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Wood
Doors have been around since man invented them. While wood doors tend to be the cheapest option for most people, they aren’t always practical for every home or exterior opening. When is it a good time to get a wood door? More importantly, when shouldn’t you get a wood door? First let’s clear up a little about what a “Solid” wood door is and isn’t?
What is a solid wood door?
When a carpenter or a door manufacture talks about a wood door, they aren’t actually talking about a door made from a single piece of wood or a few nailed pieces of wood. For the past few decades, wood doors have been made with engineered wood.
What is engineered wood?
To put it simply, its thin layers of wood glued together creating a solid piece of wood. There are many benefits to using engineered wood, one of them being it doesn’t warp as easily as a solid piece of wood. That makes it great for use inside a door.
What’s on the outside of a wood door?
If at the heart of every modern wood door is an engineered core, then what’s on the outside? It’s a thick wood veneer. This allows you to stain (or paint) the door the color of your choosing while getting those classic wood door finishes.
When should you not get a wood door?
Now you know what wood doors are made of, let’s go over some drawbacks.
Engineered wood doors don’t warp like their early predecessors. That doesn’t mean they never warp, rot, or get damaged. For example, exterior wood doors that are painted black or other dark colors that get direct sunlight or rain can warp or damage your door. Which is why many doors manufacturers void wood door warranties if they are painted dark colors.
1) If your door is not protected from the rain, consider fiberglass or steel doors.
2) If it’s exposed to lots of direct sunlight, consider fiberglass or steel doors.
3) If your door is exposed to pools of water, consider fiberglass or steel doors.
4) If you plan to paint your door a dark color, consider getting a fiberglass door.
When should you get a wood door?
Modern wood doors don’t warp like they use to and they are cheaper than their fiberglass cousins. Which is great because with proper care they can last you a lifetime.
Consider a wood door if one or more of the following apply:
1) Proper coverage from rain and direct sunlight (Do you have an awning? Or is it on the shady side of the house?)
2) Water doesn’t pool around the door entry
3) You’re planning on painting or staining your wood door a lighter color
How much does an exterior wood door cost?
In orange county, you should plan to pay around at least $1,500 for a front door and around $800 for a back door. That isn’t including labor. Stock doors are always your cheapest options, but come with the drawback of limited style choices and sizes.
At the time of this writing, the cheapest wood doors in the orange county area start around $200 for stock doors and go up from there depending on the design you choose. If you are more budget conscious than design conscious, and you can find one that fits your home, that is your best option.
Custom wood doors will vary depending on the design. Just remember, custom-made products will usually be more expensive than the manufactured wood doors. If you are more concerned with having a unique door, then custom is probably a better choice for you. However, just know in advance that you’ll likely need a larger budget.
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