One of the most important components of your wooden house is the door. Entry doors, for instance, should be tough enough so as to withstand the elements, such as the scorching sun, rain, snow, or would-be intruders. Tough doors must also have the aesthetic appeal to boost your property’s curb appeal and make a good impression. These are the requirements that your entry or front door should have, or any other doors in your house, for that matter. A wooden house is not just a place of relaxation and fun but it must also be a safe and secure fortress for you and your loved ones.
Facts about Wooden House Doors
There are different types of doors for your log house with different features that would surely enhance the beauty and safety of your home. Different door types have their own characteristics and intrinsic and extrinsic values and the ideal door basically depends on your personal needs and preferences.
Wooden Doors
The most common type is the wooden door due to its versatility and beauty, but these doors are also equipped with a strong suit. You can find a wide range of custom or stock doors with a natural finish that come in various wood species such as cherry, pine, mahogany, oak, maple, fir, and walnut. Western Hemlock and Pine are also softwood varieties with paint-grade features that would look great in a wooden house.
* Stock Wood vs. Solid Wood
Stock wood doors are usually composed of wooden veneer skins that are placed over engineered wood cores. The configuration is quite practical and handy, especially in preventing or minimizing the contraction and expansion of the materials that result in warping. The stock wood composition is much cheaper compared to solid wood but there are also furniture-grade and tough veneers that are thick and strong and could last for years.
Solid wood doors for your wooden house are the more expensive choice and under this category, hardwood is much more expensive compared to softwood. On top of choosing the right wood species for the solid wood doors, make sure you also consider buying a complete system that is already inclusive of the pre-hung door with locksets, hinges, frames, weather stripping, and sidelights.
* Important Reminders for Buying Wooden Doors
Prefinished wooden doors are popular and diverse on the market and if you are looking for one, make sure to check certain qualities such as clear finishes and durable stains. High-gloss sheens for your wooden house door enable it to be protected and resistant to the elements. The door finish must also be applicable on the bottom and top edges as these will prevent the absorption of moisture and swelling. Make sure you also look for the careful detailing of the door, choosing more intricate mouldings and carvings that would indicate wider and thicker stiles and rails.
Steel Doors
A good door option for your wooden house is a steel door if you are quite particular about durability and security. Steel units do not warp or crack, unlike their fibreglass and wood counterparts. This door type is susceptible to dents or dings but this can be easily remedied with an auto-body repair kit. Steel doors are also more reasonably priced compared to wood and other door types, however, a complete steel door system with premium hardware and sidelights could be as expensive as a wooden door system.
Fibreglass-Composite Doors
Your wooden house would look as great and classy as any other structure types with a fibreglass composite door. This door type is basically maintenance-free as well as being tough and durable. If your log cabin is located in an area that is humid or hot, this is the smart choice. Fibreglass-composite doors mimic the aesthetics of wood due to its wood-grain texturing; moreover, it can also be stained so that it would closely look like cherry, walnut, oak, and other popular varieties of wood. One of the best reasons why fibreglass-composite wooden house doors are good options is that they carry long warranties. This door type is also affordable but you would have to pay extra for the accessories or a complete fibreglass entry system.
Aluminium Doors
An insulation core with metal skin is one of the features of an aluminium door, which is quite similar to that of steel units. This door type for your wooden house could be quite rare since they are exclusively sold through certified dealers, especially custom-built entry doors. Aluminium doors basically have a baked-on enamel finish thus they do not rust or require painting. There are also units that match the style and colour of the log house to make it a customized component of your log cabin. The drawback with this door type is that it doesn’t come cheap and is significantly more expensive than stock wood doors.
How to Buy Smart Your Wooden House Door?
Know the different wood species if you are opting for a wooden door to match your log home. Different wood species have their corresponding characteristics and price tags. Some of the most common and popular species include Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, Eastern White Knotty Pine, Poplar, Maple, Red Oak, White Oak, Cherry, Clear and Knotty Adler, Western Red Cedar, Ash, Hickory, White Birch, Sapele Mahogany, Nootka Cypress, Bamboo, and Walnut.
If you are opting for a complete entry system, the most economical choice would be that all components of the wooden house door should come from only one manufacturer. You must also check the weather-stripping seals, ensuring that the threshold interlocks in guaranteed safety with the door’s bottom edges. When buying fibreglass and steel doors, high-quality units are fully equipped with thermal break features, usually as part of the wooden frame or a vinyl strip. These features separate the outer and inner door skins and prevent heat or outside cold from penetrating through the frame and skin.
The best wooden house door caters to the different needs and preferences of the log house owner. These components should give you a smoother operation, save energy, and require less maintenance, on top of offering a budget-friendly price tag.
