Entry door is the gateway of your property, where house meets home. It sets the tone for what the outside world sees when they look at your house, and what inspires your design within. For people looking for a home refresh, changing out your front door might just be the single piece of inspiration you need to enhance the curb appeal of your home. But deciding on what type of door you are looking for is more than just choosing between modern and traditional. If you’re thinking about replacing your front door, it’s vital to consider beauty, durability, and energy efficiency in your final selection.

As important as how it looks, is how it is built and what material best suits your style and needs.

Material & Construction

Typically, people who are in the market for doors are swapping out their existing configuration for a similar configuration. Where the decisions start to come in is in the material you choose for your new door. The 3 most common materials are steel, fiberglass, and wood.

Wood

Wood entry doors have always been a popular choice and come in many different types and styles. Wooden doors are coveted for their natural beauty that brings a warmth and sophistication to a home. These doors, while beautiful, require the most care to prevent damage and deterioration. That’s why many people opt for alternatives in more dynamic climates, like Canada, where they’re more likely to shrink and expand with changes in weather. But for many people, the beauty of a real wooden door makes the extra effort to maintain it worth it.

Steel

Steel entry doors have become the most common material for doors, known mainly for their strength and durability, while at the same time, being able to create character and style to your entryway. People like steel doors because they are both secure and affordable and can easily be painted to be a multitude of colors to suit your taste. Steel entryways typically come with a smooth construction and finish and can be purchased unfinished. This allows you to select your paint color afterwards, or they can be purchased painted and ready to go.

Fiberglass

If you have a door in a newer build home, chances are you’ve tried to figure what on earth it’s made out of. You can tell it’s not steel, sure it’s not wood, but you can’t quite figure it out. Well, spoiler alert: it’s likely fiberglass. Fiberglass entry doors are growing in popularity and are on track to outpace all door sales as we throw more research and development into perfecting and growing our fiberglass door inventory. Especially here in Canada, fiberglass doors are a great choice to accommodate the harsh climates and temperature swings regions of the country have. They’re much easier to take care of, and are just as, if not more efficient than any other door option. These doors do not rot, so you don’t have to worry about the moisture that you would with wooden door, and they are indistinguishable from real wood and handcrafted for exceptional beauty.

You can get a fiberglass door that looks embossed woodgrain, with a smooth finish, but, unlike wood, you also need not worry about dings or scratches. These doors can take harsh Canadian winters and typical wear and tear that more traditional materials can easily show.

Okay, so you’ve picked what kind of door you’re going to get. Now is the real fun part! What’s it going to look like?

Style

You might not have a specific idea of what kind of door you want, but whether you gravitate to more traditional, transitional or modern styles, there’s a door design to meet your needs.

When selecting a door keep in mind the design of your home. You want something that’s complimentary to the house. A very traditional door, even if you love it, will look strange at the front of your modern home. You want to find a nice balance between preference and style to select a front door that best meets your vision for the curb appeal of your property.

When choosing a door style, also think about if you intend to have glass insert(s), and if so, what kind. Do you want it to have clear glass? Have a panel design? Be opaque? There are lot of considerations and options of various types of glass inserts you may opt for in your design.

Among the more popular styles today are all panel and glass panel, sliding patio, swinging patio and folding doors.

All panel

All panel doors provide the ultimate privacy and an added layer of security. JELD-WEN offers a wide variety of all panel doors that are made with wood, fibreglass, composite or steel and in a range of styles to complement your design aesthetic.

Glass panel

When selecting a glass panel door, it’s important to keep in mind the amount of privacy the glass you select provides. There are a myriad of glass panel sizes, shapes, textures and decorative patterns to bring in as much light as you want. The benefit of glass panel doors is the ability to have more fun with the style of your door with the addition of decorative glass. Decorative glass is a great way to let light into your home and add some style. Among the more popular styles today are the 3 and 5 lite flush doors, which work with many different architectural styles, and can instantly update an older home. Although available in numerous designs, colors, caming and configurations, today’s trends are leaning towards more simple textured glass like frosted, or a minimalist prairie style grills. Less is more when it comes to lite designs right now.

Sliding glass door

Sliding glass doors are a popular solution for backdoor patio entry and egress. With these types of doors, typically one door panel is stationary and the other opens by sliding horizontally on tracks. Sliding Patio Doors may include more than two panels.

Swinging patio

Traditionally, most people select sliding glass doors for their patios, but increasingly, people are looking for alternatives to better reflect their personal style. Enter the swinging patio door. Whether you’re looking for single, double, or French swinging patio doors, you’ll find these doors are available in many styles and glass types to provide clear viewing or obscured for more privacy, depending on your personal preference and needs.

Folding doors

Open up an entire room to the great outdoors with a Folding Patio Door System. These doors open accordion style and can be designed with multiple panels. Folding doors are able to open the entire way, making for amazing, unobscured sightlines and access to your outdoor space.

Doubling up

Sometimes two is better than one and an alternative for your front door is double doors. Double doors offer a grand feeling when you enter a home but are not easy to install if you didn’t previously have double doors. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but, if you’re hoping to switch from a single to a double door style, you may want to speak with a contractor about your options for widening your door opening to accommodate the additional room required.

Colour

If you’re a watcher of home renovation or design shows, you’ve likely seen the significant thought and consideration that goes into selecting a door colour. In fact, changing up your door colour can completely transform your curb appeal and has been linked to increased resale value. Painting your door is always an option, but different door materials require specific paints, so you’ll need to be mindful of that if you’re just looking for a colour refresh. That said, if you’re in the market for a brand new door, you won’t find an abundance of selection in standard door colours. Much like cars, doors typically come in the most popular colour choices; Black, white, green, blue and red. Black has been, and will continue for a long while to be the most popular colour for doors, but we make sure to have a variety of colours on hand to suit your preference.

Sidelites

Sidelites are those long windows that you will often see on either side of the actual door. They are great for lighting up an entryway and for adding style and depth. If your current entry has Sidelites, chances are you’ll also need to consider replacing them at the same time you are changing out your door. They are available in half lite, ¾ lite, and full lite configurations, depending on your preference. You are also able to select the design and glass type to suit your taste. That’s one of the great things about Sidelites – you can mix and match the style of window to compliment, but not necessarily ‘match’ your door, giving you some extra wiggle room to perfect your ideal looking entryway.

Decorative inserts

Decorative glass is a great way to let light into your home and add some style. Although available in numerous designs, colours and configurations, today’s trends are moving toward simple textured glass like frosted, or a minimalist prairie style grills. Less is more when it comes to design in 2021.

Like every other detail you want to consider when you pick your door, it’s important to consider efficiency. A solid door will ultimately conserve more energy, but JELD-WEN offers doors with glass that are ENERGY STAR certified to ensure your home is kept warm in the cold months and cool in the hot months, so you don’t have to compromise your desired style for energy efficiency. You can have them both!

Whatever style, material or colour you chose for your front entryway, going to a trusted source will help you select the best option for your home.

Installation Steps

No matter which door you chose, no matter where you are in Canada, you are dealing with moisture and the impact it has on the selection of material for your front entry door. With that in mind, there are a few important steps to take once you’ve selected the type of door you’re going to install, whether it’s an all panel, glass panel door, or sliding patio, swinging patio or folding doors.

1. The first thing you have to do is look at the size of your rough opening and existing configuration. Twenty-eight to 36 inches are standard door opening sizes and most doors, unless you go custom, are eight feet in height. For any new door, check and see it’s ENERGY STAR certified. Ratings vary and you want to make sure you’re upgrading to a door that is more efficient than what you had previously.
2. When you are ordering or purchasing a door, you’ll want to specify the boring and whether it’s standard or custom. The boring is the holes in the door that are there to make way for your lock and doorknob. There is a standard size but that doesn’t mean your desired hardware fits that standard. Best to measure to make sure you’re not disappointed. That’s why it’s beneficial to know exactly what kind of handle you a want installed on the door to ensure the size of the holes are accurate to accommodate your selected hardware. It may be boring, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important! (haha! see what we did there?)

Choosing a new entry door is an exciting way to refresh your home and update your vision of how you want your home to look. Making sure it meets your needs and style preferences is easier with a trusted supplier who offers a variety of materials and styles. If you need to bring your vision to life visit JELD-WEN Canada.