Front entrance renovation rakes up a lot of benefits – increased energy efficiency, boosted property value and curb appeal, and, of course, a fresh appearance to convey a wow effect.
But it might be challenging to decide which door to go with since there are many styles, configurations and colour schemes, so inexperienced homeowners might quickly get confused.
This post elaborates on the latest door industry trends to help you choose the perfect Canadian exterior doors that will work best for your house.
1. Traditional Single Doors
If you are not a big fan of big entry doors, complex installations and bright shades, these classic white doors might be your perfect choice. The standard configuration of 1 door slab with no glass works fine with any exterior, while sleek black hardware brings an elegant yet stylish touch to the overall appearance.
2. Classic Single Doors with Sidelight
Want something more elegant but still basic? Then single white or black doors with 1 sidelight might be the very thing. You get improved aesthetics and more natural light while visually enlarging the front entrance.
However, the additional glass element (sidelight) might decrease the energy efficiency and require changes to your rough opening, so consult with the experts to find out whether your home can accommodate such a door.
3. Entry Doors with 2 Sidelights and Small Decorative Glass
Another great idea to boost the appearance of your front entry is to install the door with decorative glass. You can play with different shapes here, but the most common is oval. These models are not among the cheap exterior doors, but they are worth the investment.
Glass entry doors have a high ROI of 85% and provide a lot of natural light to your space, making it more bright and comfy. Homeowners prefer such door styles for modern house designs where they can customize the door configuration, shades, and glass type.
4. Brown Entry Doors with Full Glass
This one is somewhat similar to the previous idea, but the exterior is entirely different. The deep Chestnut brown painting brings exceptional vibes, while full oval glass coupled with two narrow sidelights ensures a picturesque appearance.
You can go either with decorative glass for more privacy or basic clear glass type for maximum natural light and a classic look. However, remember to customize it with triple glazing since many glass elements might decrease the overall energy efficiency of your door.
5. Grand Double Doors with Different Configurations
Double doors usually require many structural changes, so not many homeowners fancy them. But when installed, they look absolutely stunning, especially if coupled with 1 or 2 sidelights and/or decorative glass to boost the outer look.
The super bright colours do not work well with such grand units, so try to paint them with classic brown, black or cream shades, so they work for any house design.
How to Choose The Best Exterior Doors: Essentials to Remember
Deciding on the look of your new entry doors is vital to match it with your current home design, but equally important is to know how to define the doors’ quality to buy the best products.
1. Energy Efficiency
Consider installing only Energy Star and NAFS-11 rated/tested doors. This ensures you get the maximum energy efficiency and that your doors align with the current industry standards. Make sure to check the corresponding labels and ask your manufacturer to provide all the energy specifications of any particular door model.
2. Buy only pre-hung doors
A pre-hung door is a product that your manufacturer sells as a “ready-to-install” unit, but you can fully customize it as you like during the order phase. Pre-hung doors are usually much higher quality than standard slab doors that you can instantly buy at any store. Moreover, you can decide on every door aspect: custom shades, configuration, size, glass type, frame material, hardware, etc.
3. Steel or fiberglass doors are the trend
Wood doors are also popular but gone are the days when exterior doors made of wood were on top of the list. Steel and fibreglass models are much more affordable, require less maintenance and offer higher energy efficiency.
4. Hire a professional door company for your replacement project
Door installation is definitely not a DIY task, especially if you want to install a unique product like double doors with sidelights. It requires a lot of skills, expertise, and dedication to do the job right and ensure your front entrance is adequately insulated, the door operates smoothly and will last you for decades.
So make sure to deal with a reliable company that takes care of supplying and installing your doors. Check their reviews online, ask your friends for a referral, and compare different local offers to find the best quote for your project.
Takeaway
Door replacement is a fantastic home improvement that offers many benefits, but it is not something you can take lightly without researching the market and deciding on what works best for your house. The 5 ideas discussed above will definitely help you choose an ideal exterior door to boost your front entry. Good luck!