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!

 

For homeowners in the market to replace an exterior door, there are more viable options available than ever—and choices for things like size, color and design variety are either plentiful or customizable. So, with an entire suite of options available to the discerning purchaser, why should oak doors or a fiberglass oak door alternative be part of the conversation?

 

Why Choose an Oak Door?

When it comes to materials for exterior doors, it really doesn’t get more traditional than wood. The different types of wood available are numerous and include mainstays like mahogany, cherry, walnut and oak. If you’ve narrowed your choice of building material down to wood from options like steel or fiberglass, why should you continue to narrow that choice down to oak? 

 

The Pros and Cons of Oak and Wood Doors

 As with most decisions in home design—and in general—there are positive and negative outcomes when choosing to go with a particular door material. Oak is no different, but it does differentiate itself from other materials by being a wood, and from other woods due to its unique characteristics. Whether or not those characteristics interest you enough to convince you to ignore any possible flaws will be a major deciding factor in your use of oak or any of its alternatives.

 

An Overabundance of Oak

If you’re choosing oak as the material for your home’s front doors, the possibilities that decision presents are plentiful. There are hundreds of species of oak to choose from, including the popular white and red varieties. In addition to the large number of oak options, the large amount of oak in existence in this world ensures that your use of some with which to craft a front door has little impact on the species’ overall population. 

 

Oak and Finishes

Oak can be easy to pick out due to its wide, visible grain. This grain is even more pronounced in oak that’s quarter sawn, which means the wood is quartered horizontally before it’s sawn. This differs from the more common plain sawing or flat sawing and because it involves extra work it’s also more expensive. However, quarter sawing will cause the oak to have less cupping, more stability, and an overall higher quality than plain sawing. 

Oak’s very prevalent grain means that homeowners with oak doors must maintain a consummate finish on the door. Luckily, oak is stain compatible as it stains easily, and it usually weathers finely which turns its wear and tear into a personality trait. 

 

Oak and Durability

In general, wood is a less durable material to trust with your front door duties than metal or fiberglass. Wood’s also less energy efficient and less resistant to damage from extreme weather. Despite this, oak is one of the best woods with which to fashion a front door.

The high density of oak means the wood is hard, sturdy and strong, making it a good candidate if wood is the necessary route for your next front door. The increased density will reduce outside noise from entering the house, preserving privacy and allowing for peace and relaxation. 

The flip side of this is the wear and tear oak can dish out to hinges. It’s okay to install the same number of hinges on an oak door as you’d install on any other door, but the hinges on an oak door should be longer than usual. 

You should also use screw anchors to solidify the door’s place when installing it into the doorway. Taking precautions like this can help lengthen the lifespan of a door while saving you a world of trouble in the not-too-distant future. 

Oak is also high in tannin, a biomolecule that gives the wood a natural resistance to attack from fungi and insects. Tannin is named after oak and other woods containing high counts of the biomolecule. Bark from those woods is used during the tanning process that creates leather.

 

Oak is High Maintenance

Wood doors, including oak, require refinishing every 2-to-3 years if they’re being used as an exterior door and they’re exposed to the elements. If you live in places with extreme temperatures or harsh weather, you may want to steer clear of oak altogether. 

The wood has a habit of warping, swelling or shrinking in climates that are rainy or humid, regardless of whether they’re being used on the interior or exterior of a home. It’s best for oak doors to be used in more mild climates, but even then, they’ll need the sort of attention described above.

When refinishing the door, you’ll need to sand away the old finishing and apply the new, which means removing the door from its hinges and placing it back on after the job is done. There are professionals who perform refinishes, but this route can be costly.

 

Oak Door Costs

 If you’ve ever shopped for doors, you know that a sturdy, solid oak exterior door can carry a high price point. However, like any product, that price is decided by a range of features that are mostly optional, including ornate detailing, utilization of the aforementioned quarter sawn wood, or handcrafting the door to fit an unorthodox space. 

In reality, if you’re shopping for a door and have a budgetary range, you should be able to find an oak door that fits into any size budget. You should also be able to find doors made with other materials that fit your monetary parameters, too, including materials that will require less and offer more. 

 

Oak Door Alternatives

While oak is a popular and versatile choice for an exterior door, alternatives exist that may better match your needs. 

Choosing a different wood is a decision that’s mostly aesthetic—woods do vary in density and weight, but for the purposes of an exterior door, they’re very similar when it comes to their durability and the level of upkeep necessary to keep them in good condition. 

Metal doors last longer and are more energy efficient, but they can’t provide the classic look that a wooden exterior door lends to a home’s entryway. If you’re in the market for longevity but still value the curb appeal that a traditional wooden door lends to a home, fiberglass is the way to go.

The fiberglass oak door series available from Plastpro replicates the look of an oak door, grain and all, to provide the aesthetic of a natural exterior door while affording its owner the amenities accessed by choosing fiberglass. Plastpro doors also include a polyurethane foam core that increases a home’s energy efficiency, and the makeup of their materials means they’re better suited to withstand extreme conditions. Check out Plastpro’s oak series of doors to preview the line’s design variety and benefits, including complementary decorative glass. 

The doors in Plastpro’s oak series also feature stain compatibility, just like their natural counterparts. Fiberglass doors are a cost-effective option since they require very little staining and maintenance, saving you money in the long run. That isn’t to say staining won’t be necessary if you want to achieve your preferred presentation. In addition to the mimicked look and texture of oak’s unique grain, use Plastpro door stain kits to achieve the perfect color!

For a timeless, clean look, Plastpro’s white oak series offers pre-pigmented doors that come in a wide array of panel designs, feature decorative glass and offer the same perks as the base oak series. 

 

Upgrade Your Door with Plastpro

Of all the different species of wood used to create exterior doors, oak is one of the most popular options on the market today. It’s dense enough to offer privacy, it has a built-in defense against natural threats like bugs and fungi, its grain is uniquely beautiful and it naturally appears in a vast array of colors. 

However, oak is also temperamental in temperate or humid climates, can weigh down hinges, and can be pricey. It also suffers from the same pitfalls of any wooden exterior door—it takes a lot of time and money to keep up, with staining replacements recommended every 2-to-3 years. 

Plastpro’s oak and white oak fiberglass doors offer a strikingly similar recreation of natural wood that’s affordable and saves money by cutting down on maintenance and energy costs. The doors can be customized—both feature-wise and with different staining kits—as well as built to fit most entryways. Additionally, fiberglass doors aren’t impacted by extreme weather like wood doors are, and they can better protect themselves and the home they hang on from extreme situations. 

To purchase a Plastpro fiberglass door from the company’s oak series, white oak series or any other design you’re interested in, click here to find a Plastpro dealer. If you want a wooden look, Plastpro’s fiberglass exterior doors provide a pleasing aesthetic while taking advantage of modern door technology. 

 

If you’re looking to add a touch of elegance to your front door, make sidelight installation one of the options considered during your decision-making process. The addition of sidelights can drastically alter a home’s entry doors, and set your exterior apart from that of your neighbors. But while you may desire a unique approach for your home, there are established practices that can guide your choice of sidelight, as well as your choices for installation.

 

What are Front Door Sidelights?

The name sidelights can be misleading. Yes, these door accents are usually narrow, vertical pieces that run along the left-hand and right-hand sides of a door. No, they don’t usually feature any lights for entry illumination. Instead, the name refers to the fact that these additions to an exterior door usually include glass—sometimes they’re made of more than 50% glass—and that allows for more natural light to enter a living space.

The amount of glass in a sidelight is up to personal preference, as well as the shape, size and materials that make up the sidelight. The glass inside a sidelight can also be customized, allowing for more or less light, privacy, or ornate detail. 

You may also find sidelights being referred to as sidelites or, in the case of fiberglass door maker Plastpro, doorlites. Decorative glass like doorlites can bring an element of beauty and sophistication to your front entry door through a variety of textured backdrops and classic styles.

 

Why Include Sidelights in Your Front Door?

When added alongside exterior doors, sidelights can drastically bump up your home’s curb appeal. Additionally, if you have a door with built-in glass features, sidelights can create a look that expands on those features and acts as an extension of the door itself. The result can be a grand display of glass and other building materials brought together for the purpose of enhancing both a home’s appearance and a visitor’s experience. 

If a door doesn’t have any glass features, sidelights can be utilized for a high-quality entryway presentation that’s welcoming for both the everyday inhabitants of a home, as well as their visitors. An entryway with sidelights would also be more welcoming to natural light, allowing it into a home to provide added visibility. That visibility often goes both ways, too—the glass features of sidelights allow those inside the home to better observe yards and porches.

Adding sidelights to your current front door is one of the fastest ways to make a change in your home’s personality.

 

Installing Sidelights to an Existing Door

Enjoying the benefits of sidelights doesn’t have to mean a total front door replacement. The materials, length, width, amount of glass and glass placement in a sidelight can all be customized, so your new sidelights can match the color, size, shape and glass features of your existing door—or they can incorporate new design elements to further expand the aesthetic footprint of exterior doors.

When it comes to installing sidelights that complement an existing front door, you may want to consult the party you’re using to design, manufacture or find the sidelights. If you plan to install sidelights yourself, remember that it’s safe to assume any exterior wall is a load-bearing wall, so plan accordingly. As you’ll most likely be working with glass, also remember to wear proper safety equipment.

 

Sidelights Best Practices

As with most home additions, sidelights come with their own set of established rules—or, at the most, strong suggestions that certainly feel like the recommended way of doing things. 

First, sidelights should be employed in pairs so the entryway remains symmetrical. This is especially true if entry doors themselves feature symmetrical panels or other design features. Adding an arch above the door can further enhance this look. However, all rules are meant to be broken and modern doors can be an exception. They often sport asymmetrical features like long, vertical glass panes adorning the left-hand or right-hand side of a door. 

Sidelights should also match a door in terms of color, materials or stain. However, if your home has a color palette that includes multiple colors that mesh well with each other, sidelights can be used to incorporate one or more of those colors around exterior doors. If it breaks rules but looks good, maybe your home has a different set of best practices. 

Homeowners seeking privacy should stick with sidelights that place their glass features at the top, minimalizing visibility into the home. Different available glass options will adjust visibility and the amount of natural light that enters the home.

Sidelights are meant to accent a door, not take it over, so be conservative with size.

Sidelights are usually wasted on interior doors, unless there’s one particular space that receives a very large amount of sunlight and you’d like it to find its way into the next room.

Sidelights, like most additions to a home, have been utilized so much that homeowners have created a set of rules for others to follow. However, given your home’s current aesthetic and your desired design preferences, those rules may exist to be broken.

 

Choosing the Perfect Front Door and Sidelights with Plastpro

If you’re looking for a range of options in both the sidelights and door departments—including the ability to customize a door to fit your current door frame—check out Plastpro. Additionally, Plastpro’s fiberglass doors offer a bump in security, durability and energy efficiency when compared to their traditional wooden counterparts. Find a Plastpro dealer near you to begin your journey towards a new and improved entryway!

The utilization of glass at home can instantly change a dwelling’s dynamic. Glass options can make spaces feel roomier than they actually are, add a touch of luxury or modernity to a home’s features, and provide homeowners with a viable alternative to other building materials. 

There are a lot of reasons to give glass a chance, but some may find it hard to get over the negative connotations the word carries. Hearing the word glass doesn’t exactly inspire thoughts of strength—from houses to hearts, popular culture is full of references to glass being a fragile thing. When it comes to reality, though, is glass strong enough to be a trusted part of the structure that keeps you and your family safe during your most vulnerable moments? Specifically, can glass cut it as an entry door?

 

Glass Front Doors Pros

Glass has curb appeal, and glass front doors are no exception—especially when compared to their counterparts in metal and wood. Decorative glass can be utilized to display a wide array of designs and patterns without compromising its ability to act as a safe barrier from the outside world, and other aspects such as color can be part of those decorations. Front doors made of glass can also provide breathtaking views of the decorations hung up by Mother Nature, with full glass doors acting as enticing options for homes built in scenic areas.

No matter the scenery, these sorts of doors are still great for letting natural light into a space, eliminating the need for energy use during the bulk of the day and adding a touch of natural flair to a home. When it comes time to clean those doors and make sure as much light is coming in as possible, homeowners will find maintenance on their glass doors to be as easy as spraying a door with glass cleaner and wiping it down.

 

Glass Front Doors Cons

There are pros and cons to every choice, and the same goes for choosing glass entry doors over other front door options.

There’s a trade off with nature. Yes, folks with glass doors can observe more of the outside world and enjoy the benefits of sunlight, but a lack of insulation means that an unwanted aspect of the outside world—the cold—can find its way into a home easier than it would through an insulated front door.

Observing more of the outside world may also mean it can observe more of you, too. Glass front doors can give onlookers the option to get unnecessarily familiar with the interior of your home.

Lastly, despite advancements in glass durability, the material is still behind its contemporaries when it comes to withstanding blunt force. However, front door glass is usually thicker than the glass used in windows or a patio door, so the likelihood someone will break the glass and break into your home doesn’t necessarily change with the installation of a glass door.

 

Are Glass Front Doors Private?

Glass front doors can be as private as you’d like them to be.

A rating system that ranks the privacy level of glass is usually assigned to doors made from the substance, with 10 acting as the ceiling of privacy. If the ratings are too much for you or you’re just looking to handle your issue without having to handle all the jargon, focus on a privacy-minded glass, like a frosted option.

 

What Type of Glass is Used in Front Doors?

Frosted is just one of the many types of glass that’s usually utilized in a front door. Tempered glass and safety glass are both similarly suited to protect your home, while laminated glass covers the glass in a chemical that keeps it together, even if it’s eventually broken.

Plastpro’s fiberglass doors provide a spin on the material and pair the processed glass that is fiberglass with other elements, such as insulated cores. The company’s Nova series places large panes of glass within their fiberglass doors creating an appealing, durable marriage that allows full glass to also feel safe and economical.

 

Should I Purchase a Glass Front Door?

If you find yourself drawn to glass entry doors, consider following through—especially if your prospective glass front door is also made from fiberglass. The uptick in your energy bill that’s caused by the exposed glass portion of the door may be completely offset by fiberglass and its propensity for energy efficiency. Fiberglass also adds durability to the equation and allows for secure safety additions to the side of the door, like deadbolts. Fiberglass doors have proven to be secure points of entry that bolster home security.

 

Secure and Beautiful Doors from Plastpro

Whether they’re the aforementioned Nova series or the heavily customizable glass doorlites, Plastpro has beautiful and unique options for homeowners looking to utilize glass in their home design aesthetic. Find a Plastpro dealer near you to explore the different ways glass and fiberglass can be utilized to create a welcoming, safe entryway.

 

Your front door fulfills so many different roles for you, your family and your home. It acts as a first impression for visitors and members of the community who may walk or drive by. It welcomes you back to your home after spending time away. It serves as the focal point of a dwelling’s front-facing design, informing other stylistic choices like overhangs and landscaping. Possibly most important of all, though, is its role in keeping the residency’s inhabitants safe from incursion.

Since the main entry door usually does draw attention to itself through appearance and accessibility, it can become the first place undesired, dangerous visitors try to break and subsequently enter. That’s why home security begins with a secure front door, but when it comes to high security, not all doors are created equal. If you’re looking for reliably secure material in the world of exterior doors, there are options that have proven safer than others.

Wood Doors

Wooden doors have certainly withstood the test of time, remaining one of the most popular entry door material options in the modern era. However, wood doors need a little help withstanding time itself.

The integrity of a wooden door could be compromised if it isn’t properly cared for—bowing and warping can weaken the door, making it susceptible to forced entry. Upkeep is critically important to a wooden door’s integrity, with proper finishing and diligent refinishing acting as the main method of reinforcing the door against elemental attack. Be sure to coat the side of the door, along with the top and the bottom, to better protect against moisture.

The best option to help ensure a wood door withstands any other sorts of attacks is a solid wood door. A product carrying that term usually has a thickness of 1 3/4” and will provide reliable protection from unwanted visitors. A solid wooden door is also more energy efficient than its thinner counterparts, somewhat addressing one of the wood door’s biggest drawbacks. However, wood doors, especially solid wood doors, often come at a premium price making them less accessible to homeowners on a budget. 

Steel Doors

If you’re in the market for a secure front door, steel doors provide an extremely viable option since they’re going to endure dents, scratches and other blemishes without compromising the integrity of the door. With any violent blows inflicted upon them, they aren’t very likely to come down—especially if they’re installed in tandem with an equally strong locking system, like a deadbolt.

In terms of cost, steel doors can be the easiest initial investment. That savings will equate to higher monthly expenses, though, as exterior doors made with steel aren’t as energy efficient as entry doors made with fiberglass. Steel doors also offer less styles than their competition, despite many adopting the panel look made popular by wood entry doors in an effort to offer some texture and dimension. Steel doors aren’t entirely safe from the elements, either, as they are susceptible to rusting and easily show cosmetic damage like dents and scratches.

Fiberglass Doors

Doors crafted from fiberglass are very similar to steel doors in the durability department, but they won’t dent and are harder to scratch than a steel door, plus they’re extremely difficult to snap or crack. Weather isn’t an issue for them either, as they’re built to withstand intense conditions for long periods of time with little-to-no maintenance compared to wooden doors. They can be finished, sanded and refinished, but the materials they’re crafted from means they’re inherently better equipped to withstand the elements than wood or steel.

Fiberglass doors can present a higher barrier for entry than other options, but they also boast a higher energy efficiency than both steel and wood exterior doors, helping keep regular utility costs low. Purchasing a door that’s aesthetically pleasing is easier with fiberglass doors, as the material can be formed into a number of different shapes mimicking everything from classic wood mainstays or modern sheer designs. Plastpro has a service that works with homeowners to provide custom fiberglass doors for their homes, no matter the size.

Additional Security Measures

Homeowners can take steps beyond their front door material to add layers of security to their home.

Consider a lock system that goes beyond the basics, such as the aforementioned deadbolt. Maintain a well-lit entryway free of obstructions so any potential intruder can be seen. Invest in one of the many affordable home security systems on the market and consider purchasing a fiberglass door created to stand up to the harshest of conditions. 

Other Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Door

Safety is important, but if doors match similarly in that department, which other criteria can be counted on during the purchasing process?

It’s been a point made throughout, but energy efficiency can keep your family comfortable while keeping utility costs low—and fiberglass doors do it better than any others. On top of their contributions to lower energy costs, fiberglass doors hold up well to extreme weather, everyday wear and tear, and even violent attack. Finally, fiberglass doors can mimic traditional designs, provide your home with a striking modern look or be customized to fit your particular needs. This list touches on almost all points homeowners are looking to cover when pursuing a new door.

Get Secure and Long-lasting Doors with Plastpro

With 1 million fiberglass doors produced a year bearing the Plastpro name, it’s safe to say a large number of homeowners rely on these doors for the security of their households. It’s also a safe bet that working with that many fiberglass doors strengthened the company’s knowledge when it comes to producing a time-tested product that’ll last. Explore your fiberglass door options at a Plastpro dealer and begin enjoying the benefits of fiberglass entry doors!

There’s a lot that goes into choosing an exterior door, but the most important consideration is door material. Different door materials will perform differently, and weighing the pros and cons of each will help determine which is best for you.

 

When comparing wood, steel, and fiberglass doors, fiberglass often pulls ahead in many top categories. Let’s take a look at some of the most important benefits of fiberglass doors—and why they are a great fit for most homes.

5 Benefits of Fiberglass Doors

 

Durability

One area where fiberglass doors excel over their wood or steel counterparts is durability. Exterior doors are an investment, and fiberglass doors typically hold up better over time than other types of doors—and taking good care of a fiberglass door can make it last a lifetime.

While wood doors are often chosen for their aesthetic value, they are also prone to rotting, warping, or cracking. That can mean costly repairs or needing to replace the door altogether. With fiberglass doors, these issues are virtually nonexistent, ensuring the door can stay looking great and functioning at a high level for many years.

The same can be said when compared to steel doors. While often more durable than wood, steel is still prone to rusting and denting—issues that won’t affect fiberglass doors. Fiberglass doors are also lighter than steel doors, which reduces the stress on the hinges and keeps the door operating smoothly.

 

Security

Fiberglass doors are built to last—which leads to the next point: security. Fiberglass doors are often fitted with high-density door cores that make them durable and highly secure. And because fiberglass doors stay in top condition for a long time, they help keep the entryway safe and secured for years.

Different manufacturers may equip their doors with a variety of safety features as well. For example, Plastpro fiberglass doors feature a proprietary, high-density polyurethane core that is built to stand up not only against forced entry attempts, but severe weather as well. 

Plastpro doors also feature a full-length lock block, ensuring that the door can be equipped with the best exterior door lock of your choosing.

 

Energy Efficiency

Safety is a top priority when choosing a new door, but exterior doors are responsible for a lot more than that. One of the most important functions of any good exterior door is energy efficiency. 

Fiberglass doors shine in this regard. Due to their strong door cores and minimal heat exchange, fiberglass doors can reduce energy bills and keep the home at a comfortable temperature in any season. Specifically, look for an ENERGY STAR-certified fiberglass door for top performance and major, long-term savings on energy.

 

Environmentally Friendly

Energy efficiency plays a major role in environmental friendliness. Because fiberglass doors help to conserve energy, they tend to have a lower environmental impact than wood or steel doors—but that’s not all. They’re also typically made from recycled materials and, given their long lifespans, produce less waste than other door types as well. All of these factors together make fiberglass doors a top choice for those looking for an eco-friendly exterior door.

 

Design Versatility

Performance is always a key consideration—but many homeowners also want their front door curb appeal to be high. Fiberglass doors come in a variety of design options that can match nearly any home and any aesthetic preference.

While many homeowners opt for the look of wood doors, some fiberglass doors feature wood grain shells that give them the appearance of a wood door, but with all the benefits of fiberglass. From classic Oak to rich Mahogany, fiberglass doors can match the desired look without sacrificing performance.

Fiberglass doors are also great for a more modern design as well. Available in sleek designs that can be painted any trendy front door color, fiberglass doors are great for contemporary or minimalistic homes.

 

Experience the Benefits of Fiberglass Doors

At the end of the day, the benefits of fiberglass doors make them a great fit for most homes. The combination of durability, security, and energy efficiency is unmatched—and with plenty of design options, it’s easy to find the right door for any architectural style and personal preference.

Plastpro takes pride in the benefits of fiberglass—all Plastpro fiberglass doors are designed and built with them in mind. Our doors are long-lasting, highly secure, and ENERGY STAR-certified for energy efficiency.

Experience the benefits of a fiberglass door today–visit our Where to Buy page to find a Plastpro dealer near you.

Sustainability is more important than ever, and many people and businesses are putting renewed focus on the environmental impact of products and processes. In construction, this can range from earning certification for meeting LEED requirements all the way down to the individual building elements chosen.

Whether you’re designing a new home from the ground up or you’re searching for ways to make your existing home more sustainable, there are many steps to take in creating an environmentally conscious home. One important consideration is choosing eco-friendly exterior doors. 

Doors can play a major role in the overall eco-friendliness of the home. Let’s take a look at how to choose an eco-friendly exterior door.

 

Choosing an Eco-Friendly Exterior Door

Finding an eco-friendly exterior door isn’t difficult as long as you know what to look for. Here are the most important factors to consider.

Door Material

Door material is arguably the most important consideration when it comes to eco-friendliness. This includes not only the material itself, but also how it’s sourced. For example, wood is a natural resource and can be an eco-friendly choice—however, it can be difficult to find sustainably sourced wood doors.

Steel doors are often made from recycled materials, making them a good eco-friendly choice. That being said, fiberglass doors are also made from recycled materials, and they are generally more durable when compared to steel doors. Fiberglass is resistant to dents and scratches, two common issues for steel doors.

Therefore, fiberglass is typically a highly recommended material when it comes to eco-friendly exterior doors—especially because they also perform well in our next category.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficient doors will help reduce energy consumption, contributing to a more sustainable home. Therefore, eco-friendly exterior doors should be extremely energy efficient.

Door material influences the overall energy efficiency of an exterior door, but it’s not the sole determining factor. Fiberglass doors generally perform exceptionally well when it comes to energy efficiency, but buyers should also research the specific door core used. A high-density foam core is a great choice for maximum energy efficiency.

Additionally, door glass can also be a major source of lost energy, but LowE glass can be a good eco-friendly alternative. LowE glass features specialized coating that helps minimize heat transfer, keeping internal temperatures comfortable and steady.

To ensure the door meets energy efficiency standards, only choose a door that is ENERGY STAR rated. This denotes that the door meets federal guidelines regarding energy efficiency.

Door Manufacturer

Choosing an eco-friendly exterior door should also include more than just the door itself. Choosing a door from a manufacturer committed to sustainable production means supporting overall positive environmental well-being.

Look for manufactures that specifically use sustainable practices and materials, not only for their doors but for all their products and services.

 

Why Choose Eco-Friendly Exterior Doors?

It’s true that eco-friendly exterior doors and other materials generally cost more, and it can be tempting to attempt to maximize budget by choosing less sustainable options. However, there’s more to take into consideration.

While the initial cost may be substantial, investing in eco-friendly exterior doors—and most other eco-friendly home choices—will result in long-term savings that will greatly surpass the initial savings of less sustainable options. 

One of the biggest sources of savings: energy. Because eco-friendly exterior doors are extremely energy efficient, the cost of heating and cooling will be lower. Over time, the yearly savings on energy bills will eventually surpass the initial price difference. A truly sustainable home—complete with eco-friendly doors, windows, appliances, and energy sources—will result in major long-term savings, making it an increasingly attractive option for homeowners.

Plus, while saving money, homeowners investing in eco-friendly options are contributing to the greater health of the environment, making it a win-win.

 

Check Out Plastpro’s Eco-Friendly Exterior Doors

When it comes time for an eco-friendly exterior door, look no further than Plastpro. Plastpro’s lineup of fiberglass doors are made with sustainability in mind. Each door features a proprietary, high-density polyurethane foam core that provides superior insulation and energy efficiency. Not only that, but the cores are developed in compliance with the EPA’s Snap 20 regulations and without volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Plastpro’s fiberglass doors are built to last a lifetime—minimizing waste and reducing the overall long-term cost of the door. Combined with the savings on energy, Plastpro doors are a cost effective choice that can’t be beat.

To learn where to get Plastpro’s eco-friendly exterior doors, visit our Where to Buy page.

 

Choosing a new front door can be exciting—but it can quickly become challenging when faced with the number of options available. From door materials to panel designs and everything in between, there are many factors to consider when making a selection. However, one of the most important considerations is the architectural style of the home.

Some door types or colors synergize with certain home styles better than others. In fact, the front door can play a major role in tying the entire aesthetic of the home together. 

One of the most common home styles is the ranch house. If you’re building a ranch home, or living in one already, you may want to consider a front door that pairs well with the ranch style. Let’s take a look at a few tips to guide you along the way.

 

What is a Ranch-Style Home?

First, let’s take a look at what differentiates a ranch-style home. While the ranch home originated in the American Southwest, this home style can now be found across the United States. The specific design may vary by region, but the general characteristics remain the same throughout.

Most commonly, ranch-style homes are known for being a single story. They also typically feature open concepts to maximize space, as well as an outdoor patio or deck. Though the homes only have one story, many ranch homes feature a finished basement to add more space.

Ranch homes are typically rectangular. They generally feature large windows in the front of the home, and many include a sliding glass door leading to the patio or deck area. In many cases, ranch-style homes also feature attached garages.

 

How to Choose a Ranch-Style Home Front Door

Let’s take a look at some of the most important factors when choosing a front door for a ranch style home.

Type of Ranch Home

There are a variety of ranch homes types that feature their own spin on the classic design. The front door you choose can ultimately depend on which type of ranch home you have. 

For example, a California ranch is designed to highlight the natural features of the space, often using the surrounding environment to accent the home. In this case, choosing a natural grain or rustic-style front door would be ideal to compliment the natural features.

Conversely, a storybook ranch features a completely different design focus. Storybook ranches incorporate ornate and decorative designs to create a whimsical aesthetic—hence their other name, the fairytale ranch. In this case, opting for a highly decorative front door featuring eccentric door glass would be more fitting.

Classic vs. Contemporary Styles

Ranch homes have been popular for a long time—long enough that some are now choosing to recreate the classic charm of the style. Whether it’s revamping an older home or simply building with that mid-century, 1960’s aesthetic in mind, ranch homes are a great option for warm, vintage colors and textures. If this is the goal, going with a timeless woodgrain front door will work well.

However, ranch homes aren’t limited to their roots. Many ranch homes now include a modern twist, with contemporary design elements incorporated into the style. While these homes can vary widely, opting for a modern-style front door such as a smooth skin fiberglass door can accentuate the contemporary elements. Color will depend on the home, but consider trending front door colors like red or seafoam green.

Natural Light

One of the hallmark qualities of ranch homes is natural light, being that they often feature large windows and a glass patio door. This goes perfectly with the open concept, as natural light will make the space look larger, brighter, and more inviting.

Because of this, it may be enticing to choose a glass front door to add more light to the space. However, door glass typically adds to the cost of the door. Therefore, it may be a more cost effective option to save on a door with no glass, being that the windows should take care of the job.

However, if the design of the ranch home features less windows or smaller windows, then opting for a glass front door can help enhance the space. The benefits of natural light are plentiful, and increasing your budget to get the most out of your home can be worth it in the long run.

Personal Preference

At the end of the day, choosing a ranch-style home front door should be about getting the look you want. Because ranch homes are a versatile home style, there are numerous front door styles that will fit well into the design. Consider elements like climate and energy efficiency in your decision, and then choose the style that best suits your design needs.

 

Get Your Next Front Door from Plastpro

Fitting your ranch-style home with a new front door doesn’t have to be difficult. Consider the factors above in your decision, and then opt for the design that best suits your individual style and needs.

Plastpro’s lineup of fiberglass doors are a great option for any home—including ranch homes. With various door skins, door styles, and door glass options to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect door to fit your home and your needs. For example, Plastpro’s Oak Door Series can enhance the classic charm of a vintage ranch home, while the Nova Door Series is great when additional natural light is needed.

No matter which series you choose, Plastpro doors come backed with features like a proprietary, high-density door core for enhanced energy efficiency and door security, as well as Hydroshield Technology to stand up against the elements. 

Find out where you can get a Plastpro fiberglass door today by visiting our Where to Buy page, or try our Doorability tool to see a Plastpro door on your home.