How to Choose the Best Front Door for Your Home

EXTERIOR DOORS

How to Choose the Best Front Door for Your Home

A front door needs to do more than look beautiful. It also needs to be tough enough to protect against wind, rain, humidity, sunlight, temperature extremes and even potential intruders.

How your door looks and performs all comes down to its material. There are three main front door materials: wood, steel and fiberglass. Each material offers its own unique aesthetic with varying degrees of durability, security and price.

Learn more about the different door materials and what might be the best fit for you home.

Wood Doors

Wood doors are the traditional choice for most homeowners; they’re beautiful, durable and completely customizable. The authentic woodgrain is the most notable feature, with many wood options available to complement any home—from teak for a more modern look or a rich mahogany for classic appeal. Door panels, molding and any special feature you want can be crafted into the wood. You can also customize the finish of your door with stain or paint. However, all that customization comes with a cost: wood doors are generally the most expensive. Another consideration with wood doors is that the wood can shrink, crack and delaminate over time, especially when repeatedly exposed to moisture from the elements. That’s why wood doors require periodic maintenance in the form of repainting or refinishing. If you have your heart set on wood, consider Masonite DuraStyle™ exterior wood doors with AquaSeal™ technology. AquaSeal is a clear sealant that provides up to 22 times more resistance to water penetration, which helps the wood door stay beautiful even longer.

Steel Doors

Steel doors are the most economical option. But that doesn’t mean sacrificing quality—steel doors have a reputation for being very secure. They’re constructed with steel panels on both sides of a polyurethane core, providing strength along with insulation from the elements. Additionally, steel doors are available in a wide variety of design options, including high-definition panels and decorative glass lites, to complement any home design. However, the door’s construction can also hinder the durability. If your steel door does dent, it can be hard to repair and will likely not pop out of the material. They are also more likely to scratch and rust more easily. And, since steel doors are value-oriented, many store-bought options arrive unfinished and must be primed and painted prior to installation. Masonite Sta-Tru exterior steel doors come pre-finished with white paint, so there’s no need for additional finishing unless you want to add some color. They’re also constructed with rot-resistant bottom rails to combat rust as well as cracking and warping common in wood-edge or steel-edge doors.

Fiberglass Door

Fiberglass doors offer the highest performance with a look that rivals the character of a genuine wood door. The door is constructed from durable, low-maintenance fiberglass panels that resist warping, bowing, scratching and denting while the core is comprised of polyurethane which insulates up to 5x better than a wood door. Although fiberglass doors are not as customizable as wood doors, they are available in many different design styles and finish options. For instance, fiberglass doors come in a woodgrain texture to mimic the appearance of a real wood door or a smooth texture that’s perfect for painting. Additionally, all Masonite exterior fiberglass doors are crafted with details that embody the look of wood, such as detailed panel profiles and a true square edge. The doors are also categorized by collections to easily meet your needs. Choose VistaGrande exterior doors to let more light into your home or Everland exterior fiberglass doors for the most realistic woodgrain finish.

Which Front Door Material is Right for Me?

There’s a lot to consider when selecting your perfect front door. At the end of the day, it all comes down to what matters most to you. If you crave a unique design, require special sizing or simply can’t forego the classic appeal of timber, go with a wood door. If you want a door that looks good but won’t break the bank, stick with steel. For the beauty of wood without the high cost or maintenance, opt for fiberglass. Subscribe to our blog for more door-buying tips and design inspiration.

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About Masonite

At Masonite, we create Doors That Do More™ to enhance the spaces where our customers live, work, heal and learn. Our beautiful, durable doors are environmentally responsible and are designed to provide more light, sound control and protection.