Your exterior door is an important statement on your home’s aesthetic qualities. The type of door that you choose can add to your home’s curb appeal and value. This can be an important feature, especially if you are looking to sell your home in the future. Certain types of exterior doors can provide a tremendous return on value after installation. Energy efficient doors are designed to reduce your utility costs and save you money on your heating and air conditioning bills.
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Choosing the right exterior door is an important decision that you should not take lightly. When choosing a door for your home, you have a few different options: wood, steel and fiberglass. Understanding the different types of exterior door material options available to you can help you make the best decision as to the bets exterior door for your next home remodeling project.
Types of Exterior Doors
There are three basic types of exterior doors available for your home. These include wood, fiberglass and steel. Wood doors are more traditional and generally, the standard type of exterior door you find with most every home. Your exterior door may also be designed using composite materials, comprised mostly of fiberglass. Fiberglass doors can range between $150 and $600 in cost and last between 15 to 20 years.
Steel doors cost between $150 and $400, depending on where they are purchased, and offer the best security for your home. Barry Roewe, owner of a Missouri-based remodeling company, reiterated that sentiment to me recently, saying “typically, customers that are most concerned with keeping intruders out of their home will opt for a steel door. Overall, they provide the strongest defense against break-ins.” These doors can also provide you with a return on your investment as high as 101 percent, making them one of the best values for the money.
Pros and Cons of Different Door Types
There are certainly pros and cons associated with the type of exterior door you choose for your home. For example, wood doors give a look and finish that is above par, when compared to steel or fiberglass. Wood however tends to be the more expensive choice than steel or fiberglass.
Depending on the level of customization, you desire you may be looking at a cost of $500 to $2,000 for a wood exterior door. Fiberglass doors are less expensive then wood doors, although they may not have the same curb appeal as wood doors. Steel doors offer the biggest bang for the buck but certain environmental elements (i.e. rain, ocean air, etc.) may require you to replace the door more frequently than other types of exterior doors.
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— US Door & More Inc. (@DOORandMORE) July 7, 2015
How to Choose Your Home’s Exterior Door
When choosing an exterior door for your home project, consider more than just the cost. Make sure that the type of material that you choose is durable and designed to withstand the weather elements in your area. Different material reacts different to outside conditions and are designed to last for different lengths of time. Wood gives your home a classic look but at a cost that is more than steel and fiberglass.
Aesthetics are also an important consideration, as well as curb appeal and resale value. Steel exterior doors provide you with the highest return on your cost and can be an appropriate option; however, you need to also check to see if there are community standards in place that require the use of a particular type of exterior door over another. When choosing an exterior door for your home make a choice that provides you with the greatest amount of benefit for your budget.