7 Types of Front Doors For Your House (Pros & Cons)

Doors not only provide security for your house, they also allow you to change the look and feel of it.

They are available in different types based on the design’s materials and functionality. It would be best if you chose a door that suits the architectural design of your house well.

Below are the major types of doors:

• Sliding Doors
• French doors
• Bifold doors
• Patio Doors
• Composite doors
• uPVC doors
• Aluminium doors

1. Sliding Doors

A sliding door is always parallel to the wall. It opens crosswise by sliding on a frame. These doors are mainly used in bathrooms. They permit entrance and exit at the same time. These doors can be made of wood, stainless steel and aluminium. Sliding doors provide a wide range of design possibilities. These doors are ideal when you want to save space as they don’t require extra room for opening.

Pros

• Glass sliding doors are insulators and maintain the temperature in a room
• Glass sliding doors offer natural lighting to a room
• Glass sliding doors have a soundproof feature and thus are best for private office rooms.
• They do not need extra space for opening.

Cons

• These doors require professionals to install
• The sliding rail traps dirt and sludge
• The mirror retains handprints and fingerprints

2. French door

These are doors with a screen door system. They serve either as interior doors separating two spaces or as connectors between two separate spaces. This is made possible by the spaces between the doors. These doors are mainly used with a screen door system, and they open with a backyard patio. Interior French doors are often found at the entrance to a living room or a kitchen. They allow free flow of light into the room through the spaces in the door.

The most popular design for French doors is the divided glass pane design.

Curtains and blinds work perfectly with the front door, and they provide more privacy. Large doors are the best as they bring out the French door design perfectly.

Pros

• They have incorporated security locks which improve their security features.
• These doors function as windows by allowing light to flood into your room.
• They add value to your house due to their attractive appearance.

Cons

• They are quite challenging to install.
• They don’t offer maximum privacy to a room.

3. Bi-fold doors

These doors adjust by folding back in sections. Bi-fold doors are mostly made of wood, bamboo, PVC or aluminium. A bi-fold door has a variety of fascinating door designs that you can choose from.

These doors are prevalent in restaurants and commercial projects. In addition, they are very applicable in dividing rooms which require to be divided and connected. Bi-fold doors are of good quality and offer long-term service. This door gives any space that is installed a contemporary, elegant appearance.

Pros

• These bi-fold doors enable the creation of space that you desire.
• The doors are waterproof, thus protecting the interior.
• It is easy to add a fingerprint option on these doors.
• These doors are easy to open as they don’t require much effort.
• It is possible to walk through the door without opening the entire door.
• These doors create the illusion of a large room through the reflection of the mirrors.

Cons

• This door requires a professional for installation.
• They reflect too much sunlight into your house onto
• They have a high cost compared to other doors, and thus it is considered a luxury.

4. Patio Doors

These are either glass sliding doors in architecture or a sliding door that opens to a patio deck. This door is available in different designs to compliment your home. Patio doors are made from wood, vinyl, and fibreglass.

Pros

• Beautiful looks- patio door enhances the overall look of your home
• These doors are energy efficient as they offer a lot of space for natural light to penetrate the room.
• They make great use of space.

Cons

• They cost more compared to other door designs.
• They are quite challenging to install.
• They are not able to withstand extreme weather conditions.
• They are expensive to maintain.

5. Composite doors

This is a new type of door on the market. It is a new invention that combines many materials in its making. They include wood, muffled foam, and fibreglass. These doors are solid, sturdy. They are exceptionally prominent due to their unique features. These doors offer security and have a unique design provided by their composite nature.

Pros

• These doors are made of stainless steel.
• The composite is incorporated with more than ten standard colours, over a hundred decorative glass designs, and a good number of glass patterns.

Cons

• These doors are expensive compared to other models.
• Composite doors resemble wood, but they don’t have the natural texture of wood.

6. UPVC doors

These are Unlatticed Polyvinyl Chloride doors. They are made of rigid plastic, which is generally cheap compared to wood. These doors offer high security, and they serve for a long time. They are made from laminated glass, which shatters when hit, but it stays in place.

Pros

• These doors are energy-saving.
• They have a multipoint locking system.
• They require low maintenance
• They are long-lasting
• Easy to customize

Cons

• They melt at high temperatures.
• The material is not resistant to scratch and thus can be spoiled easily.

7. Aluminium Doors

These are doors made of aluminium metal. They provide a very high degree of weather resistance and are available in limited designs. These are the most secure doors and are mainly used as entrance doors.

Pros

• They have the best structural stability.
• They have high thermal insulation and can stand harsh weather conditions.
• They have a long life span.

Cons

• They are prone to oxidation
• They corrode quickly if subjected to electrolysis.
• The welding of aluminium is costly.

As we have seen above, there are many types of doors which can be used either for indoor or outdoor purposes. Before purchasing a door, it is crucial to determine which type is best for your building. We believe our article has provided you with different options to choose from. Pick a door that is ideal for you today

Got a pet?

Check out our guide to dog and cat flaps and how these can be stylishly incorporated into your next round of home improvements!