Hello World! Welcome Friends! Deciding to replace your front door can raise a lot of questions. What do I want out of my new door? Am I looking for extra security? Do I need extra energy efficiency? What’s my budget look like? Different types of doors have different advantages and costs.
The cost of your door will depend on the type of material it’s made from, what security and energy features you want, and whether or not you choose to hire a contractor or company to install it for you. The search to find the perfect front door replacement doesn’t have to be complicated.
Wood Vs. Vinyl
Wood is generally a cheaper building material for a door than vinyl. Each has distinct advantages and disadvantages, however. For instance, wood is prone to water damage and mold growth and is also susceptible to termite or other wood eating insects. Vinyl is more durable and resistant to water, and of course, does not succumb to wood-eating insects.
A wooden door can run from $100 to upwards of $2,000 dollars, depending on the type of wood, and a hollow core vs. solid core. A solid core door is more expensive but more durable and secure, but if it’s made from hickory or oak, it will take a dent out of your wallet.
Vinyl doors range anywhere from lower quality doors at around the $200 dollar range to ultra-high-quality doors in the thousands of dollars range.
Overall, wooden doors offer the most variety of designs and features per price range, despite their drawbacks.
Glass Vs. No Glass
If you choose to have glass panels in your front door, you may end up paying more for a feature that doesn’t necessarily benefit any functions of a door. The problem with glass-besides that it can be broken-is that often times the seal around glass panels wears away, letting warm air escape your home and creating condensation between the panels.
This can lead to mold in the door if it’s a wooden door, and of course up your heating costs in the winter if not addressed. Doors with glass in them tend to be much more expensive, but with little added value besides aesthetic charm.
Pre-Hung Doors
When you go to replace your front door, you may find that you need to replace the entire frame as well, or simply will want to if the new door doesn’t match the old frame color or design. Doing so will definitely cost more, but will add more value to your home and its curb appeal.
A door frame that doesn’t match (or properly contrast) the frame it’s set in can quickly become an eyesore. While pre-hung doors can be had for as little as $250, the best designs tend to cost in the thousands And for good reason,
Many use vinyl and wood composite designs, providing strength, security, and beauty to your new door. The frames themselves can be elaborate and truly stand out. In terms of cost and value, a pre-hung door will cost more, but in the end, add more aesthetic and financial value to your home.
Steel Doors Vs. Aluminum Doors
Steel doors often have a wooden core surrounded by plates of steel. These doors are sturdy and strong, offering superb protection from blows or attempted break-ins. The advantage of steel doors is that the wood is encased in metal, so it’s less exposed to the elements.
However, a small scratch or dent in the metal could begin to rust, and slowly eat away at the door’s integrity. Steel doors range from $200 to just under $1,000, depending on the thickness of the metal and the type of wood in the core.
Aluminum doors start at around $600 per door, and that’s because they are custom made. They are very similar to steel doors in that they contain a wooden core encased in the metal outside. Unfortunately, they offer similar benefits at a higher price tag and are one of the most expensive options after solid wood doors.
Steel doors offer more value for the money in this case, providing the extra security and strength for a much lower price tag than aluminum doors.
Hollow Vs. Solid Core
Doors either have a hollow core, that is nothing in between the door panels, or a solid core, meaning they are a single piece of solid wood, vinyl, or metal with a wooden core. The core is important for energy efficiency and strength.
Choosing a hollow core door for your front entry door is probably not a great idea. While extremely cheap, you’re getting what you pay for here. No insulation means the door can let out heat. The lack of a core means structural strength is a minimum, and the door is very easy to kick through or pry off the hinges.
A solid core offers a layer of insulation and depending on the material, much better protection. Steel doors with wood cores are extremely durable, and solid wood doors also provide better strength and durability than their hollow core cousins.
Conclusion
Overall, choosing the right door depends on your preferences and needs, but certain considerations should be made when choosing a door. Always look for energy efficiency and strength.
This is the door to your home, skimping on the strength of it is not the best idea. A hollow core door can easily be kicked down or pried off, while solid core doors will be more expensive. Sometimes, the extra money is worth it.
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Toodles,
It’s like you are looking at my search history. LOL. Since the front door is about the only thing we haven’t replaced, compared to everything else it started looking tired and a bit beat up. So, yes, now we are front door shopping. My options up here in Iowa are much more limited than they are in Florida and if I’m being honest, I am decision weary by this point. I’ve been told my best choice in this part of the country is a fiberglass solid core door and that gives me a number of options. My bigger dilemma is do I want a stained look or a color? If a color, you know I want something a bit out of the ordinary. My current door up here is yellow on a white house. The next house will either be white or light grey. So coral? cobalt blue? One more decision to keep me up at night. 😀 I did enjoy reading everything you had to say here though. I look at it as confirmation that I’m pointed in the right direction. Hope your Thanksgiving was great and your holiday season is festive full but with enough down time to keep it in balance.
I don’t know how you make all of the design decisions. I would get brain freeze! I’m positive that whatever you pick, it will be gorgeous! I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! We just left the first holiday open house party of the season! And, I still haven’t finished decorating! Hopefully, by the end of the week! Have a gorgeous Sunday and start to the week! Hugs
We are back door shopping in the near future so this is a really useful article! Pinning!
Sounds like you are embarking on a remodel, good luck. It’s a huge job. When we replaced our front door it turns out we had to replace the entire frame and the side window. Although it is beautiful, it urned out to be far more expensive than we originally planned. Happy holidays! And thank you for bringing this very detailed research project to FF.
Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm, Katherine!
When it comes to steel doors, I personally see no cons! Totally agree that they provide the extra security for a much lower price tag than aluminum doors.
I liked what you said about how a front door should be energy efficient and strong with some considerations for preferences and needs. My cousin has been thinking about replacing her door so that it will look a lot prettier and it will be better contained. She would really like to get some help from a professional so that she can get a front door that fits her home.
Good windows always equal great energy savings. You can lose so much of your heating and cooling through bad windows.