Choosing the right front door is an important decision that blends functionality with style.
This front door buying guide will cover the key factors to consider when choosing a new front door, helping you choose one that complements your home’s kerb appeal and provides modern security.
Choosing the Right Door Material
When choosing which door material to use, performance, durability, weather resistance, and aesthetic appeal must be considered, as well as your home’s architecture and maintenance requirements. While classic timber is known for its warmth and traditional aesthetic elegance, fibreglass, aluminium and steel doors are valued for their modern durability, high security, sleekness, low upkeep and weather-resistant qualities, making them ideal for those seeking both style and practicality in a variety of locations.
Customising Door Colour to Personality
Customising your front door’s colour is a simple yet effective way to add your personality and your kerb appeal. The colour you choose can create a welcoming atmosphere, helping you reflect your interior style. Whether you opt for a vibrant, bold hue like yellow, turquoise, purple or pink or a more classic look like burgundy, navy or forest green, your front door can become the focal point that expresses individuality. You could elevate your entrance further by coordinating the colour with exterior elements like the garage door and landscape.
Selecting Door Styles and Hardware
When deciding which door style to choose, you should consider complementing it with the architectural style of your home, whether contemporary, Victorian or cottage. For contemporary homes, a sleek, clean-lined door with a sidelight either on one side of the door or both works well. Victorian homes would benefit from decorative or glazed window doors or wooden panel doors. Cottage-style homes, on the other hand, would gain charm with a wooden arched design door with small windows.
It’s also essential to consider hardware like the tone of the handles, hinges and knockers to ensure they align with your home’s overall style. Matte black or stainless steel complements modern designs, while brass or rustic finishes enhance traditional looks.
Deciding Between Fully Glazed or Partially Glazed
Glazing options can flood abundant natural light into your narrow hallway, helping you to change the look and feel of your home’s entryway.
A fully glazed door is often favoured in modern and contemporary homes for its clean, minimalist look that complements the overall design. Its large glass panels allow natural light to pour in, making smaller entryways more spacious and welcoming. On the other hand, partially glazed doors offer balance, letting light in while offering a level of security and insulation that solid doors provide. This makes them ideal for maintaining a cosy, warm feel for Victorian and Edwardian homes without sacrificing natural light.
Strengthening Security
Enhancing front door security is vital for protecting your home and ensuring peace of mind. In addition to choosing a durable and hard-resistant material, like steel or solid wood, it’s worth adding hardware like deadbolt locks and multi-point locking systems to provide protection. Doorbells with cameras and a peephole are also a convenient way to monitor your outside without opening the door for further precaution.
Prioritising Sustainability
Choosing sustainable front doors benefits the environment and enhances your home’s energy efficiency and overall comfort. For example, foam-filled composite doors provide exceptional insulation due to their dense core, offering low U-values that significantly reduce heat loss. Additionally, composite doors are durable and long-lasting, requiring minimal maintenance.
U-values are universally used to express the rate of heat transfer through a material. A low value signifies a good insulator, while a comparatively higher value indicates more heat loss through the material. Therefore, when prioritising sustainability and energy efficiency opt for a lower U-value.
Bringing Your Front Door Together
Choosing the right front door for your home is an important decision that blends style, security and functionality. From selecting the suitable material to considering design, colour and hardware, your front door can dramatically enhance your home’s kerb appeal and help improve your hallway while providing the necessary protection. Choosing wisely ensures that your front door will be a welcoming and secure entrance for years to come.
A Few Useful Front Door Terms
Inswing – A door that swings into the house
Outswing – A door that swings out from the house
Right-hand door – A door whose hinges are on the right-hand side as you face toward its exterior
Left-hand door – A door whose hinges are on the left-hand side as you face toward its exterior
Door slab – This is the door panel, without any framing, hinges, or other hardware.
Pre-hung door – A door that comes pre-installed within its frame, complete with hinges and usually a pre-cut space for the doorknob and lock. It’s ready to install into a doorway.
Door Jamb – The vertical parts of the door frame that the door is attached to via hinges. They support the door and help keep it aligned.
