We’re facing a threat of cosmic proportions that attacks from the sky—no target is off limits, not even your own front door.
From the time we’re young, we’re taught to shield ourselves from the Sun’s rays because they can cause irreparable damage if left unchecked. Our bodies aren’t the only things susceptible to this interstellar threat, though. Prolonged exposure to the Sun can have debilitating effects on everything from printed materials like signs to outdoor furniture or decorations. Sun damage can be a real worry for homeowners, especially front door sun damage, which can impact the safety and presentation of a home.
It won’t always be easy to prevent sun damage to your front door, but there are methods and steps you can take to protect your exterior doors from the harsh helpings of sunlight they may receive.
Go Green
Sometimes, nothing beats a classic.
Since the moment they grew tall enough to cast shadows, trees have been creating shade by shielding whatever’s underneath them from the Sun’s ever-present gaze. If utilized correctly, this age-old natural sunblock can be used to protect your home—not just your front door, but anything else the trees find themselves separating from a constant bombardment of sunlight.
Choose trees that grow quickly, have high durability and thrive in the region you live. If possible and applicable, choose evergreens to help maintain shade during the winter months. Just because trees have lost their leaves doesn’t mean the Sun will refuse to cease its bombardment.
Replace Your Door
There are moments when home improvement means replacement instead of repair. Repeatedly refinishing a front door can become a major recurring expense for a homeowner. It may be more cost-effective to switch a weathered door for a new, more durable option, like one of the many fiberglass exterior doors offered by Plastpro. A fiberglass door requires less maintenance than traditional doors and is more energy efficient. Not only will a fiberglass door stand up to the sun's damage better, it will also protect the interior of your home as well keeping you and your family cool.
Give Your Door A Hat
Trees can be great additions to your property that add character and help shield your home, but installed canopies and awnings can offer more uniform and reliable protection. This choice may also be more aesthetically pleasing than adding enough flora to your entrance way to constitute proper protection.
This option pretty much serves the same function as a hat for us humans, and just like our abundant choices when it comes to choosing headwear to aid in protection from the Sun, awnings, canopies, small roofs, and other kinds of hangovers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
Going this route for solar protection has other benefits, too. Awnings, canopies and other overhangs may have an option for adjustment, suiting their size to your needs. They may also help protect outdoor decorations and furniture from the elements.
Durable Protective Finishes
One of our most commonly used defenses against the sun is a layer of sunscreen, which offers UV protection during prolonged periods of outdoor sun exposure. Protective finishes and varnishes do the same thing for front doors, but instead of lasting 6-to-8 hours, these layers last decades when properly applied and cared for.
First, check to see if your door came coated with a finish that features UV protection. If it didn’t—or if the door is showing signs of sun damage, such as peeling or cracking—it’s time to apply a new coating!
For a wooden door try using a marine coating. Spar varnish is used on boats because it covers wood easily without leaving any cracks, creating a seamless barrier that protects from the elements. If you want to paint your wood door, use an exterior paint that’s of high quality so the color pigments stop sunlight from reaching the wood underneath.
Keeping up with a wooden door’s ongoing fight against the Sun can become costly, but there are alternatives. Fiberglass doors can recreate that wooden door look some homeowners desire while providing prolonged protection from all elements. Plastpro has options to fit a variety of different homes, including their rustic series, as well as doors that feature the textures of mahogany and oak, both popular choices for wooden doors.
How Sun Damage Occurs
When you see the colors of a door, you’re seeing rays from the Sun that the door is reflecting away. However, as the substances in a door that reflect those colors get battered by ultraviolet rays, they become damaged and their ability to reflect other rays is diminished. That’s why you’ll see colors fade, eventually becoming washed out, pale, and dull. If ultraviolet rays make their way through any coating and into the door itself, this process can also happen to the interior layers of the door.
Get Long Lasting Doors with Plastpro
Fiberglass doors last longer than traditional options because the materials are better suited to resist the elemental hardships experienced by exterior doors. This will save you time and money, as fiberglass doors break down at a slower rate, keeping your home safer and more energy efficient. They can be tailored to your taste too, with accessory options like dentil shelves and speakeasies available to add texture and personality. For unique situations, Plastpro also offers customizable doors.
That isn’t to say fiberglass doors can’t give a traditional appearance. They’re adaptable, so they’re able to be crafted into a fitting centerpiece for any home’s entryway. To find a durable fiberglass door that matches your home’s aesthetic, visit a Plastpro dealer to explore a catalog of options.
