How to maintain your wooden exterior door
Wooden exterior door is one of the most common choices, as it is generally the most affordable type of door.
They are available in a wide selection, with various styles and colors, either in an all wood design or a more inviting aspect of wood combined with glass. The exterior door of your house has a very important role, not only for adding extra elegance and style to your home, but it also has to be solid in order to protect you and your family.
A wooden exterior door has the great aspect of wood, shaped and processed in different styles to meet even the highest standards. A wide variety of wood doors will give you plenty of options to choose from, depending on your style preferences: it can be chic, elegant, traditional, carved, windowed, modern, classic, even unique. The choice is yours. However, keep in mind that wood can be a little more pretentious than other materials and require more maintenance. A wooden exterior door has a wonderful aspect, but it might not be the best option when it comes to energy efficiency or maintenance, because they require high maintenance while providing a low energy efficiency. It will not offer any insulating properties, and are more delicate than metal, aluminum or fiberglass doors. Also, in time, if it is not properly maintained, a wooden exterior door can be damaged by weather, rot, or everyday wear and tear. A solution may be to install your wood exterior door in an entryway that is not used so often, like a back door for example.
However, wood does have that fantastic look that no other material can match. You can emboss metal doors to resemble a wood grain, but still it will not be quite the same. So if you are a fan of wood and you would really like to get a wooden exterior door for your home, learn how to maintain it properly so it doesn't get damaged:
- - first of all, the surface must be sealed; if it has been painted, the paint is a good enough seal for the wood, but if it hasn't, it is advisable that you paint it yourself. Choose an oil-based or a latex exterior paint, with a high gloss sheen for increased durability;
- - install weather stripping around the doorjamb in order to prevent heat and energy loss;
- - if your wooden exterior door also has a screened window, be careful not to push onto it, because the screen can rip and tear, also damaging the delicate woodwork around its corners;
- - consider installing a screen door spring to ensure that the door closes and latches; also, the wind will no longer blow it open, damaging the screen and the door itself;
If you take care of it properly, your wooden exterior door will look beautiful for many years to come, and can be the best investment. Wooden doors look inviting, stylish and will inspire a warm welcoming feeling to whomever crosses your threshold. And the best part, you can personalize it however you want, choose the design, style, color, shape, carvings and so on. A wooden exterior door is affordable, it looks great and it comes in the widest variety.