Exterior doors set the tone for your home. They’re usually the first thing people notice about your home when they walk up. The different types of exterior doors all contribute to your home’s curb appeal and energy efficiency in a variety of ways.
It’s important to have well-functioning exterior doors because you use them everyday. Whether it’s your entry door, patio door or storm door, there are many types to choose from within those three main categories.
Living in the Midwest, you’ll need a type of exterior door that not only looks beautiful but provides great energy efficiency to help keep your home comfortable year round.
We’ve come up with a guide to all the different types of exterior doors and which are best for your Midwestern home.
Different Types of Entry Doors
Your entry door, or front door, is pivotal in your home’s curb appeal, security and energy efficiency. Entry doors come in three different materials – wood, fiberglass and steel.
Plus, you can further customize your entry door with hardware and decorative glass, but we’ll get to that later on.
Right now, we’ll tell you which entry door is the best for your Midwestern home.
Wood Entry Doors
Wood is a homeowner’s guilty desire. The look of wood entry doors is unparalleled compared to the other types of exterior doors. Wood entry doors are also very sturdy and offer great security for your home.
However, wood entry doors come with a price. A hefty price. They’re easily the most expensive type of entry door. The costs don’t stop at the initial purchase either. Your wood entry door will require routine maintenance in order to keep it looking great.
Painting and staining your wood door every couple years or so will only maintain it’s beauty. Your wood entry door will still be extremely susceptible to warping, rotting and expanding due to the moisture and weather extremes it’ll face in the Midwest.
We would advise against installing a wood entry door on your Midwestern home.
Fiberglass Entry Doors
Fiberglass entry doors are becoming increasingly popular as they’re both highly durable and energy efficient. Unlike wood, fiberglass doors won’t warp, rot or expand.
Fiberglass entry doors are available in a plethora of finishes including wood grain finishes. You can get the beauty of a wood entry door without the hassle of maintenance.
Your fiberglass door will have foam core insulation to keep heated or cooled air from escaping your home depending on the season. Plus, they’re resistant to any dents or scratches that may arise from the weather or the high volume of traffic that your entry door experiences.
A fiberglass entry door will suit your Midwestern home very well.
Steel Entry Doors
If your door replacement project requires maximum security, strength and energy efficiency, then steel entry doors are perfect. A steel entry door has all the same benefits of fiberglass, except steel does an even better job.
A thick gauge steel entry door will provide maximum security and protection. Whether it’s extreme weather or an unforeseen intruder that comes knocking at your front door, your steel door will stand its ground for many years to come.
With strength comes energy efficiency. Just like fiberglass doors, steel entry doors have a foam core insulation to keep your home comfortable year round. Steel entry doors are also available in many different colors including wood grain finishes.
If you’re looking for maximum protection and energy efficiency, steel entry doors are the best option for you.
Customize Your Entry Door
Along with the material of your entry door, you can customize it with different hardware and decorative glass options to create the door of your dreams.
Between glass, handles, locks, kickplates and more, your entry door can be beautifully crafted to how you desire.
Types of Exterior Doors: Patio Doors
Patio doors are a great addition to your home and offer easy access to your deck or patio along with great views. The two types of patio doors are sliding patio doors and French patio doors.
Sliding Patio Doors
The most common patio door style is the sliding patio door. This style operates much like a giant sliding window and offers maximum light and ventilation for your home.
Sliding patio doors are available in many different materials including aluminum, wood and vinyl. The doors operate on a set of tracks with rollers that allow for easy opening and closing.
Since sliding patio doors are mainly just a large rectangle of glass, it’s extremely important to maximize the security of them. This can be done a number of ways including placing security bars at the bottom or reinforcing the glass.
Between the different materials of sliding patio doors, vinyl is the best option for your Midwestern home. It’s extremely energy efficient and durable to help keep your home comfortable no matter the weather.
French Patio Doors
French patio doors offer your home a more elegant look. You can choose to have your French patio doors open inwards or outwards and from the left or right. Also, you have the option of choosing if all doors are operable or if only one opens and closes.
French patio doors are available in all the same materials as sliding patio doors. However, you can also choose to have steel or fiberglass patio doors that offer all the same benefits as the entry doors.
These are great if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of having wide open sliding patio doors and want the most security and privacy for your home.
Customize Your Patio Doors
Much like entry doors, you can customize your patio doors with different hardware such as locks and handles. You can also have different grid styles and built-in blinds installed to increase privacy.
If you choose to have French patio doors installed, you’ll have all the same customization options as fiberglass and entry doors do.
All About Storm Doors
One of the most overlooked types of exterior doors are storm doors. Most people view these types of exterior doors as flimsy and believe they serve no real purpose.
However, storm doors are wonderful additions to your home, especially for homeowners in the Midwest.
They add another layer of protection and energy efficiency to your existing exterior door. With the advancements made in the home improvement industry, storm doors are no longer a thin piece of metal that becomes a nuisance to open.
Storm Door Materials
Storm doors are available in steel, composite/vinyl or aluminum frames. Choosing your storm door’s material depends on factors such as where you live and what kind of performance you’re looking to get out of it.
Steel Storm Doors are very strong and won’t crack, warp or rot. However, they’re the most expensive and heaviest option.
Composite Storm Doors are great for energy efficiency. While they do offer solid protection to the elements, they’re not very suitable for extreme hot or cold climates. They’re mostly found on coastal homes.
Aluminum Storm Doors are a great alternative to steel. They’re lighter and offer excellent strength and durability. Aluminum storm doors are perfect for the Midwest because they can handle extreme heat and cold.
Storm Door Styles
Storm doors come in many different styles with various screen options. There are styles that provide a full view or a half view. You can choose to have the full view glass, screen or both to be interchangeable.
There are half view storm doors that feature glass or screen in only the top half. From there, you can customize your storm door with different hardware options such as handles, mail slots and even pet doors.
The Best Types of Exterior Doors for the Midwest
The different types of exterior doors are a vast group of products. Entry, patio and storm doors all have many styles and variations within their respected categories. Whether you need a new steel entry door, energy efficient vinyl sliding patio doors or a tough and rugged aluminum storm door, make sure to look around and enjoy the beauty of the new look.