A new exterior door can make a big difference to your Vancouver home. Door replacement, no matter how simple it may appear, requires a lot of consideration.
First off, what type of door is being replaced? Is it an entrance door (swing-type) or a patio door (sliding)? The following provides you with some of the things that you should consider when replacing an entry door or patio door.
- New door construction material
- How much light you want to let in
- Colour
- Security features
- Building codes
New doors come in a multitude of materials, each with their own pros and cons. Steel doors, obviously, provide excellent security features, but may not be the most attractive. Steel does have some versatility, however, in terms of contour paneling and windows. A new wooden door makes for an attractive entrance way into your home, but can warp and fade with aging and exposure to the elements. Thus, a new door will likely need some form of stain or paint application to keep it fresh looking.
Fiberglass doors are a new addition to the options for a new door. They are as versatile as steel and wood, but may be more appealing than metal because of fiberglass’ ability to be textured, to mimic the wood look and feel Colour options for new fiberglass doors are wide, with weathering and warping virtually a non-issue. Finally, PVC and aluminum are also common materials for new door construction, but are used more typically in sliding/patio door applications.
If you are putting in a new side entry or basement door, windows may not be a big part of your decision-making, but front doors typically integrate glass somewhere into their design. Sidelites are glass inserts typically built into the whole door system. New doors themselves often have some sort of decorative glass built into them.
Most new steel doors come in a base white (primer) and must be painted if the customer wishes something different. Lately, new door installations have embraced a striking colour contrast to the rest of the exterior of the home, particularly for front doors. Spend some time looking at current door installs in your neighbourhood before finalizing your new door colour, because it will likely be there for a long time, and is a big part of the curb appeal.
New doors require new door hardware to keep your home secure. Make sure the pre-drilled holes in your new door match the security hardware/lockset you have purchased.
Finally, make sure your new door passes current building code requirements. That special door purchase you made in Mexico on holidays may not pass structural requirements of your Lower Mainland home.
At Ecowest, we have installed hundreds of new doors, and have the experience and expertise to make sure your new door is installed properly, looks great and lasts for years. Give us a call for a free estimate on your new door installation today.
