Today, homeowners are interested in products that are beautiful, efficient, and easy to maintain. And when it comes to exterior doors, we are seeing a rise in demand for door components that prove to be low-maintenance. We’ve compiled a list of the three options you should consider to be sure your new entryway is not only stylish, but requires little upkeep.
1. Start with a Fiberglass Flush-Glazed Door Style
When it comes to door type, you have the option to buy an exterior door made of wood, fiberglass, or steel. Fiberglass doors have many advantages when compared to wood or steel. Wood is beautiful, but technology has made it possible to have the look and feel of a wood door without the upkeep and refinishing required. Therefore, many builders and homeowners are choosing from Therma-Tru’s fiberglass door collections: Classic-Craft, Fiber-Classic and Smooth-Star. Each are crafted with a durable fiberglass skin, so they will not warp, crack, or rot. Then they are filled with a high-grade polyurethane foam core which provides up to four times the insulating R-Value of wood, helping you save money on energy costs.
Smooth, ungrained doors continue to top the trending door chart. For a smooth, paintable option, more are choosing styles from the Smooth-Star collection. Although many homeowners believe steel doors are more durable and provide more security, they are in fact no more safe or secure than other door styles. In fact, you will find steel doors are prone to dents and rust, so homeowners are opting for fiberglass. Fiberglass is the material for a homeowner looking for beauty with low-maintenance features.
Now let us talk about glass. You have option to choose clear, textured, or decorative designs. Traditionally, doors with glass have been fabricated by inserting the glass into a door slab. This results with a lip lite frame surrounding the glass on your door.
Today, more homeowners are opting for the Enliten® Flush-Glazed Collection, where the glass is constructed directly into the door, eliminating the scroll lip lite frame and any potential for a leak in the glass. More home designs feature clean lines, more natural light, and low-maintenance qualities. Flush-Glazed glass meets the demand on all three.
2. Door Jambs for Everyday Life
Deciding what frame material your door will live in is one of the most important details to be sure your entryway is low-maintenance. The frame is a component of the door that plays a large part of the functionality and longevity of the door but is often overlooked. There are many door frame options, but the two that are becoming increasingly popular due to their low-maintenance qualities are DuraTech and FrontLine Deluxe Cladding.
DuraTech
More homeowners are opting for a jamb that can hold up to the wear and tear of everyday use and will clean up easily with soap and water. A DuraTech jamb delivers. This option starts with a rot resistant wood, then it is wrapped with a PVC topcoat to add UV protection and durability. DuraTech has three options which include White, Woodgrain and Fir. The White option features a popular bright white finish without requiring an additional coat of paint. However, it is also engineered to hold onto paint should you decide that is the route you prefer. It is made of a durable material that does not require frequent touch up like a simple primed jamb would.
If the desired look is wood, then you will explore two grained options to match the look of your door. Woodgrain is a universal grain that pairs well collections that feature oak and mahogany styles, while Fir is a great match to the Therma-Tru Collection, Classic-Craft American. If left unfinished, the grained options are a buff color, so it is recommended you complete the look with a factory finished to match the stained door. Having it professionally finished adds 10 years to the jamb warranty and leaves you with a beautiful entryway requiring little upkeep.
Frontline Deluxe Cladding
This is the most durable jamb cladding available, and it is growing in popularity for good reason. It is a heavy-duty extruded aluminum that is constructed around a rot-proof jamb. Structurally, this exterior cladding option is non-corrosive, resists dents, and will not crack, peel, or blister. Homeowners enjoy the seamless clean look with the peace of mind that this frame will not fail them. You can also rest easy knowing your investment is protected and backed by a Lifetime Warranty.
3. Finishing Touches
More homeowners and builders are opting to have their exterior doors professionally painted and stained. When a door is factory finished using the Seal-Rite Finishing System featuring PrismaGuard®, the coating is evenly applied resulting in a noticeably smooth finish, then it is complete with two topcoats for durability. Since the average homeowner does not have experience staining fiberglass, it is becoming increasingly popular that exterior door finish is trusted with the professionals. Plus, when it is professionally applied, the finish is backed by a 10-year warranty.
Now more than ever, people opt for a turnkey solution to save time. When it is professionally finished, the door is complete after installation. This eliminates the need to find a reliable and skilled contractor to come finish the door, and you will not have to live with an unfinished door on your home.
Additionally, color options are endless. Painted doors continue to trend as a more popular option versus stain, and with PrismaGuard®, the color options are limitless. Your entryway can be painted one of our top stock colors (112 Alpine, 110 Onyx, Chestnut, Indigo, and Granite) or you may select any custom color that works best for your home and we can color match.
Choosing a new front door is an experience most homeowners do once in a lifetime. If you are in the market for choosing or updating your entryway, we hope you can use this guide to select a reliable door system that will prove to be beautiful, efficient and require little upkeep.