Front Doors: The Essential Guide
The front gate, the entrance to your property and home, we often think of as a necessary accessory of our entrance, a humble continuation of the wall or garden fence and simply a point of access and exit. We forget that they can enhance the visual appeal of a property by adding style and charm. The door is often the first thing visitors see when they visit or pass through your property and its appearance can reflect what lies beyond by making a good or bad first impression.
Which front door should I choose?
The choice of a front door largely depends on the style and intended purpose. A simple wooden gate that blends seamlessly into the fence or wall provides a traditional look and feel. Alternatively, a solid clad wood or wrought iron door can offer a higher level of privacy and security for your home.
Automated or manual
If you want to go a bit further, you can consider an automated gate. No more hassle of getting in and out of the car on a rainy day, and the benefit of the gate always being locked when the driveway is not in use. Electric gates can be a great addition to your property by deterring unwanted visitors, but make sure they are installed by a professional gate engineer. There are many options to choose from based on access and the slope of your driveway.
types of doors
Fundamentally, entry doors tend to be made of two materials, wood or metal. Metal doors come in a variety of styles and shapes and are made from either steel or aluminum. Steel doors traditionally tend to be more ornate in nature, while aluminum doors can provide the look of a traditional wood clad door, but at a fraction of the weight and without the hassle of annual wood maintenance.
Door care and maintenance
Once you’ve invested in the ideal gate for your driveway, now you need to make sure your gate has the best protection to keep it looking like new for as long as possible.
Almost all new wood entry doors are pre-treated to protect the wood from wood rot and insect attack, but these treatments do not provide full protection from the weather. Weather erosion and UV rays from the sun will degrade the effectiveness of these treatments over time.
If you are going for a natural look, you may want to top any preservative treatment with a clear exterior wood oil or decking oil. These products contain a blend of oils, waxes and resins that penetrate deep into the wood to provide excellent protection against water ingress. Several of these products contain UV filters that help preserve the natural color of the wood for longer, thus delaying the appearance of weathering.
paint your front door
If you plan to paint your door, it’s important to make sure that any wood preservatives used beforehand are free of wax, oil, and silicone. Most exterior paints are water based and any pre-treatment that contains wax or oil will prevent the paint from sticking to the wood. Always invest in a quality paint, it can save you time and money in the long run.
wood stains
Using an exterior wood stain on your front door is a great way to retain the natural grain of the wood. A light-colored softwood door can be stained and sealed to give it the appearance of teak, mahogany, or walnut color.
Why oiled wood doors?
As with any other garden wood, such as benches, sheds, and fences, it’s always a good idea to oil wood as part of your annual garden maintenance routine. Wood oils penetrate the grain of the wood to replace natural oils lost over time. This keeps the wood nourished and flexible, which helps prevent or reduce cracking and splitting. Additionally, many exterior wood oils and deck oils contain UV filters that help protect the wood from the bleaching effect of the sun.
An added benefit of using wood oils is that they help prevent water penetration, a common cause of mildew and wood rot.