Buying Guide For Front Door

Selecting the right front door for your home is important if you want to create a good first impression on anyone who visits your place. Moreover, the entry door is an integral part of a residential building, helps in setting a tone for the entire structure and even affects its real estate value. Given the important role that the entry door plays in determining the notion about a property with regards to its aesthetic appeal as well as monetary value, choosing the right type of entry door from among a host of choices available in the market becomes essential. Your decision to opt for a wrought iron front door or a wooden entry door should be based on the following considerations.

Select an front door style that complements the architecture of your home. For instance, if you live in a traditional home, it would be best to opt for a wooden door that has raised panels and intricate moldings to add to the aesthetics of your home. On the other hand, a sleek wrought iron door with straight lines or a glass panel door is best suited for modern homes. Similarly, wooden doors with intricate carvings are apt for Victorian homes.

In addition to considering the aesthetic value of the entry door that you purchase for your home, you should mull over its weather resistance and ease of installation as well. Wooden doors are suitable for warm and dry climates while wrought iron doors are an apt choice for all weather conditions. While front doors made of wood may look more welcoming, maintaining them can be quite a drain on time, effort and money. If you are looking for a low-maintenance entry door option, you should stick to a wrought iron front door.

If strength and security are your primary concerns, you should select a steel door. You will find several options of galvanized steel doors in the market, which are sturdy, great to look at and pocket friendly as well. Moreover, these are easy to install as well as maintain and last for several years. You can enjoy all these benefits by selecting an entry door made of wrought iron as well. These come in both simple and ornate designs and you can go for the standard single door variety or select the double door model for your home as per your taste and budget.

Finally, you need to compare the prices of various entry doors that you have shortlisted and ask for discounts offered by various brands on their products. Generally, a wooden door is an expensive choice when compared to a wrought iron front door. Thus, if you have a small budget and want to get the best value for your hard-earned money, it is highly recommended that you buy a wrought iron front door, as it looks classy, is easy on the pocket and will last for years.

Wrought Iron Front Door

If you visit the American Southwest, you will notice that the architecture is greatly different from the rest of the nations. There are no neo-classical, ivy-covered fronts. You will not find gingerbread or Victorian painted ladies anywhere. You would not think about seeing stucco or a wrought iron front door in downtown NYC anywhere either. Instead, in the Southwest you will find a variety of architecture mixed in with the Native American tribal buildings. However, there are five common styles of Southwestern architecture that are very easy to recognize.



1. A traditional single-level home surrounding an inside courtyard is the mainstay of Spanish Colonial architecture. It will also have windows with ornamental ironwork, a narrow, long porch, and a wrought iron front door. This specific style also will feature a flat roof with a parapet wall which is above the roof.

2. Pueblo Revival, or Pueblo Architecture is a mixture of Spanish Colonial and Spanish Mission Style that features earth tone adobe exterior with vigas. These rough logs are the roof's support system and are usually shown on the outside wall. Pueblo dwellings also feature round corners, flat roofs, and brick floors.

3. Mission Revival came from the ever popular Spanish Mission style. Early Spaniards took with them Jesuits and Franciscans to try to save local natives. They built presidios which also included a fort for soldiers to use and elaborate designed missions. The lovely housefronts included curved gables, sweeping arches, and covered, exterior porches.

4. Territorial style is commonly known for strong lines and rows of brick up on top of the walls. People often associate this style with New Mexico because it became popular here between 1850-almost 1900. This style can today be located throughout the Southwest. It is a mixture of Victorian and the traditional Pueblo style due to the settlers to New Mexico bringing their tastes with them from the east. Other popular features are brightly painted front doors that have accents of wrought iron and decorative wooden support posts along the front porch's length.

 5. Santa Fe is yet another well-known style of Southwestern architectural design. The longest lasting style is the kiva. This is a semi-circular corner fireplace that is covered by stucco. Usually flanked by bancos, which are built-in stucco-covered benches, the kiva is a lovely place of relaxation after working long hours.

Many people wrongly assume that adobe is an architectural style. It is indeed a technique of building that is used in many of the Southwest architectural styles. Sand and clay were mixed in with water and made into bricks. These bricks were cured outdoors in the sunlight. They are usually coated with a finish of plaster both to give it appeal and to keep it protected from the weather. The primary features to note in a Southwest style are parapet walls, flat roofs,stucco exteriors, and a wrought iron front door.