Category: Door Buying Guides

In our bustling world, the quest for tranquility within our homes has never been more pressing. Particularly, soundproofing your front door is a key step towards achieving a serene interior sanctuary. Plastpro, a leader in innovative door solutions, offers an array of soundproof doors that blend style, security, and silence. Let’s dive into the world of soundproof doors and discover how the right choice can transform your home into a peaceful haven.

 

Understanding Soundproofing: The Science Behind a Quieter Home

Sound travels as energy through various mediums, and unfortunately, doors are often the weakest link in a home’s defense against noise. The principle behind soundproofing a door is to increase its density and eliminate gaps through which sound waves can travel. Plastpro’s doors are engineered to address these challenges, providing homeowners with an effective barrier against external noise.

 

The Role of Density and Mass in Soundproofing

Increasing a door’s mass is a fundamental aspect of soundproofing. Heavier materials absorb and block sound more effectively. Replacing a lightweight door with a heavier, solid-core option can significantly reduce noise transmission. All Plastpro doors come with a pre-installed polyurethane foam core for your comfort and convenience. 

 

Sealing the Gaps: The First Line of Defense

Gaps around the door are the primary culprits in allowing noise to penetrate your home. Weatherstripping and door sweeps are simple yet effective solutions. Plastpro’s doors come with high-quality sealing options that not only improve soundproofing but also enhance energy efficiency.

 

Advanced Solutions: Acoustic Sealants and Thresholds

For more comprehensive soundproofing, acoustic sealants and specialized door thresholds can be employed. These materials provide an additional layer of sound insulation, effectively sealing off any potential entry points for noise. 

 

Choosing the Right Soundproof Door for Your Home

When selecting a soundproof door, consider the level of noise you’re dealing with and the style of your home. Plastpro’s range of fiberglass front doors comes with built-in sound-blocking capabilities, ensuring that there’s a fit for every scenario and aesthetic. Each door is a testament to Plastpro’s commitment to combining functionality with design excellence.

 

Installation and Maintenance: Key to Lasting Performance

Proper installation and regular maintenance are crucial for the long-term effectiveness of soundproof doors. Plastpro’s network of skilled professionals ensures that your door is installed with precision, maximizing its soundproofing benefits. Additionally, their doors are designed for low maintenance, requiring only occasional checks and minor adjustments.

 

Exploring Additional Soundproofing Techniques

Beyond choosing the right door, there are additional methods to enhance your home’s soundproofing. Installing mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) on the door, adding dense materials like fiberboard, and using specialized soundproofing kits can provide extra layers of noise reduction. These methods work by adding mass and density to your door, further dampening sound transmission.

 

Understanding the Nuances of Soundproofing

Effective soundproofing involves understanding the nuances of how sound travels and interacts with different materials. By combining the right door with additional soundproofing techniques, you can create a layered defense against external noise. This comprehensive approach ensures that your home remains a peaceful sanctuary, free from the intrusions of the outside world.

 

Plastpro: A Synonym for Peaceful Living

The right front door can be your gateway to a quieter, more peaceful home. Plastpro’s soundproof door solutions offer an amalgam of style, security, and serenity, making them an ideal choice for the modern homeowner. By understanding the essentials of soundproofing and choosing the right Plastpro door, you can transform your home into an oasis of calm in a noisy world.

Discover more about Plastpro’s range of soundproof doors and how they can enhance the tranquility of your home by visiting a Plastpro dealer near you and exploring your options. 

 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been a pivotal law in promoting accessibility and inclusivity in public spaces since 1990. For homeowners and builders, understanding and implementing ADA-compliant doors is not only a legal necessity but also a commitment to creating spaces that are welcoming to all. This guide will delve into what ADA-compliant doors are, their essential requirements, and the significant role they play in building design.

 

The Essence of ADA Compliance

The ADA was enacted to ensure equal access and opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Its regulations cover a wide range of public accommodations, including schools, hotels, and commercial facilities, mandating specific design standards to facilitate accessibility​​.

 

Detailed ADA Door Requirements

Clear Opening and Maneuvering Clearance

One of the fundamental aspects of ADA compliance is the door’s clear opening width. This width must be a minimum of 32 inches when the door is opened to a 90-degree angle. This dimension ensures enough space for wheelchair access and other mobility aids​​.

 

Height and Closing Speed Considerations

Alongside width, the door’s clear height must be at least 80 inches. Additionally, ADA sets standards for the closing speed of doors, ensuring they close at a rate accessible for individuals with disabilities​​.

 

Hardware and Accessibility Features

The accessibility of a door is largely determined by its hardware. Door handles, pulls, and locks should be installed between 32 and 48 inches above the floor. These elements must be operable with minimal effort, not requiring tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. This design consideration is crucial for individuals who may have limited hand strength or dexterity​​​​.

 

Plastpro’s Commitment to ADA Compliance: Meeting and Exceeding ADA Standards

Plastpro’s ADA doors for personal residences and commercial buildings not only meet but often exceed these critical standards. Their doors are designed with the necessary clear width, height, and easy-to-operate hardware, making them ideal for both residential and commercial settings.

 

The Benefits of Choosing Plastpro

Opting for Plastpro’s ADA-compliant doors means more than just adhering to legal standards. These doors enhance the functionality and inclusivity of any building, contributing to a universally accessible and welcoming environment. All of our ADA-compliant doors are made with high-quality and durable fiberglass materials. They feature a wide selection of styles to suit any design needs, as well as different skins and textures to match the design principles of any home, from modern to traditional. 

 

Practical Tips for Selection and Installation

When selecting ADA-compliant doors, it’s important to consider the specific needs of the environment. Plastpro offers a variety of doors suitable for different settings, ensuring compliance and convenience.

Proper installation of ADA doors is crucial. It’s essential to adhere to the specific ADA guidelines during installation to ensure all accessibility requirements are met effectively.

 

Creating Inclusive Spaces with ADA-Compliant Doors

ADA-compliant doors play a vital role in inclusive design. They ensure that buildings are accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, making public spaces more accommodating and welcoming.

Incorporating ADA-compliant doors is not just about following regulations. It’s a step towards creating an equitable society where all individuals, regardless of their physical abilities, can access and use public spaces comfortably and independently.

 

Embracing Accessibility and Finding the Perfect ADA-Compliant Door with Plastpro

ADA-compliant doors are a key element in making spaces accessible and inclusive. Plastpro’s range of ADA-compliant doors offers homeowners and builders an excellent choice for meeting legal requirements while enhancing the functionality and inclusivity of their buildings. By choosing the right ADA doors and ensuring their proper installation, we can contribute significantly to creating accessible and welcoming environments for everyone.

Ready to embrace accessibility in your next project? Explore Plastpro’s extensive range of ADA-compliant doors. Visit our Find a Distributor page to locate a distributor near you and take the first step in your project towards building a more inclusive world.

Your home’s front door should be unique to your property. The eyes naturally gravitate to the front door, meaning this important part of the home is essential for maximum curb appeal and homeowner pride. Choose a Plastpro custom-size exterior door for your home and bring out the best in your property.

With Plastpro, your custom front door will always be a perfect fit, enhancing your home’s form and function. In particular, Plastpro’s trimmable door series serves as a hassle-free, low-maintenance option for custom doors.

 

The Importance of Precise Measurements

Accurate measurements are essential for looks as well as functionality. Accurate door dimensions also improve door energy efficiency, boost your property’s curb appeal and functionality. 

Plastpro’s trimmable series doors are the easiest option for all homeowners. Let’s take a look at the process of measuring a door frame, why a tailored fit matters, and the additional merits of Plastpro doors.

 

Measuring Your Door Frame

Preparing for the installation of a new door requires a tape measure, a plan, and patience. Begin by determining if you would like your front door to swing outward or inward. Doors can swing either way, meaning you’ll need sufficient space for your chosen direction. Moreover, you’ll also have to decide if you want additional glass as a transom that takes the form of a window above the entrance or even a window next to the entrance. 

Plastpro is here with the resources you need to install the best possible door for your home, potentially with a sidelight or another accessory. Regardless of whether you want to add one or both windows, it is in your interest to order the door accessories in unison with the door, and then plan the design of the entranceway with a holistic approach. 

Measuring a door requires analysis of its many parts. Once the door is measured, it is that much easier to check out the Plastpro options for an accurate match. Door standard sizing includes the panel as opposed to the opening, jamb, and frame. Most door frames measure half an inch shorter and between ¾ inches and ½ inches narrower than the rough opening, guaranteeing there is sufficient space to accommodate the frame. 

Inaccurate measurement prevents proper squaring before the point at which the door is fastened to the frame. Standard doors are at least 80 inches in height, equating to exactly 6 feet and 8 inches. The typical door width is 36 inches. Use a tape measure to measure the height and width inside of your home’s front door frame. Be mindful of the threshold below when measuring, accounting for it as necessary. Also, be sure to measure the thickness of your current door to ensure the new door you select doesn’t protrude. 

Measure the exact positions of the three-door hinges. The best way to pinpoint hinge position distance is to measure from the top of the exterior door down to the top of the hinges. Measure both the height and width of the hinges. 

Measure from the door’s top to the hole in the middle to pinpoint the position of the borehole for the door handle. The best way to measure the bore hole position is to remove the current door handle. Next, measure the length from the borehole center to the nearest door edge. 

 

The Benefits of a Tailored Fit

Custom-size exterior doors tailored to your specific home provide a litany of advantages. For one, custom doors are favored for their longevity. Tailored doors almost always have longer lifespans than regular doors thanks to their superior craftsmanship. You can even go as far as handpicking the specific material for your door. 

A tailored, precise fit also helps prevent burglaries. Choose a Plastpro fiberglass door and you’ll enhance your home’s security all the more. Moreover, customized doors can also be made with impact-resistant glass and superior locks for additional protection. 

 

Curb Appeal and Aesthetics

A customized door will improve your home’s value through stylistic and functional enhancement, allowing you to put your unique stylistic taste on display for everyone to see. A proper fit also makes the rest of the home’s exterior pop that much more. 

 

Functionality and Energy Efficiency

Perhaps most important is the fact that a tailored fit guarantees the door is perfectly sized, guaranteeing a tight seal and superior insulation. The perfect door seal prevents indoor air from moving outside and outside air from moving into your living space. 

 

Customization Options with Plastpro

Choose a custom Plastpro door and you’ll have the option of several door customization options including those with our patented HydroShield technology. Our fiberglass doors are designed to make the entry door resistant to moisture and energy efficient. 

HydroShield Technology safeguards doors against threats such as humidity, water, and more using a composite barrier that protects the doors on all sides. HydroShield prevents the following:

• Rotting that compromises door functionality
• Unsightly corrosion
• Warping
• Mildew and mold

Each Plastpro HydroShield door uses Polyfiber door frames, creating an impenetrable entry that makes you and your loved ones that much safer. The HydroShield exclusive formula is carefully measured to guarantee the skins are of the highest quality. Moreover, Plastpro also provides unlimited options in terms of sizes, panel configurations, and designs. 

Choose a full-length composite door and you’ll protect your entryway from outside moisture that much better. Full-length composite stiles have two times the ability to hold screws in place than wood. Moreover, such doors are complete with composite bottom and top rails. 

Check out Plastpro’s entry door options and you’ll find we provide more than those of the standard size. Though most doors are 1 and ¾ inches in thickness or close to it, there are significant variances in height and width.

 

Plastpro’s Trimmable Exterior Doors

Plastpro’s trimmable doors are convenient, practical, and visually pleasing for a wide range of home styles. However, if you are like many homeowners, you may not be sure what a trimmable door is.

Trimmable exterior doors are expertly designed to fit within home entryways, making them optimal for homes with non-standard sizing and also for homes with conventional entryways. Trimmable doors can be adjusted two inches or less in both width and height, guaranteeing the perfect fit with the frame. Such flexibility is reason enough to choose a trimmable door. 

Add in the fact that you can choose your preferred skin as oak or smooth along with your desired style and you have the perfect new entrance to your home. The alternative is to let the size of your home’s entryway constrain your door choices. 

Moreover, Plastpro trimmable doors also ensure you don’t have to reconstruct the entirety of your home’s entryway. Custom door alternatives can be trimmed an inch from the composite stile, an inch and a half from the bottom rail, and a half inch from the rail at the top. Plastpro trimmable doors are also advantageous as they are comprised of fiberglass that functions similarly to wood, providing superior longevity and minimal maintenance. 

 

Design and Style Options

Your home is a representation of your life’s work and also your aesthetic preferences. A plain door that looks similar to others might be functional yet it won’t improve your home’s beauty or value. Check out Plastpro’s wide variety of door styles and you’ll find there are plenty of fashionable options including both modern and traditional designs, as well as door accessories including sidelights, hinges, and speakeasies.

The Plastpro Limited Series fiberglass doors are favored for their aesthetic appeal. This door series is highlighted by the industry’s best graining. The Modern Series of fiberglass doors is widely favored for its contemporary design. 

Some homeowners favor the Onelite Series as its glazed flush glass complete with a removable stop ensures the glass can be replaced without replacing the full door. Those looking for something more contemporary favor the Modern Series in the spirit of design simplification.

The Oak Series has universal appeal thanks to its grain texture. Our Nova Series is highlighted by glass glazed into the door for a pleasing visual flow. The expansive glass pane provides a clear view of the front yard while permitting sunlight to fill your home with warmth and good vibes.

 

Enhancing Your Home with Plastpro

Plastpro’s customized doors ensure the perfect fit, visual appeal, and superior functionality. We invite all homeowners to take a look at Plastpro’s door offerings including options for customization.

Find a Plastpro distributor near you to get the ball rolling on your new front door.

Ask anyone who’s had an exterior door installed on their home or installed one on their own about the experience and you’ll hear a common refrain: the dimensions matter more than one might assume. Personalized exterior door dimensions make your home entryway look that much more appropriate for your unique property. A custom-sized door solution for your home’s entryway emphasizes your unique stylistic preference, taste, and architectural eye.

Though standard doors are certainly functional, they simply do not make the same visual impact as a personalized exterior door with uniquely tailored dimensions. Add in the fact that customized door dimensions maximize thermal efficiency and there is even more reason to personalize your home’s entryway. 

Once your customized door is installed, you’ll agree your new door is much more than a mere entrance into the house. Customized exterior doors are a reflection of your home’s identity and your personal style. Go the extra mile with distinctive decorative features, unique shapes, and other artistic elements and your new custom front door will be the focal point of your home’s entryway.

 

The Drawbacks of One-Size-Fits-All Solutions

One-size-fits-all doors get the job done in that they open and close but that is the extent of their merit. If you want anything more than the bare minimum functionality, opt for a personalized exterior door with dimensions specific to your home’s unique entryway. Custom front doors provide visual appeal while simultaneously perfecting the fit for home energy savings. 

Here’s a closer look at the drawbacks of standard-sized doors to help homeowners obtain a better understanding of why in many cases, custom front doors are the better option.

 

Fit and Functionality Issues

There is nothing more important than the front door’s fit. A door that fits properly will prevent the cold and hot outdoor air from moving inside. However, challenges arise when attempting to align standard doors with frames that are non-traditional. The resulting gaps between the new door and the old frame create insulation flaws that ultimately increase home utility bills throughout the winter and summer. 

Moreover, there is also the potential for a poor door fit to facilitate burglar entry, putting the safety of you and your loved ones at risk. Add in the fact that an improper door fit has the potential to look unsightly, lowering the property’s curb appeal and there is that much more reason to choose a personalized exterior door.

 

Limited Design Options

Front doors are half function and half form. Shift your focus away from strict functionality, considering how the door you have in mind will look when paired with the rest of the entryway and home. Envision a fully personalized front door with exact measurements for your home’s entryway. Bring this vision to life with the help of Plastpro and you’ll find a litany of styles that make your home look its best. Alternatively, standard doors are relatively plain and lack design options that complement unique home architectures.

 

Unraveling the Benefits of Custom-Sized Doors

Opt for a custom front door and you’ll find the door is visually impactful, energy-efficient, and easy on the eyes. Some homeowners go as far as saying their customized door revolutionized their home exterior.

 

Precise Fit Equals Enhanced Efficiency

 A proper door fit heightens efficiency for both family members and also provides a much-appreciated financial boost in the context of home energy. A door that fits right minimizes the use of home heating and cooling systems, decreasing the wear and tear on furnaces and air conditioners. 

The optimal dimensions ensure the indoor air you’ve paid to heat or cool remains inside and the outdoor air does not move inside unless the door is intentionally opened. 

Custom-fit doors eliminate dreaded pesky gaps, ensuring optimal insulation that saves you money on your monthly heating and cooling bills. Custom exterior doors eventually pay for themselves in the form of more affordable energy bills.

 

Unleash Your Design Fantasies

Use your mind’s eye to picture your ideal home. If you are like most people, you are envisioning a home with a spacious entryway highlighted by a lovely front door, or even French doors. The front door is undeniably the primary point of focus when looking at a house from the outside. Choose your preferred design, decorative elements, shapes, and other subtleties, have the door dimensions personalized and the exterior will be a true representation of your idiosyncratic style. 

In particular, our Smooth Skin Series, Oak Series, and accompanying door accessories are revered by homeowners looking to add a stylish element to their property’s exterior. Both of these door types can be trimmed to fit in a variety of existing entryways, making them perfect for renovation projects outside of standard sizing. 

 

Plastpro’s Mastery in Crafting Custom Doors

We invite you to take a look at our Custom Doors to get a sense of how one would look on your home’s exterior. Take the custom front door route and your home will be uniquely yours. This is your opportunity to differentiate your home’s exterior from that of the surrounding properties. 

Plastpro Trimmable Exterior Doors are easily installed across a wide variety of home entryways. Whether you prefer non-standard sizing or are remodeling your home, you’ll agree our custom doors are the perfect option. The doors are available in both Smooth and Oak skins. Choose the variety that looks the best when paired to your home’s exterior and you’ll have genuine pride in how your home looks. 

It is also possible to re-size adjustable width and height trimmable doors for optimal fit within a home’s already existing entryway. These custom-size door alternatives can be trimmed up to 1” from each composite stile, ½” from the top rail, and 1½” from the bottom rail. While traditional customizable doors are made of wood, Plastpro’s are made of fiberglass that not only replicates the appealing characteristics of wood, but also lasts longer and requires less maintenance. Our trimmable exterior doors even feature HydroShield Technology to prevent moisture and humidity from infiltrating.

 

Beyond Trimmable Doors: Custom Solutions for Every Home

Expand your door-hunting horizons beyond trimmable doors and you’ll find there is a fully customized solution ideal for your home. Plastpro is proud to provide a diverse selection of customized trimmable doors to storm impact doors and doors that are ADA compliant We even carry fire-rated doors, built to withstand flames for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 60 minutes for some models. 

Compare our door selection to the competition and you’ll find we have more designs and a wider array of materials to choose from. 

 

The Aesthetics Meets Durability

The combination of visual beauty and durability is what makes Plastpro front doors so popular. We go to the extent of personalizing front door designs as well as exterior door dimensions to ensure your home is unique to you and your loved ones. 

Our designs present your home exactly as you desire yet we refuse to skimp on door quality as longevity and strength are central to our brand. The Plastpro approach balances artful design with the resilience of fiberglass for doors that please the eye and hold strong for years.

 

Making the Smart Investment in Custom Exterior Doors

If you are on the fence as to whether now is the right time to replace your outdated or otherwise disappointing door, seize the opportunity to make a change. Choose a personalized exterior door and you’ll save money in the long run. Your custom exterior door increases your property value, lowers your monthly energy bills, and provides an invaluable sense of happiness every time you look at it. 

 

From Ideas to Implementation with Plastpro

There’s no reason to be intimidated by the prospect of adding a new exterior door. Plastpro is here to guide you toward the best new front door for your home, install that door the right way and enjoy its benefits for years to come. Lean on us for guidance and we’ll help you bring your door vision to life. 

Our website and resources, including how-to guides make do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement surprisingly easy. Check out our trimmable door guide for all the information you need to accomplish this project on your own!

 

Your Home Deserves More Than Standard: Choose Custom with Plastpro

The standard front door opens and closes yet it doesn’t tap into the true potential of a home. Recognize the importance of front door beauty, functionality, and durability, choose Plastpro for a personalized door and you’ll find the entryway to your home becomes the crown jewel of your property. 

Think of the home’s foundation and siding as a canvas while the front door is the artful paint laid upon that platform for personal expression. In short, your front door represents your taste and identity. Plastpro is here to help personalize this important component of your home with the addition of a door that fuses efficiency with impactful design elements and idiosyncrasy. 

Plastpro’s expertise ultimately transforms home entryways from otherwise unremarkable spaces into visually pleasing transition points. Find a local Plastpro distributor near you to customize your home’s grand entrance. Simply enter your zip code and you’ll be a click away from connecting with a Plastpro distributor in your area. 

In addition to doors, Plastpro also carries door accessories. Check out our inventory and you’ll find door hinges, hinge straps, sidelights, speakeasies, and more.

 

When helping house hunters find the right property, real estate agents often advise focusing on homes that let the light in. An abundance of natural sunlight makes living spaces more enjoyable both in terms of warmth and aesthetic appeal. 

However, some homes don’t have large windows that let the light pour inside. Choose the right glass for your home’s entry door and you’ll maximize the available natural light. 

 

The Significance of Natural Light in Home Design

The perfect new front door glass lights up the home while preserving your indoor privacy. The best options on the market provide the benefit of significant energy savings. Below, we provide a look at the benefits of natural light, the different types of glass, and their unique merits. 

 

We also highlight Plastpro’s extensive glass options including low-emissivity glass for optimal energy efficiency. Choose Plastpro glass and you’ll enjoy the delicate balance between style, privacy, and natural light.

 

Energy Efficiency and Savings

The average homeowner is unaware of the energy savings potential of natural light. Choose your new glass wisely and the warm sunlight will pour inside during the winter months, making your home that much more comfortable while simultaneously reducing your energy bills. 

There is no sense in paying to use artificial interior lighting when the sunshine is available for free. A reduction in artificial light use decreases your monthly energy bill, saving you a considerable sum of money in the years ahead.

 

Boosting Aesthetics and Mood

Perhaps the most important reason to maximize your home’s natural light with glass is to improve its comfort, transforming it into a welcoming place for family, friends, and visitors. Sunlight alters the feel of a room, making an otherwise drab space a room that people genuinely enjoy spending time in. 

Natural light enhances how a room looks while simultaneously enhancing the mood. The vibe boost makes the space that much more comfortable and also more conducive to productivity. 

 

Exploring Glass Types for Front Doors

Do some research and you’ll find there are numerous glass addition options for front doors. This is your inside look at glass varieties.

 

Full Light Entry Doors

Full light entry doors let the natural sunlight pour inside, filling your home with light, warmth, and good vibes. The maximization of natural light is the primary appeal of full-light entry doors yet some fans of these doors rave about their elegant presentation. 

If your front door leads directly to the living room or is offset to the living room, family room, or den, you’ll find full-light entry doors irresistible. Full-light doors with clear glass provide comprehensive access to the entirety of the sun’s natural light. In particular, Plastpro’s Onelite and Nova Series are especially popular full-light entry door options. 

Maximize the available sunlight, take in the warmth and you’ll find you and your loved ones gravitate toward this part of the home all thanks to the addition of your full light entry door.

 

Decorative Glass

Decorative glass makes an artful addition to every home entry door. Take a look at the decorative glass options on the market and you’ll find there is beauty in each idiosyncratic style. From floral patterns to geometric shapes, artful designs, and beyond, the creative flair in decorative glass presents natural light with true style. 

We invite you to check out two examples of the industry’s best decorative glass in Plastpro’s Modern Series, or with Doorlites glass inserts. Doorlites from Plastpro come in a variety of styles and textures to perfectly complement your entryway with a stunning geometric design. 

 

Privacy Glass

If you want to balance preserving the seclusion of your home’s indoor space with sufficient light, opt for privacy glass. Privacy glass filters light without sacrificing privacy. This unique type of glass prevents intruders and unwanted visitors from looking inside your home through the front door. 

 

Enhancing Energy Efficiency with Low-E Glass

 Opt for Plastpro’s low-emissivity glass, also known as Low-E glass, and you’ll enjoy an influx of sunlight without worrying about your energy bill or environmental degradation. This is your inside look at Low-E glass.

 

Understanding Low-Emissivity (Low-E) Glass

Low-E glass minimizes emissivity. Plastpro’s Low-E glass is highly energy efficient, providing a much-needed alternative to traditional glass options. Door glass including P1 safety glass with anti-burglary film is often coated with low-emissivity coating that ramps up the U-value. Also referred to as the U-factor, the U-value is a gauge of the glass’s insulation characteristics. This metric communicates the amount of heat lost or transmitted through the glass when indoor and outdoor temperatures differ.

Glass that has superior thermal performance ultimately minimizes the cost of home energy bills. The combined thermal insulation and protection against outside threats provides the invaluable reassurance every homeowner needs and deserves.

 

Cost-benefit Analysis

Though Low-E glass is not free, it saves you a considerable amount of money in the long run. Crunch the numbers on homeowner energy bills after the addition of Low-E glass and you’ll find the reduction in monthly utility bills offset the cost of the glass and then some. 

The icing on the cake is the minimization of environmental impact after the addition of Low-E glass to your front door. The glass’s thermal efficiency provides a solid return on investment throughout the years and decades ahead.

 

Striking the Perfect Balance: Light, Privacy, and Style

The right glass for your home entry door depends on your specific preferences and needs. Are you looking for an infusion of natural sunlight to spread throughout the entirety of your living room, hallway, or other space? 

Perhaps you are intrigued by a particular style of glass for entry doors. Maybe privacy is your top priority. Choose your entry door’s glass carefully and you’ll balance style with privacy and light for a happy medium. If you prefer a slight or significant imbalance between these three features, you can easily maximize light, privacy, or style as desired. However, the average homeowner gives preference to light as an influx of natural illumination from the sun makes the interior of the home that much more warm and welcoming. 

If you have pets or kids, they’ll gravitate to this part of the home to soak in the sunlight. Don’t let price or another variable be the sole determining factor if you are on the fence about adding glass to your home’s entry door. Plastpro’s doorability tool is a great place to start your entryway remodeling journey. Simply upload a photo of your home, outline the location of your existing door, and then begin browsing through Plastpro’s entry door collections. Watch as every option you choose simultaneously appears on your photo.

 

Assessing Your Home’s Needs

No two rooms require the same amount of illumination. Some rooms are large while other rooms are small. Moreover, some rooms have windows in addition to a door while other rooms have no windows. Add in the fact that most family members gravitate to one or two rooms in the home for the majority of their waking hours when away from work/school and there is even more reason to let the light shine bright in those frequently occupied spaces. 

Balance an infusion of light through new glass added to your home entry door with privacy with the house’s overarching design and you’ll have a family-pleasing addition that everyone loves. Some families prefer adding glazed glass to the entry door for privacy while others prefer more transparent glass that lets the beauty of the outside world shine bright inside the home. 

Lean toward a happy medium between privacy and full illumination and you’ll find it pleases the eye without jeopardizing your family’s security.

 

Customization with Plastpro

The optimal glass added to your home’s entry door is not guaranteed to be the best option for your neighbor’s home or another residence on the block. Your home needs the right customized approach provided by proven industry experts like Plastpro. 

Check out our inventory and you’ll find we have highly diverse glass types, decorative glass inserts, and designs. 

 

Your Doorway to a Brighter Home with Plastpro 

The time has come to let the light shine bright inside your home. Even if the interior of your home already receives ample sunshine from windows and the glass on your front door, even more warm light is available through additional forms of illumination. In particular, the sun has untapped indoor lighting potential that doesn’t cost a single penny. The only thing standing in the way of an infusion of such heart-warming natural sunlight is your current entry door’s lack of glass.

Maximize the natural light available to your living space with the assistance of Plastpro and you’ll find your home looks and feels completely refreshed. Our glass options let the glorious warm natural sunlight shine bright, transforming otherwise plain and dull living spaces into true comfort zones.

You can find Plastpro products including doors and glass for entry doors at a dealer near you. Enter your zip code into our local dealer search tool to find Plastpro products in your area. 

If you are like most homeowners, you might not have spent much time thinking about exterior doors, also referred to as the front doors of a home. What is out of sight tends to be out of mind so your attention is justifiably focused on the inside of the house as that is where you spend most of your time. 

Though exterior doors are out of sight, they matter a great deal. It is no secret that temperatures are rising throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Exterior doors have the potential to become a significant problem, especially if you reside in an area with comparatively warm weather and lack a formidable barrier to protect yourself, your loved ones, pets, and belongings from an increasingly hot outside world.

When selecting an exterior door, zero in on its features and characteristics. In particular, energy-efficiency is especially important. The exterior doors you select should be specifically made for areas with warm weather. Everything from the material to design elements and insulation matters a great deal. Choose wisely and you’ll reduce heat transfer, ramp up energy efficiency, and keep your living space comfy and cool throughout the entirety of the year.

When in doubt, lean toward a fiberglass door. Fiberglass doors are energy-efficient, affordable, and durable. Plastpro is proud to offer exterior doors with the industry’s best energy efficiency. Our doors are carefully designed to endure harsh temperatures while offering the best possible insulation, style, and longevity.

 

Characteristics of Energy-Efficient Exterior Doors

Contrary to popular opinion, there are substantive differences between exterior doors. The best doors are highlighted by certain elements. In particular, the best exterior doors are strategically designed to retain their quality when subjected to the elements.

 

Heat-Resistant Materials

Temperatures are rising, the ozone layer is damaged and the population continues to grow. The combination of these factors puts the planet’s sensitive environment including your property in danger.

If your home doesn’t have a heat-resistant exterior door, now is the time to add one. Industry veterans unanimously agree that fiberglass is the optimal material for an exterior door. A fiberglass door is built to endure the brunt of Mother Nature’s wrath including egregiously high summer temperatures. Choose a fiberglass door for your home and you’ll successfully prevent heat transfer into your living space.

 

Effective Insulation

The best energy-efficient exterior doors are characterized by elite insulation. Check out the insulation options for exterior doors and you’ll be impressed with the plethora of options. In particular, exterior doors are revered for their foam cores that help maintain a cool and comfortable interior.

 

Thoughtful Design

Plenty of thought is put into the design of energy-efficient doors. It is the design elements of such doors that shape their functionality, form, and longevity. Weatherstripping is added to energy-efficient doors to prevent the outdoor air, including harsh gusts of wind, from moving inward. 

Energy-efficient doors also feature multi-paned glass to keep cool indoor air inside and hot outside air outdoors. These uber-thick doors make it that much easier to prevent heat, gusts of wind, precipitation, and other threats from entering your living space.

 

Fiberglass Doors: The Most Energy Efficient Front Door

When it comes to exterior doors, safety is the primary concern yet energy efficiency also plays an important role. Your home’s exterior door should not be a financial drain. Choose wisely and you’ll add a new door that keeps your energy bill at its current level or even reduces it.

Plastpro Quality is characterized by sustainability for the collective benefit of humanity, wildlife, and the planet. We use fiberglass for our doors as it is green, sustainable, and utilitarian. Select this eco-friendly option for your home’s door and you’ll enjoy unparalleled durability, energy efficiency, longevity, and a clear conscience regarding your environmental impact. 

Our doors’ proprietary foam core is revered for its elite insulation and full compliance with the EPA’s SNAP 20 regulations that pave a path toward cleaner air. Our doors do not contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Instead, we use more sustainable alternatives, preserving the ozone and environment.

Do some digging into the merits of our fiberglass doors and you’ll find we’ve gone to great lengths to perfect the transformation of fiberglass into entryways. Our fiberglass material is carefully designed for posterity’s sake, meaning they are built to hold strong and prove energy efficient across the long haul.

Every door we make is designed to last for decades, resist high temperatures, and hold strong against corrosive threats, ultimately reducing waste and conserving the environment. 

Give a Plastpro ENERGY STAR Qualified door a chance and you’ll find it requires significantly less maintenance than a conventional wood door. Our doors are strategically built to maximize protection and insulation while minimizing the impact on the fragile planet and its finite natural resources. The polyurethane foam core is high-density, reduces the consumption of energy by preventing the elements from moving indoors, and ultimately saves you a bundle of money. 

Our Hydroshield Technology ensures your front door is not compromised by moisture, humidity, or any other form of water. This tech is highlighted by a 100% composite barrier that safeguards the door on all sides, preventing rotting, warping, corrosion, and more. Our doors are even designed to prevent the accumulation of mildew and mold.

Plastpro doors feature fiberglass reinforced skins of the highest quality. Our door skins require nearly zero maintenance. Moreover, our door skins do not rust, rot, dent, splinter, or warp. Go ahead and paint and stain your door skin exactly as you desire and you’ll make your new Plastpro door uniquely yours. 

Our doors are also complete with full-length composite stiles to safeguard the door from outside moisture, preventing rotting and warping. Stiles are best described as the vertical components on door sides that connect the rails and dowels and are integral to door security.

Compare our doors to traditional doors and you’ll find our offerings have two times the strength of regular wood to retain screws. The composite rails along the bottom and top of the door are as strong as they get, helping to prevent moisture from moving inward. The prevention of moisture seepage also helps in the ongoing battle against mold.

If you are worried about locking your new exterior door with your preferred lock, don’t fret. Our extended lockblock full-length LVL ensures you can add the type of lock you desire for enhanced security. A bonus is the polyurethane foam core is high-density, meaning it will keep pesky noise pollution where it belongs – outside of your peaceful home.

 

Benefits of Fiberglass

Fiberglass is the perfect door material for those who live in hot climates. Multi-pane energy-efficient fiberglass doors have superior insulation that prevents hot air from moving inside your comfortable living space. Moreover, these thick doors are durable and secure, meaning they won’t falter if someone attempts to infiltrate your living space through the entryway. 

Add in the fact that fiberglass doors have a compelling stylistic element and there is even more reason to add one to your home. However, the most important benefit of fiberglass doors is the fact that they are energy-efficient. An energy-efficient door preserves your hard-earned money, ensuring you can spend it on what you value as opposed to absurdly high utility bills resulting from a poorly designed or leaky exterior door.

 

Explore Plastpro’s Energy-Efficient Doors

Plastpro has the door you are looking for. Check out our inventory of energy-efficient exterior doors and you’ll find they are carefully designed to protect your living space, even if you live in a desert environment. Give our collection of exterior doors a look and you’ll quickly find they have elite energy efficiency yet also have other merits. Our doors are available in a litany of finishes, materials, and styles. 

Each Plastpro door is made with materials specifically designed for longevity and durability in hot climates. Moreover, our doors are available in myriad styles, one of which is sure to be the optimal aesthetic complement to your home.

 

The Right Front Door for Your Home with Plastpro

Your exterior door is your first line of defense against the ever-rising temperatures, the blazing hot sun, and the increasing number of storms. Select the right front door for your property and you’ll enjoy unparalleled energy efficiency. 

Fiberglass options are the cream of the crop, ensuring your living space remains well-protected, cool, and comfortable throughout the entirety of the year. Check out Plastpro’s diverse energy-efficient exterior door options and it won’t take long to find one that is perfect for your unique residence.

Plastpro’s fiberglass doors are available in your area. Our inventory also includes speakeasies, sidelights, hinges, and specialized doors. Our products are available through local distributors, meaning you are only a couple of clicks away from finding the perfect new front door for your home.

We invite you to check out our Where to Buy page to find a Plastpro distributor near you!

 

The kind of door that complements a house is directly informed by the structure’s specific exterior architectural style, which helps guide homeowners to the correct front door styles. Fiberglass doors offer versatility that other materials aren’t able to match. This makes the wide variety of fiberglass doors available through Plastpro a great option regardless of your home’s established architectural influences.

All those possible combinations mean that choosing the right door for your home may be a difficult proposition—difficult, but not impossible. Finding the right inspiration will lead to finding the perfect door. You just need to know the architectural style you seek. Let’s dive into understanding this important concept. 

 

Understanding Your Home’s Architectural Style

If you want to choose the best front door for your home, it’s important for your door to match the home’s outdoor architectural style over anything else. Your home’s outdoor features, its porch area, and its main exterior door work together to create a uniform presentation. Usually, it becomes the first impression visitors and passersby get from your home, so be sure to consider the importance of curb appeal. You’ll gain that curb appeal through an eye toward the sort of door that’ll mesh well with your home’s stylistic features.

Those features are most likely drawn from a few architectural styles that prevailed in America during home-building booms like the one seen shortly after World War II. 

The traditional architectural style is one of the most consistently popular styles in the United States. These homes feature symmetrical window placement, shy away from overly ornate details, and are topped by roofs that are more functional than form. Traditional front doors should blend into the established traditional look with subdued features while reflecting the staying power of this beloved style.  

Homes sporting the craftsman style stand as celebrations of what people can build with their ingenuity. This architectural style pushes the handmade aesthetic to the forefront while utilizing materials that are natural—or look the part—to give the home a DIY arts and crafts style look. The inspiration for this approach came from the most unlikely of places: the mass manufacturing potential of the British Industrial Revolution. 

As a response to the rise of industry, people there began a grassroots arts and crafts movement that influenced the homebuilders of 20th-century America. Craftsman homes are best complemented by doors made with natural looking materials that feature glass inserts.

Modern homes are characterized as such due to their adherence to an of-the-time aesthetic featuring lots of flat, open exterior walls that contribute to an angular look. Colors trend darker, materials usually lack texture and any exterior decorations are usually limited to subtle recessed or in-the-ground light fixtures. Doors for this sort of style trend are uniform in both color and design—no panels and one uniform color. Any glass inserts are usually singular and run vertically.

The rustic approach brings in natural-looking features that reflect resources available in the environment that surrounds the home. Rustic homes can sometimes be made from a combination of materials, so it’s usually best to look to a home’s exterior trim and slight decorative features to draw inspiration for a door. There are options here—if you’re going for a more natural look, don’t be afraid to choose glass and let some light in. However, if you’re leaning more towards texture and large features, a wood-looking slab door with a lot of texture and accessories like clavos may be best. 

 

Should Your Front Door Match Your Interior Doors?

There’s no rule stating your front door needs to match your interior doors. The majority of people who see the exterior of your home will never see its interior. When you’re looking for inspiration on a new entry door, put more emphasis on matching your front door to the colors and features that adorn your home’s outside walls and surrounding property. It should be noted that you’ll also want to look at your neighborhood’s HOA guidelines, if applicable. 

With that said, there’s a reason homeowners strive to match their front doors to the rest of their property. If the outside of your home informs its inside, it’ll be more welcoming and impressive for guests making that outdoor-indoor transition.

You can use any aspect of your home’s outdoor appearance to tie it into your indoor space. For example, rustic homeowners tend to do a great job keeping that architectural style going with great interior design choices. Sure, it helps that repurposed and reclaimed décor is in fashion right now, but thinking about how that style can be pervasive throughout a home may help you picture how your outdoor look can make its way inside. If you’re going to use the front door to inspire other interior door choices, remember that something as small as a repeated feature could be enough to create that connection. 

 

Matching Door Designs with Traditional Homes

We briefly discussed the traditional architectural style and traditional front doors, but the truth is that choosing a door for this style of home presents a wide range of options.

First, consider what the exterior of your traditional style home is telling you. If your front façade presents many symmetrical windows, you may want to dial back your use of paneling and glass inserts. If the area surrounding the front door is relatively devoid of windows, panels and inserts are a great way to add variety while making your door stand out. Plastpro’s Mahogany Series, Oak Series, and White Oak Series all feature timeless looks and multiple panel patterns. Glass inserts are also possible, making them incredibly versatile fiberglass door options. 

Next, consider what your wants for your front door are telling you. If your main consideration is color, fiberglass doors can be painted or stained the same as any other material. If you’d like to add accessories to the door, fiberglass doors can be outfitted with those, too. 

However, one of the main disadvantages of fiberglass doors is that you are dealing with glass, so protective eyewear, gloves, and a mask are musts. You should wear protective wear when working with any door, though—splinters and pieces of metal can be just as dangerous.

When you put thought into the front door replacement, you’ll get an exterior door that serves the needs of both you and your traditional home’s style.  

 

Choosing Contemporary Front Doors

The boldness of a contemporary style home deserves a striking door to match. Modern and contemporary go hand-in-hand when talking about the design of a door, so you’re looking at clean, simple lines that create angular designs, singular glass inserts, and minimalist accessories like handles instead of knobs.  

Plastpro’s Modern Series provides homeowners with options for contemporary front doors that perfectly complement their home’s entryway. Plus, the use of fiberglass is a great modern addition that’ll help the home maintain a desired indoor temperature—something that modern homes may have issues with due to their generous use of glass. 

 

Adapting Transitional Door Styles

Transitional doors are a great way to blend classic looks with contemporary features. This style of door is often used with older architectural styles to add a touch of modernity, such as glass inserts being used in place of panels in a traditional style door, or sleek modern hardware affixed to an otherwise traditional slab door.

The aforementioned White Oak Series of doors from Plastpro does a great job presenting a base for bridging the old and new. Its standout color is much bolder than doors seen on most classic-style homes, and it’s ripe for customization. In this case, the Limited Series is useful for similar reasons.

 

Selecting the Right Color and Finish

The color of a door may be just as important as its design and accessories. 

Color can be ascertained in several ways. You could go with what you like whether it matches your home’s exterior aesthetic or not, but if you want to strive for some sort of uniform presentation or maintain curb appeal, there are guidelines. Also, if you have a pink house and you paint your door lime green, the kind of attention that’ll draw isn’t really what we’re aiming for—curb appeal is considered positive attention.

One way to choose a color or finish is by paying attention to the subtle details of your home’s exterior. You can match a door to trim, ornate details, or any colored or finished feature that shows up sporadically, tying your outdoor presentation together. If the outside of your home presents a prevailing color or is monochrome, you can use your door to mix things up. Usually, homeowners choose to go three shades lighter or darker than the color in question. 

If you are choosing a finish over a color, the shade rule can still apply if you’d like a reliable way to create some contrast. However, matching the look to other wooden features in your home is usually a cleaner way to create cohesion. 

Using paint or finish to change your existing front door won’t just alter its aesthetic features—it’s also a great way to refresh a door and extend its lifespan.

 

Contemporary, Traditional, and More Front Doors from Plastpro

Matching a door to your home’s architectural style isn’t always easy, but choosing the right kind of door with the right color or finish creates a pleasing result that boosts curb appeal and makes your home feel more welcoming. When you’re taking on this task, remember to look to your home’s built-in hints to help you find the right answers—and don’t forget to ask yourself what you think is important in a new door, too. 

If safety, durability, and sustainability are on that list, fiberglass doors are the best option for you. Plastpro’s doors have those features covered while additionally offering a wide range of cosmetic options for any architectural style. Find a dealer and begin building your dream entryway today!

When it comes to fuel for your vehicle, the price of a gallon of gas is always fluctuating but never seems cheap. That’s why you do what you can to get the most out of every tank—you put air in your tires when necessary, you never let that oil change go for too long, and, of course, you’re always watching for the best deals on a gallon. Are you doing the same for your home and front door, though?

Putting in the effort to save on your at-home cost for electric is similar to pinching pennies at the pump, but in the controlled utilities market, shopping around for the best deal may not be an option for you. Since you’re at the mercy of regional provider availability and provider rates, which are both out of your control, it’s best to then focus on the things you can control—your home and its energy efficiency, which can be assessed with a home energy audit.

What Is A Home Energy Audit?

Sometimes referred to as a home energy assessment, a home energy audit is used to assess, quantify and report on a building’s energy efficiency. To be energy efficient means to use less energy to produce a result or complete a task—in this case, striving for the optimal energy use to maintain a comfortable living environment. 

The audit will be completed by an energy auditor (or energy advisor), a registered professional trained to obtain the information necessary for a successful home energy audit. Their auditing process will consist of three parts: the initial evaluation, any testing, and a debriefing where you’ll receive efficiency recommendations.

The bulk of the evaluation portion consists of a property walkthrough that takes the auditor through the inside and around the outside of a building. While they’re walking through, they’ll be analyzing certain features of the building that can contribute to its overall energy efficiency, an exercise that’ll help the auditor pinpoint a home’s problem areas where environmental leaks can occur that let energy out of or unwanted temperature-changing factors into a home.

They’ll be looking at a building’s methods for heating and cooling its spaces, they’ll take note of an installed HVAC system, and they’ll count the number of doors and windows a structure has and take measurements of each one’s external size. The age of the furnace and water heater could be a factor, as well as the furnace’s filter and any faulty duct connections. 

An auditor will also be interested in a building’s levels of insulation, even in the basement and in the attic walls. They’ll be looking to make sure insulation is spread evenly throughout your home and installed correctly so it’s effective, and that any holes for wiring are made snug and sealed.

Lastly, they’ll want to assess the utility bills, which may serve to unveil a great deal about the building despite not being a physical aspect of the structure itself.

After an auditor makes their initial observations and formulates an understanding of the property’s relevant features, it’s time for them to perform tests that help pinpoint problem areas and serve to define what exactly those problems are.  

Home Energy Audit Tests

After using their skill set and prior knowledge to make an assessment of your home, a home energy auditor will turn to a few tests developed by the industry to better pinpoint problem areas and unmask any previously overlooked issues with a home’s energy efficiency. 

One of the most common tests is known as an airtightness test or blower door test. During the exercise, a temporary seal and pressure gauge is applied to a door. Then, a high-powered fan is used to push air towards the door to expose any critical leaks. Home energy auditors usually use an infrared camera during this test, too. 

That way, they can see exactly where the leak is coming from. This equipment can be rented and used apart from any home energy audit, but hiring a professional is the best way to get an accurate reading. Additionally, the cost of renting may exceed the cost of an audit.

Other tests may be conducted on your furnace by using an efficiency meter, on your whole residence via thermographic scan, or on specific portions of your home with a surface thermometer. Each professional may have a different method for doing things, but the more you know the better when it comes to information about your home. 

What’s the Cost?

Private companies will charge you for an audit in various ways. The company could have a flat fee for any audit, charge by the size of a property, or use other metrics to come up with a cost. However, doing some research before paying for a home energy audit can lead to a free audit for your home. Local nonprofits or governments could offer the audit as a community service, while your utility company may offer it as a service to its customers. Freeing yourself from the financial burden of a home energy audit can make it a lot easier to work some of the assessment’s suggested changes into your budget.  

The Benefits of a Home Energy Audit

On the monetary end, a home energy audit can tell you where your home is causing you to spend unnecessary money on your electric bill. Once you’re aware of these issues, you can create a plan to address them. Creating a tighter seal between your dwelling and the outside world can also create a more comfortable environment.

There’s a long list of benefits, but perhaps the most important—especially for younger homeowners—is the reduced carbon footprint of a more energy efficient home. Using less power means consuming less energy and putting less emissions back into the environment. You can push that concept further by practicing sustainable home ownership, too!

Recommendations Following a Home Energy Audit

It isn’t uncommon for an auditor to suggest two specific changes almost immediately after—or even when walking through—a home, and neither has anything to do with the construction of the building itself.

First, they may suggest a change in your choice of lightbulbs. If you’re still using the admittedly still standard incandescent light bulbs to illuminate your household, a switch over to compact fluorescent lamps (labeled CFLs on packaging) or light-emitting diodes (labeled LEDs on packaging and much more common in everyday modern life) can near-instantly reduce your home’s overall energy costs. This may require a change to some of your current light fixtures, but making these upgrades will save you more down the road.

Speaking of paying now to save down the road, nothing about home ownership may embody that more than appliance upgrades. As a commonly costly proposition, appliance upgrades can be a bitter medicine, but it’s a remedy that introduces the newest energy-saving technology into your home while usually upgrading the capabilities of whichever equipment came before it. Old appliances also lose mechanical efficiency with prolonged use, making them a larger drain on your home’s power. 

When replacing your appliances and home electronics, be sure to look for the Energy Star logo on an item’s packaging. More than just a marketing tool, the Energy Star logo denotes a product that’s up to industry energy standards within that product’s category. 

Other tech-based solutions to easing the energy burden on your home may include larger upgrades like installing a smart thermostat or adding insulation. The price tag on projects like this can be high, but doing things like upgrading your home’s connectivity and improving heat retention can also increase your home’s value and your family’s quality of life.

How to Make Your Front Door More Energy Efficient

Some of the easiest suggestions to come from a home energy audit have to do with your windows and exterior doors. For windows, add caulking and weatherstripping to seal any leaks from frames. Heat loss can also occur through a window’s glass panes, so purchase coating that’ll help mitigate that loss—as an added bonus, most coatings also include some sort of privacy protection or reduce a window’s breakability.

Any glass on front doors should be treated the same way, and weatherstripping should be applied to a door frame’s leaks, too. A sweep can also be added at the bottom of a door to seal off the gap between the floor and the door. Weatherproofing a front door can do wonders for your home’s efficiency and your own comfort.

If you’ve taken these measures and you’re still noticing leaks around your door—or if your door shows signs of damage that could impact its ability to create a tight seal that holds the outdoors at bay—a door replacement may be your best option. That may sound like an expensive proposition, but replacing a front door can be cheaper than replacing one of your appliances and can have an even larger impact on your home’s energy efficiency. 

When it comes to efficient front doors, fiberglass is the right material for the job. Fiberglass doors help a home retain heat and keep out cold better than their metal and wood counterparts. As an added bonus, fiberglass doors last longer and require less routine maintenance than doors made with other materials, allowing you more time and money to complete other efficiency upgrades. So, even if your doors aren’t in need of a replacement right away, a switch to fiberglass can still pay dividends in the long run. 

Conclusion: Sustainable Homes with Plastpro

Home energy audits can pinpoint a lot of different ways to make your home more energy efficient, but the front door is often the most cost-effective change you can make. Invest in a fiberglass front door and, over the long lifespan of an exterior fiberglass door, it’ll end up paying for itself. Find a dealer today to get started on your journey towards a more sustainable home!

For some homeowners, choosing exterior doors is a decision that goes beyond considering factors like favorite color or the desire to match their home’s architectural style. In certain cases, the decision expands to include the possibility of, well, expansion—specifically, the widening of an exterior door frame to allow for an exterior double door. 

You’ll most commonly see this kind of entry configuration when it opens up onto a patio, and it’ll usually feature a fair amount of glass in its construction. However, double front doors are another extremely viable use of the doubled-door look and can add some real personality to your exterior entryway.

During your research into doubling the size of your exterior doorway, you may hear a set of double entry doors referred to as French doors. French doors are usually of the glass-in variety, not the slab sort of piece that typically serves as a main entryway door. Their look also helped them earn the interchangeable name French windows (even though they’re functionally doors). Nowadays, rules around the term French doors have relaxed and the name is used interchangeably with patio front doors, double front doors with glass and slab doors alike.

In this article, we’ll discuss the merits of utilizing an exterior double door as the main entryway into your home, as well as some of the disadvantages of installing this unique front door feature. Lastly, we’ll offer some suggestions for keeping your double doors in top shape.  

 

The Advantages of Double Door Entryways

There are more than a few reasons why this 1600s French invention was imported to the Americas during the 1700s. 

When a set of double doors does include quite a bit of inserted glass, the setup’s aforementioned similarity to large bay-style windows helps bridge the gap between indoor and outdoor spaces. Double front doors with glass also allow more natural light to permeate the home and give those inside the house a clearer sight line on what’s happening outdoors.

That isn’t to say that double slab doors aren’t without their merits either. Double doors with or without glass can be cracked open in a variety of combinations to allow for better ventilation—sure, the doors with glass will keep you a little more at ease since you can see through them no matter what sort of configuration they’re in, but when it comes to customized front entry ventilation, they both get the job done. . 

Double front doors are great at letting in more than light and air, too. The larger opening provided by an exterior double door is great for moving large objects like furniture into and out of a home. That extra space can also act as a great starting point for making your home accessible for visitors and family members with disabilities. 

From an aesthetic viewpoint, there’s just something regal and ornate about having two doors in the same spot instead of one door serving the same purpose. That air of sophistication translates into a strikingly impactful bit of curb appeal that’s very hard to ignore. Exterior double doors as front doors aren’t just uncommon, they take up a large amount of space on the front of a home and demand the attention of passersby. 

A feature that takes up so much real estate on your real estate also opens the door to more elaborate theming and decorating around it, so enhance the double entry doors with sizable lighting fixtures, decorative doorlites, and other options that can serve to further enhance the impression your entry doors make on the outside world. You may also want to go big with other aspects of your front porch—and even front yard—with statement landscaping like large bushes or eye-catchingly tall porch plants, artificial or real. 

Furniture is another space that you can play around in. With a large entry door on the front of your home, there isn’t much that’ll look out of place on your porch or in your front yard. Play around with different sizes of chairs, tables, umbrellas, and more. From those large lounge chairs meant for long sessions of porch sitting to the most subtle of end tables, choose what feels comfortable and correct. As long as your choices don’t clash heavily with the aesthetic of your home, you shouldn’t have any trouble.

 

The Disadvantages of Double Door Entryways

Most choices you make as a homeowner come with their own sets of positive and negative consequences—because you made the decision to do one thing, it simultaneously alters your ability to do other things both in that space and in other places around your property. The same goes for double front doors with glass and double slab doors. 

That’s why it’s always important to do your research and know if you desire one particular improvement project’s outcome over another. Sometimes, it may even be more important to know the negatives of projects so you can decide whether you can see yourself living comfortably with the decision.

Double front doors do carry a number of disadvantages along with them that can render the myriad advantages less appealing. The first and arguably largest hurdle between you and twice the front doors is space. If you don’t have the space along an exterior wall to install double entry doors, which usually involves widening an already existing opening, then it won’t be possible to have a double front door. You also want to be cognizant of the amount of indoor wall space a project like this will leave you with—exterior double doors could take up the majority of one wall. The other most practical, stop-before-you-start consideration is money and budget. 

In addition to the costs and materials necessary to double the raw opening for your entry door you also need to purchase another entry door, get all the specific accessories you may want or need for both doors, install both doors and finish both jobs by providing decorative pieces to accent the door. These are real barriers to entry, but other issues can pop up after an initial job is completed.

Installation of double doors creates double the space for a home to lose heat or let in cold. The doors are especially susceptible to this in the middle portion where they meet since it can be hard to provide enough protection from the elements due to their need to open and close. This middle portion may also pose a security risk if the doors aren’t given enough support through the use of multiple locks and bolts.  

If for any reason you choose to forego the double door look, you can increase the footprint of your single-door entryway by installing sidelites that add some glass on either side of the door, or a transom window that adds glass above. After all, the best entry door is the one that’ll match your personal wants and your household’s needs.

 

Considerations for Choosing Double Front Doors

If you’ve weighed your options and you’re choosing to go with the exterior double door, there are specific choices that can help mitigate some of the negatives the option presents. 

Double front doors with glass can be good for an entrance, but choose the right kind of glass for the amount of natural light you want to let in. You’ll also want to look at the aesthetics of the glass, since some feature designs and cuts that match to specific styles. 

Finally, consider the amount of heat that will escape due to the nature of glass and think about purchasing one of the many coverings on the market that’ll both reinforce the glass from physical damage and help keep more heat inside the home.

Security can also be a concern since one side of each door won’t be connected to—and therefore reinforced by—a door frame. Double doors can be reinforced by a multi-lock mechanism that permanently sits between the two doors. You may have seen something similar installed on double sets of interior or exterior doors in places like hospitals or sports arenas. If you’re concerned about your double entry doors being easy to break into, this kind of reinforcement should render the doors as resistant to intruders as a one-door entryway.

When it comes to concerns about weatherproofing and properly securing double front doors, the actual material a door is made from can play a huge role in its success on either front. Fiberglass doors are better than their wooden or metal counterparts at keeping heat in and keeping cold out. They also stand up to physical impact better and maintain their integrity for longer. If you plan to install or replace double doors, Plastpro’s Nova and Onelite series of doors are both well-suited for the job. 

 

Maintaining and Caring for Double Front Doors

Maintenance begins at the installation of a door, so be sure each door is installed evenly and properly, weatherproofing is put into place, and doors have the correct amount of support when it comes to their frames and each other. After that’s done, caring for your double doors is going to look a lot like caring for two doors. Be sure to inspect regularly for proper opening and closing, intact weatherproofing and any physical damage that may impact overall performance. 

 

Enhance Your Entryway with Plastpro

Plastpro’s fiberglass doors can be customized to fit most entry door openings on a home, and doorlites or accessories can be added to reflect your own chosen style. Find a dealer today to begin planning your one or two-door entryway project!

 

A front door is incomplete without the right hardware. Hardware for entryway doors provides both function and form. The addition of a transom window that allows sunlight and possibly even fresh air indoors will make quite the impact. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Hardware options for front doors are wide-ranging, including entrance sets, knobs of all different types, and deadbolts. Add a speakeasy, hinge, or another accessory to your front door and you’ll enjoy enhanced beauty, function, and security.

 

What is Entry Door Hardware?

There is a common misperception that front doors are mostly the same. Take a look at the options on the market and you’ll find entry door hardware options are quite varied. Everything from door locks to stylistic accessories, levels, and unique knobs constitute different types of entry door hardware with unique function and form.

Deadbolts complete with handle sets, a lever or knobs add visual nicety along with enhanced safety. Ideally, the door handle you install will provide visual uniformity with the exterior of the door for a comprehensive front porch aesthetic you are happy to see every time you head inside or out.

 

Choosing Front Door Hardware: Factors to Consider

Think twice before choosing the first hardware option you find online or at a local store. Do your due diligence including considering the factors below and you’ll move forward with the right modern front door hardware for your home!

 

Style Considerations

Front door styles are wide-ranging from modern chic aesthetics to traditional and options in between. The right hardware style for your unique home might not be optimal for the neighbor’s home or others. Take your time, carefully picking out the best hardware style for your specific house and you’ll greatly improve the aesthetic of your home’s front door. Style and finish varieties include those featuring

Lovely silhouettes

Geometric shapes

Lines with striking angles 

What matters most is your personal stylistic preference and the surroundings of the entryway. Match colors and stylistic components with the rest of the house and the end result will be a uniform aesthetic that impresses neighbors and passersby. 

As an example, entry doors of the classic variety are typically an antique brown or dark red in color. Rustic entry doors are of the wrought iron or bronze variety, oftentimes featuring a monolithic style handle set or sectional handle set. The modern front door is characterized by stainless steel complete with a lever.

 

Durability and Material

Front door hardware is made with different materials, one of which is sure to not only suit your style needs, but also put your mind at ease when it comes to durability. As an example, some of the most popular material options are stainless steel and traditional brass. Aside from security and aesthetics, material also matters in the context of weather and durability. The quality of the finish and resistance to corrosion are key considerations when making a selection. 

If you take the brass route, lean toward a polished brass finish optimal for outdoor use to prevent tarnishing and boosting aesthetic appeal with modern and traditional aesthetics. Choose stainless steel and you’ll enjoy the striking beauty of silver without running the risk of rusting. Homeowners considering bronze should be aware that it has the potential to reveal a brown hue below after consistent touching. 

 

Security

Nothing is more important than the security of yourself and your loved ones. Above all, your front door should be secured by a sturdy deadbolt. However, there are different types of locks on the market, each with its own unique security advantages (and some weak points). Consider the installation process, the security of the locking mechanism, and other nuances before moving forward with a purchase. 

Keyless entry technology is optimal for households with several people. Technology has even advanced to the point that it is possible for coordination with voice command apps using a smart home assistant or smartphone. Do your due diligence before buying a lock to ensure it is ANSI/BHMA rated to pass the standards set by the industry’s safety experts. 

Locks that are grade 3 bolster residential security

Locks that are grade 2 offer security for light commercial or residential buildings, proving challenging to pick

Locks of the grade 1 variety are the industry’s safest, providing security for both commercial and residential properties

In terms of locksets, consider the option of an electronic door lock. Electronic door locks do not need a key. Rather, this setup uses a touchscreen along with a numeric pad or even a remote on a keychain. 

Technology has advanced to the point that electronic door locks are now available with biometric locks that read the thumbprint. Keyed doorknobs, levers, and deadbolts are more traditional options that prove more affordable yet lack high-tech security elements. 

Industry advancements now include keyed handlesets. This bold and decorative addition to a door consists of an exterior handle, a thumb-operated latch, and a high-quality deadbolt. A knob or lever is used for latch use from the interior. Deadbolts of both the double and single-cylinder varieties are available.

 

Proper Fit

Fit means everything when it comes to adding new hardware. As the best engineers say, always measure twice. Proper measurement ensures hardware is accommodated to perfection within the allotted amount of space. Accurate measurement saves you time and frustration throughout a DIY installation, guaranteeing the door knob or handle set you select is a secure fit. 

Zero in on the doorknob, thickness, and other subtleties. Even the measurements of the lock must be precise. Though the average door is likely to measure 1 ¾ inches thick, yours might be slightly different. Double-check the measurements before selecting an exterior door lock set. 

Door handing identifies the door side connected to the frame, determining the installation side for the door hardware. Gauge the door handling to ensure the door hardware you have in mind is fully compatible.

The backset also matters. The backset is the space from the door edge to the hole center. The average door has a backset of around 2.5 inches, give or take an eighth to a quarter of an inch. 

 

Convenience

Your front door is one of the few parts of the house used on a daily basis. Thankfully, hardware is available to make the routine that much easier. From keyless locks to doorknobs, handles, and more, there are plenty of solutions. Safety is the primary concern yet convenience is also important. Keyless entry sets are perfect for homeowners who live busy lives, juggling the kids, pets, grocery shopping, and other responsibilities.

One choice is to ppt for keyless entry and you’ll unlock the door with your smartphone app, a code entry, or through key location detection via proximity. Each option enhances security yet also facilitates easy entry into the house. 

Smart keyless entry technology is especially helpful for those who are forgetful as it empowers homeowners to lock the door with the use of a phone from any location. This high-tech approach is exactly what you need to lock your home’s door from afar, be it at work, the supermarket, your daughter’s soccer game, or elsewhere.

 

Customize Your Front Door with Plastpro

Plastpro has the industry’s best hardware for your front door. We carry a wide array of door accessories for your home or business. Our accessories are the perfect complement to hardware, creating a highly unique door style that matches the architecture of your home.

Our front door accessories enhance home curb appeal, forming entryways that make a stunning first impression and also create a sense of pride. Add our decorative hardware to your front door for an infusion of style and personality and your home will stand out all the more. 

From the classic Rustic style to Oak, Nova, and Craftsman, we’ve got the optimal decorative hardware for your home. Consider the addition of a dentil shelf to make your front door look that much more sophisticated. Positioned at the top of the door, the dentil shelf provides dimensionality with a lovely smooth skin, fir or oak finish, taking the focal point of your home to the next level. 

A Simulated Divided Lites Kits for front door glass can elevate your door’s beauty while simultaneously enhancing light as it moves inside your home. Regardless of your unique front door’s style and size, we’ve got a kit that is compatible. Each kit is pre-cut and installed with ease, providing an easy way to bolster curb appeal. 

Even a subtle addition such as a new knocker or doorknob will infuse new style and spirit into your home’s front door. Additional quick and easy additions that make a meaningful difference include composite material moulding for aesthetic appeal and added protection, hinges, sidelights, welcome mats, and even front door wreaths.

Our products are available through local distributors. Find a Dealer online to purchase door accessories and additional Plastpro products that bring out the best in your home!