What Are the Best Materials for a Front Door?

Finding the perfect front door for your home can be quite a challenge. Sometimes the look that we want simply doesn’t fit our budget, and sometimes it’s not quite as secure as we’d like. Because the front door governs entry to the rest of your home, it’s important to pick out a model that is strong, sturdy, and can withstand both the elements and the wear and tear that a rambunctious family tends to wreak upon everything around them. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best material for exterior doors in Toronto.

Wooden Exterior Doors Toronto

When it comes to front doors, the best option is often the one that is tried-and-true. Wood front doors are not a new concept. In fact, they’ve been in use for many, many years. They remain a popular choice, however, because they are strong, long-lasting as long as they are properly maintained, and highly customizable. If you’d like a door to fit your specific sense of style, a wood door might be the perfect fit. That might seem like an odd assurance, of course, given that many wood front doors are fairly plain. The reality, however, is that they don’t have to be.

If you have a special vision for your front door, don’t be afraid to go for it! The beauty of wood is that even if you mess something up, you can always sand it out or stain over it and try again. And if all else fails, sand it down, paint it, and hang it – just like that, you’ve got a sturdy door that is, at the very least, a colour that you enjoy. But you should feel free to carve and stain and paint away to create a unique exterior door in Toronto that truly expresses your style. Just don’t forget to seal it and maintain it every year to ensure it remains in great condition.

Fibreglass Front Doors

If you like the overall appearance of traditional wood doors but don’t particularly like the upkeep, a fibreglass door might be a good option for you. These doors are sturdy and offer plenty of protection while looking fairly similar to their wooden counterparts. That means that if you’re hoping for a traditional style without the need for yearly sealing and staining, fibreglass is your door.

When used as front doors, fibreglass doors are both fairly economical and durable. They’re going to cost a bit more than wood doors, but less than other styles on this list, and they withstand poor weather and wear and tear a bit better than other options, including wood. They can also be a bit easier to seal than wooden doors in the wintertime and summertime, meaning that you might find it a bit easier to regulate your home’s temperature than with other options.

Steel Replacement Doors

When you think about a sturdy front door, what could possibly be better than steel? This door isn’t going anywhere, and many intruders won’t even bother to try opening it. With that said, steel actually isn’t the perfect material for a front door. It offers plenty of protection, but only before it begins to rust. And while that’s not a process that might start particularly quickly, it is one that looks unsightly and can spread fairly quickly once it begins.

Something else to keep in mind with steel doors is the difficulty in repairing them. If a wood door is dented, it’s fairly easy to buff the dent out and stain or paint the door again so that it looks as good as new. Steel, on the other hand, actively resists this kind of activity. It’s not a material made to be easily manipulated, and while that makes it a good, strong front door, it also makes it one that can quickly become rather unsightly with scratches and dings that are all but impossible to remove.

Glass Exterior Doors Toronto

Glass doors are absolutely beautiful – it’s difficult to deny the appeal of a sleekly crafted pure glass door. And if you’re looking for something modern and icy and exciting, this might be the perfect material for you. Glass is surprisingly strong, especially when used in bulk like it would be in an entry door, and it allows plenty of beautiful sunlight to come streaming indoors every day. It can help your home feel a bit larger, too, while minimizing the appearance of the barrier between your home and the great outdoors.

Of course, glass doors have their downsides. While you might very much enjoy the way the light filters inside, you might find that you enjoy the idea of the neighbours being able to see inside your home quite a bit less. And while you can always buy a privacy film to apply to the inside of your door, it’s never truly going to be quite as opaque as a solid wood or steel door. You have to sacrifice a bit of privacy for a beautiful form in this instance, although if that thought doesn’t bother you, glass is certainly a great option for your exterior doors in Toronto.

Vinyl Replacement Doors

Somewhat a lesser-utilized material, vinyl is a surprisingly decent material for a front door. It’s incredibly easy to maintain and can withstand the elements fairly well. Additionally, it can be easily weatherproofed and made energy efficient. Additionally, you can order a vinyl door that looks like other materials. If you like the idea of a wood door but not the upkeep nor the price of fibreglass, for example, vinyl might be the answer. It can look like wood without the price tag and upkeep associated with the material. Finally, vinyl is a secure material and its doors are compatible with standard accessories and locksets, which means that you won’t scramble to find a way to secure your entryway.

Exterior Doors Toronto

Are you in the market for exterior doors in Toronto? Luckily for you, there are some truly great designers and manufacturers in the area. If you’d like to buy or design the perfect exterior door for your home, reach out to the experts at Burano Doors today! Our team is ready to get started on your project, and we offer free in-home estimates.