is generally lost through air leaks around the door,                                                     not through the door itself.
exterior-wooden-front-door-replacementWood doors are the most common option in front door replacement. Versatility and beauty are where this material really shines. There are hundreds of varieties of natural-finish stock and custom wood doors, which come in oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany, maple, fir, and pine. You’ll also find paint-grade doors in several softwood varieties, such as pine and western hemlock. Many stock wood doors are a sandwich of wood-veneer skins over an engineered-wood core. This configuration minimizes the expansion and contraction that cause warping. At about $200 or so to start, they’re a low-cost alternative to solid-wood doors. Look for tough, furniture-grade veneers at least 1/16 inch thick; anything thinner damages too easily.
When shopping for prefinished wood doors, look for durable stains and clear finishes, such as polyurethane. High-gloss sheen offer the best protection for painted doors. Whichever finish you choose, apply it to the top and bottom edges. This helps prevent a wood door from absorbing moisture and swelling. Also look for careful detailing. As a rule, the more intricate the carvings and moldings, and the thicker and wider the stiles and rails, the better the door. The same goes for panel thickness. At Builders Surplus, we have a HUGE selection of solid wood doors that can be pre-hung for you.
fiberglass front door replacement
Aluminum doors are relatively new to the market and share many of the same advantages as aluminum siding, like a baked-on enamel finish that never needs repainting and won’t rust. There are literally dozens of styles and colors available, including wood finishes. You can also combine an aluminum door with a storm door without fear of the hazards of heat build-up. The main drawback of this type of front door replacement is that, like steel, aluminum can dent, and since they are usually built to order, aluminum doors are more expensive than steel.
Fiberglass doors are much more resistant to damage than steel or aluminum and can be made to mimic genuine wood. However, they come free of the drawbacks. These doors can be painted or stained any way you choose; in fact, they should be repainted every five years or so, making them slightly higher-maintenance than steel. Beneath their molded surface is a framework of wooden stiles and rails, including wood edges for the lock set. Voids in the framework are filled with polyurethane-foam insulation. Fiberglass-composite doors carry long warranties and are smart choices for humid climates.
As far as styles are concerned, there are hundreds to choose from, but the main variations will be in windows or engravings. You can find rectangular doors, arched rounded doors, single or double doors. Obviously, the more light that you would like, the amazing-eto-doors-entry-door-decoration-brick-floor-white-paint-wall-decorated-entry-doors-ideasmore windows you should choose, but too many windows can be somewhat of a privacy issue. You can find window panels to go on each side of your door that offer a nice alternative. You can also find a door that has a separate top and bottom piece. This acts almost as a window. You can have the bottom closed and the top open for some fresh air!
At Builders Surplus in Louisville or Newport, our front door replacement options are endless! We offer virtually every style and material that you could be looking for. Our selection is far to large to put on the website, so come on in and take look around! Our sales associates will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.