Exterior doors

The gateway to your home, doors should be compatible in style with other architectural elements of the house. A wide variety of models is currently available on the market, each adapted to different tastes and budgets. It is also important to make your choices carefully, especially in light of current concerns with energy efficiency. In this text, we’ll be discussing exterior doors i.e., entrance and patio doors.
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A few terms
Types
Steel doors
Wooden doors
Fibreglass doors
PVC doors
Aluminium doors
Deco and design
Flush and panelled doors
Glass
Door locksets
Building codes

A few terms

Sliding doors glide along tracks placed above and below the doors. This is a feature of most patio doors.

Inswing doors open to the inside and outswing doors to the outside.

Sidelites are panels that flank the main door on one or both sides and are usually glassed in.

Transoms are panels above the door. They’re also often made, all or in part, of glass. They come in three shapes, box, arch and ellipse.

Right or left-hand doors: Single exterior doors typically swing inward. With most exterior door manufacturers, you can determine the swing or handing of a door by looking at the door from the outside and the location of the hinges; the door is right-handed and will open on the right if the hinges are on the right, and the door is left-handed and will open on the left if the hinges are on the left. Always verify your order with your local merchant.

If you intend to replace a double door system, we would advise you to consult a hardware clerk.

An entry system is a fully integrated unit comprising the door, the frame, the threshold and the weather stripping. The door is already on its hinges in the frame and is much simpler to install than when starting with separate elements. To assure quality and good fit of all the components, make sure that they’re all are assembled by the same manufacturer.

Types

There are five types of exterior doors: steel, aluminium, wood, aluminium and PVC, categorized by the materials used for the outside layer. In fact, over the years doors have become hybrids. A single unit can be constructed from various materials such as wood for the inside frame, polyurethane foam for the core and steel, aluminium, PVC, etc. for the outside layer. In Canada, entry doors are usually insulated with an injected foam insert. Make sure this is so, as frost will form on the inside of an un-insulated door.

Steel doors

Versatile steel doors can blend into just almost any architectural style. They can accommodate any number of decorative windows. Their rigidity, longevity, air tightness and ease of maintenance make them a good choice. Stronger than wood or fibreglass, they also carry an added dimension of home security. In addition, steel doors yield impressive insulation value at relatively low cost.

Steel doors are made of pressure-injected polyurethane foam sandwiched between two sheets of heavy-gauge, galvanized steel. The foam provides strength, bonds to the steel and, in terms of insulation, standard 1 3/4 in. doors rate an R16 everywhere, except in glassed-in and etched areas. The doors can be embossed for texture and are often finished with a vinyl or baked polyester coating. Large glassed-in areas are very popular despite their poor energy efficiency. On the positive side, they do stop outside air from penetrating indoors.

Steel doors are delivered in wood frames, which should be as deep as possible, consistent with the thickness of the wall into which the door must fit. Standard frames are 4 9/16 in. deep, except for Quebec where they are 7 1/4 in. Bear in mind that manufacturers can make frames to suit every need.

Steel doors allow the use of magnetic weather stripping at the top and around the lock. That makes them unusually airtight. Flexible weather stripping can be used around the hinges, while the bottom of the door typically has an interlocking threshold. On the maintenance side, they can be repainted, although it’s hard to bring them back to the quality level of a factory-installed baked enamel or vinyl finish. If you plan to do it yourself, make sure to determine the kind of material that was used for the final coat, so that you can use the same.

Wooden doors

Wooden doors are becoming rarer and are mostly found on traditional and older homes. Pine doors are available at a reasonable cost. Other suitable species of wood are available at an additional cost.

These days, wooden doors are a great deal more practical than they used to be. Thanks to new assembly techniques and the use of wood laminates in their construction, they are more resistant to warping caused by weather changes. Most are made of insulation injected between wood veneer panels which result in impressive insulation capabilities. When selecting a veneer covered door, be aware that veneers come in varying thicknesses, as little as 1/16 inch and the thinner veneers are easily damaged. The use of interlocking weather stripping results in respectable air tightness.

If maintained properly a wood door will last for years. Maintenance consists mainly of protecting the wood from the elements via the use of paint, stain, varnish or another protective application that seals the wood grain and repels moisture. As with all types of doors, weather stripping should be checked periodically and replaced if needed.

Fibreglass doors

Fibreglass doors are moulded around a polyurethane core that gives them superior rigidity, resistance to cold and to impact damage. They can be produced in a wide array of colours and textures. Because little or no wood is used in their construction, they do not shrink or warp under the influence of the sun, as well as humidity and temperature variations. Moulding techniques, plus the use of wood stains and finishes, can produce a finished product that closely resembles wood.

Maintenance is practically nil, as fibreglass is very impact-resistant and the finish won’t fade from exposure to the elements. Clean with soap and water and check the weather stripping periodically.

PVC doors

PVC is used mainly in sliding patio doors. Although PVC can be found on all types of exterior doors depending on the manufacturer, it is fairly rare to find it used for a regular outside door. The material is light-weight, corrosion and weather resistant. The doors come in single (2 doors) or double (4 doors) unit configurations, the double sets being more resistant to cold and draughts. They can also be purchased as much as four panels wide for maximum light penetration. In all cases where there are multiple panels, the doors on one side are fixed and on the other side can be opened. Most include a light, sliding screen door to keep out the insects in the summer. Maintenance is minimal, as the surface is easy to clean and the colours don’t yellow or fade over time.

Aluminium doors

As with PVC, aluminium is also used mainly for patio doors. Its light weight makes it ideal as a sliding door and its baked-on finish is easy to clean and doesn’t fade from sunlight or exposure to the elements. Patio door configurations are the same as with PVC. Maintenance is the same as for PVC doors.

Deco and design

One thing shared by all door types is their potential to be used as decorative elements that can be arranged to harmonize with the architecture, colours and materials employed on the rest of the house. Since they’re usually manufactured according to the buyers measurements and specifications, it’s important that you provide the right specifications i.e., inswing/outswing, right-hand/left-hand, dimensions, as well as your choices of materials, colours, styles, textures, etc.

Flush and panelled doors

Solid doors have no glass. They can have flush uniform or textured surfaces and can be ordered in a wide variety of colours and textures Panelled doors can have one, two, even nine or twelve panels that are the main decorative elements. Doors can also have a combination of glass panes and panels. It’s really a matter of personal taste and matching the door to other decorative elements both in and out.

Glass

Etched, painted, stained reminiscent of church windows, glass is probably the most exciting and decorative feature that can be added to certain models. It provides the touch of elegance that makes a door unique and inviting. Consider adding glassed sidelites and a transom to frame the door itself. The effect is stunning and, on a front door, will make it the main feature that draws the eye to the front of the house.

The glass, also called a lite, in steel doors, in fact in all doors, does decrease the door’s energy efficiency, but you can opt for sealed, double or triple glass pane configurations that ease the problem. The edges are double-sealed and the glass can be covered with an invisible coating that decreases heat flow. The carning is the metal frame, usually brass or brushed nickel that holds the decorative glass. It is itself a decorative feature and can be ordered in various colours and styles.

Door locksets

Of course, the primary purpose of a door lockset is security, but aesthetic considerations must also be kept in mind. These units come in a wide variety of models and finishes to complement any door selection. You will find buyer’s guides on this website that will help you choose the right lockset for your needs, as well as full installation instructions. Simply type “lock” in the search box.

Building codes

Exterior doors are subject to the National Building Codes. In this case, the code stipulates that a door leading to the outside can be no less than 81 centimetres (appx.32 inches) wide and 191 centimetres (appx.78 inches) high. Municipalities can also require that a door be wider and higher, though not less, than what is stipulated in the National Code. This means that you may want to check with your local building inspector before going ahead with any major modifications. The other main requirement is for an outside door to have weather stripping to cut down on draughts. On the other hand, there is no minimum required RF (insulating) factor, so make sure that you are aware of the door’s insulating properties before you buy.

Although not falling under the category of outside doors per se, to prevent carbon monoxide laden automobile exhaust gasses from entering the home, it should be noted that doors connecting the house to an attached garage are required to be sealed and equipped with a self-closing device.
Function, energy efficiency, security, appearance and compatibility are the main considerations when choosing a door. So many combinations make the varieties and possibilities endless. Your choice will fit harmoniously into the décor or stand out, even beckon. Whatever you choose, there’s a door out there that will meet your expectations.
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