Home Improvement

Three Climate Considerations When Selecting A Door

Article submitted by: Home Furniture Trends

1. You Live in a Desert. Hot days, cold nights. Lots of direct sunlight. These conditions can create mayhem for wooden doors.  If you insist upon using natural wood (which is entirely understandable), be sure to remember the following things:  (a) seal and finish your door, and restain annually.  It seems excessive, but the natural wood of your door is in a perpetual state of expansion and contraction when you live in a desert climate.  To ensure your door keeps its shape, the seal and finish are integral.  If you’re open to other options, you can look towards fiberglass doors as a beautiful alternative.  Many manufacturers are creating improved versions of the wood grain that will nearly mimic the look and feel of natural wood.  For the most part, you will also be able to stain or paint the door to your liking, making it even easier to create the entryway of your dreams.
2. You live in the PNW (Pacific Northwest).  Ahh, the Pacific Northwest, land of the trees.  And we know why they grow so well, many of the major cities are in technical rainforest conditions.  And if it isn’t rainy, it is often moist enough to feel like it could start raining at any moment.  For exterior doors in cities like Seattle and Portland, coverage is probably the first consideration.  Your awning or roof should cover the door, so as to prevent direct rainfall from the door’s surface.  Like your desert friends above, you’ll be all the better for re-staining or sealing your natural wood door each year.  Since the temperatures remain moderate for most of the year, an aluminum door is a great way to keep up with your cities modern eclectic vibe, without sacrificing an insulation factor.
3. You in the Midwest or East Coast (northern).  You have all four seasons, you lucky people you! But on the other hand, this means your home has to be prepared for four distinct climates, often changing at the drop of a hand.  Not to fear, your homes do well with all types of doors, but the rules as discussed in the other two climates will apply, just in less drastic measure.  For example, you should keep your wood door under a covering, reseal each year, and also consider a fiberglass door if you’re concerned about the ongoing maintenance of a wood door.  Aluminum or steel doors are also incredibly functional in your world, but since your winters are proper snowy ones, make sure your metal doors are manufactured with a thermal break to keep the cold (or heat) outside of your home.