Entry Doors

The entry door is the signia emblem of houses of just about every architectural style, and it sticks its head into the picture for all the rest.  Put a drab or ugly door on a home and it will color the attitudes of all who pass through it.  (See our Blog post about how to choose the color of your door.)

Entry doors are to be distinguished from patio doors.  They have lower or flat thresholds to prevent tripping by users, but will more readily leak water; compression weather-stripping to keep out the cold and wind; and until recently, only a latch-bolt with a deadbolt used in combination to secure the door into the strike-side jamb when closed.

They are made principally of three different compositions.  While doors of steel are still available and are the most affordable, and some are quite attractive, they live up to less than their name when compared to the other two.  Priced a little higher is fiberglass. (The door itself is composed of inner wood stiles and rails faced with poured fiberglass.)  Wood doors are yet unsurpassed in their beauty, but still require the most frequent maintenance.  Any of them can be equipped with glazing, clear or decorative.  The more glass, the more money required to buy it.

To any of these choices is added a pre-hung door frame constructed of wood or composite, though some manufacturers will add aluminum cladding or even vinyl cladding to the exterior of their frames.  Hardware choices are more diverse than ever before.  We’re finding it a toss up between the time it takes the typical customer to choose decorative glazing and hardware, so take your time and call us – we’ll point you toward hardware showrooms you’d never find on your own.

Manufacturers:

Jeld-Wen,

Masonite,

Simpson,

Therma-Tru,

TruStile