Wooden Front Door

Despite a multitude of doors to choose from today, the traditional wooden front door remains the most popular selection for homeowners.  The following are a few of the reasons the wooden front door remains a favorite choice.

Wooden front door Price:  The cost of wooden doors is generally lower than doors made of steel or other materials. Painted, flat-panel (flush) wooden front doors are the least expensive front doors.  Wooden front doors with raised panels are more expensive than flat-panel front doors but are still more affordable than doors made of other materials. Homeowners have a wide range of prices to choose from, and there is a wooden front door to suit every budget. 

Wood Choices: Wooden Front doors are available in different grades of wood. The most popular and least costly choice is softwood.  Homeowners can always choose to paint the door another color as a do-it-yourself project.  Stain-grade wood is more expensive than painted wood and adds an elegant look to a home.

Insulation: Wooden doors provide good insulation. Weather stripping (draught seals) can be added to the door for even better insulation.

Styles:  Wooden front doors come in many styles and sizes so there’s something to suit almost everyone.  The two basic styles of wooden doors are paneled wooden doors and the glazed wooden doors.  Glazed doors allow more light to come through and security is improved with double and triple glazed wooden doors.

A wooden front door is generally heavier than one made of fiberglass or foam-filled plastic (uPVC) and can withstand more bumps and scrapes without needing to be replaced.  Should any damage occur, usually some wood filler and paint can be used to repair the door and be made to look like new again.  Additionally, if you decide to paint your house, wooden front doors can also be painted to match.  Most fiberglass doors are hard to paint and may require replacing just to get another color.

If you use an automatic door opener, a heavier one will be required to open a wooden front door safely.  The use of properly sized heavy duty front door hinges will also be required.

There is an abundance of options as far as building materials and designs available in new wooden front doors and wood front being the most commonly installed.  Each type of door will have options available for the exterior style/color, decorative glass, hardware, insulation, etc.

Wooden front doors are the most commonly installed types.  Their lower costs, maintenance, and a variety of available designs make them the obvious choice for most homeowners.  Wooden front doors need not necessarily be painted, as they can also be stained.  Styles include, but are not limited to, raised panel designs, flush panels, and various cottage house designs.  

Vinyl doors are beginning to make a larger impression on the market. These doors won’t rust and are more resistant to dings and scratches than the wooden front doors. Prepare to pay substantially more for these types of doors.  Many dealers don’t carry any in stock, so a lead time of around six weeks can be expected. They usually look like a wooden front door as far as exterior styles are concerned.

Overall, wooden front doors remain the most popular choice by far and have done so for many years and will perhaps continue to do so.  Given that many new contemporary styles are now available, the manufacturers are now capturing this end of the market.  Five years ago there were mostly traditional styles of wooden front doors available, today there are several.