A steel door system with sidelights and premium hardware can nearly equal the cost of a wood door system however.
Best door for full sun exposure.
Unless they re under an overhang or located in a shaded area the homeowner will have to perform a lot of maintenance and warping will be a problem.
Solid wood doors were best at resisting wear and tear in our tests.
For one thing steel doors are far more durable.
Yearly refinishing with uv resistant spar varnish is a pain.
My son had a brown front door upvc would not open after the sun had been on it for a while.
Hi van the uv rays and heat from direct sunlight not to mention rain snow and extreme changes in temperature are very hard on exterior wood doors especially those with clear finishes.
They re also the least likely to dent and scratches are easy to repair.
Steel doors also cost the least.
I run a custom door shop and in my experience tight grained at least 16 rings per inch vg douglas fir is about the best performer in direct exposure situations.
All steel doors have an inner frame made of wood or for greater strength steel.
Wood doors work best when installed in a protected area oberg says.
Since most front doors in palm desert are likely exposed to direct sunlight and extreme heat a steel door wouldn t work because it would absorb too much heat making it too hot to touch.
The sun wind rain and snow can dish out a beating to a front door so a good paint job is essential to protecting the door from the elements.
How to paint a front door that gets a lot of sun.
Prices start at about 150 for a 3 foot wide x 6 foot 8 inch tall paneled door without hardware or glazing.
Myself i have a white upvc door which faces west when the sun was dying down last summer the metal door lock catch would expand i could not lock the door yet the white upvc door was cool to the touch.
The durability of fiberglass fiberglass doors offer an attractive alternative for a.
Steel doors make up for the shortcomings of wood and boast advantages all their own.
A wood door wouldn t work either as wood tends to warp crack and delaminate under direct sunlight as well.
The best door choice for a south facing entry is an energy efficient door made from strong materials.
Frequent oil finishing while not as water resistant is easy and actually develops a patina that looks better with age.