Selecting the right door for your home, whether it’s a renovation or a custom home designed from scratch, is one of the most important design decisions throughout the process. That’s because the doors of a home have a significant impact on the functionality and safety of the homeowners that will inhabit the space.
In the architecture and design space, the right door can act as an aesthetic accent to the home. Choosing the right door material is the first step to creating a cohesive design.
Let’s take a closer look at the common materials used by door manufacturers and how door suppliers in Canada can help you make the right decision.
Wood
Wood doors are a timeless, classic choice that is still preferred by many home builders to this day. This material can be used as both exterior and interior doors thanks to their durability and available customization.
Selecting a wood door starts with deciding whether your project is best suited to solid or engineered wood. Solid wood doors are made from a single piece of wood or several components of the same variety. These pieces are then combined to create a single feature. On the other hand, engineered wood is designed with an outer veneer layer — often more expensive and visually appealing — with a variety of woods as its interior.
One of the primary advantages of wooden doors is their curb appeal. As a versatile material, they offer a traditional, natural aesthetic that can also be customized with paint to reflect various aesthetics. Since they are malleable, they can be repaired if they encounter any damage, and they offer excellent insulation.
Steel
If you’re looking for strength and durability, a steel door might be the right option for your project. Steel doors are commonly designed between two layers of fiberglass or wood and are known for providing enhanced security — deterring intruders and wildlife from attempting to enter the home.
Since steel is a great conductor of hot and cold air, steel entry doors are an energy-efficient choice. When it comes to maintenance, this type of material can simply be wiped down with a damp cloth to remain clean.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass has become one of the most popular choices for homes in North America for its versatility, weather resistance, and energy efficiency. Unlike wood, fiberglass doesn’t expand or contract as the temperature changes — which results in a long lifespan and protects your doorways from damage.
Keeping heating and cooling costs down in a residential property is crucial for homeowners, which makes fiberglass a desired choice for many home builders. With insulating foam making up the interior of the door, durable fiberglass doors also keep temperatures regulated inside and prevent air from escaping from inside the home.
Glass
Certain door styles are accentuated by adding glass, primarily in entry doors or as materials for patio doors.
Glass can be incorporated into doors in various styles, including garden doors or sliding backyard doors. The most commonly used glass types are tempered and laminated. Tempered is often used in exterior door construction because it offers a quick-cooling manufacturing process and is resilient and highly durable for added security.
Laminated glass is designed with two sheets of standard annealed glass which are then fused together with PVB in between. They offer shock-absorbing qualities and low visual distortions — which equals greater visibility, and are often suited to bay windows.
Whether you’re looking to take advantage of indoor-outdoor living or renovating a front entryway, Casa Bella Windows and Doors can help you choose the right door material for your home build or renovation project — ensuring you have the knowledge and insight you need to select a style that reflects the functionality, safety, and visual needs of the home.
