Your exterior doors are like the entrance gates into your castle. Since you are the ruler, you get to make the final decisions about what is right for your castle. All-Weather can help you make those tough decisions by arming you with all your options, and guiding you towards the best fit for you and your home. Here’s an outline of all the points you should consider when replacing any exterior door.
Decide on Performance Features
One of the most important things to look at when replacing an exterior door in your Kansas City area home is the performance features. A great way to assess this is to ask yourself what problem you are trying to fix by replacing your door in the first place? From there you’ll be better able to pinpoint the types of doors that will be the best fit. If your old door was drafty, you’ll want to look at doors with good thermal retainment properties. If you’re afraid of intruders, you should look at doors that have stronger locking systems and frames.
Pick a Style & Material That Mesh With Your Home
The next most important decision is picking the right style for your home. Would a rustic door mesh well with the rest of your home, or would a more traditional door bring harmony to the aesthetics of your home? Once you have the style down, then you can choose the material. Many rustic doors are wood, but traditional and modern doors come in a larger selection of material options. There’s wood, steel, and fiberglass. But just because your door isn’t wood doesn’t mean it will look like a prison door. Many of the fiberglass and steel doors are beautifully crafted and can be designed to look like real wood, but with more durability and security.
Decide on a Color or Finish
After you have the most important aspects of your door buying decision, the fun begins. Your door can be an understated beauty that blends in beautifully with the rest of your home, or you can make it a focal point. One way to do either is to pick the right color or finish. For an understated door go for more natural wood finishes, or muted paint colors, like greys, warm browns, and beiges. For doors that stand out, use vibrant wood finishes or colors like red, blue, yellow or green.
Finish It Off With the Right Door Accessories
Lastly, pick out the door accessories you want. Your door hardware and handles can have a big impact on the style. With many handle shapes and finishes, your options are extensive . Also decide if you want a door sweep to help keep debris and dirt from entering your home. Another addition to think about is a door stop. These are most commonly installed on storm and patio doors. It ensures that a closing door doesn’t close too hard, or open beyond the angle its hinges will allow.
For a more detailed outline of how to replace each specific type of exterior door in your home (or castle), download our complete All-Weather Guide to Replacing Any Exterior Door in Your Home.
