Home Makeover Quick Tip: How to Make a Statement with Your Front Door By: Kerrie Kelly, ASID, on behalf The Home Depot In our Home Makeover Quick Tip series from the experts at The Home Depot, we share DIY home makeover tips to help you put your own personal touch on your home. One of the easiest ways to give your home’s curb appeal a refresh is to makeover the front door. Understanding your material, style and color options will assure that your house doesn’t make a statement for the wrong reasons. The first step to create a statement door is to select the base material best suited for your home. Some tried and true options include: Solid wood door: While the most expensive option, the classic silhouette offers a high-end look and a substantial feel. If you plan on painting, be sure to test our your paint color. Wooden doors will absorb more paint, which means the color might look a little different on wood than on fiberglass or steel. Sold wood will also absorb more moisture over time and require a little more maintenance.
Hollow wooden doors are a less expensive option that still gives you that exterior wooden texture. Steel or fiberglass doors: Steel doors will hold the color well and will never bow or fade. Steel doors can be tricky in rougher climates, as a scratch can lead to rust damage. If your area is more inclined to inclement weather, a great alternative to a steel door is a fiberglass door. The next step is to choose the style of the door. Each option has its own aesthetic value and offers varying levels of privacy. Paneling: If you choose a solid wood door, choose an option with paneling elements to add personality and structure. Boldly colored doors look great with paneling. Sidelights: Doors with side panels of glass increase the sense of size of your single panel door, so choose paint colors that work on a larger canvas. Sidelights can make a great statement piece for your entry if the color and size don’t overwhelm the rest of the house. Glass front: If you want to paint your door a bright color, this is a great choice because the bold, bright color won’t be so overwhelming since most of the door is glass.
While color options are endless, the below options provide maximum impact. Red: Contrast is one of the best ways to make a statement with your front door. If the rest of the house is a lighter shade, you’re better off with a darker color on the door and vice versa. Red is an excellent choice to provide contrast. Choose a deep red that’s a shade or two darker than your first choice. Think “exotic shades of far-away places” rather than “stop signs.” Black: A timeless classic that adds style to any home, choose a high gloss paint that adds richness. Brass hardware will lend a classic look, and will provide a crisp contrast. Lime Green: Lime green works with a variety of deep dark exterior shades such as grays and browns. The pop of color is fresh, friendly and stylish. Paired with a neutral colored home, the bright color creates a chic modern look. Stain: Wooden doors can be gorgeous in the right setting. Find a door with interesting detailing before you touch it with a brush, and then stain it in deep rich tones that highlight those natural features.
Woody tones tend to work best in settings with lots of green and natural landscaping and outdoorsy textures About the author: Kerrie Kelly is an award-winning interior designer and the author of the popular DIY design book Home Décor: A Sunset Design Guide. Kerrie writes on design for Home Depot, and seeks to inspire homeowners to do something special when they are updating their houses. Home Depot’s fine selection of front door styles, including many that Kerrie writes about, can be viewed on the company’s website. Posted in Home Trends The page you requested cannot be found. It may have been moved or renamed, or it may be temporarily unavailable. Check the page address for misspellings, or: Use your browser's Back button to go back to where you were Use the Search box to help you find what you need on our site Use the navigation links at top to go to the correct section of our site Check out our site map to find what you are looking for to start over at the home page
See all 70 reviewsMirror Window FilmSave $ and time!! Buy the name brand!!!Lets me see out, but passers by can't see inDisappointed. Works as advertizedStarting with 3 stars...I want to do all of my side lights and french doors!!The results are exactly what I was looking for and nosy neighbors are not having fun with other people's livesOk but not what I had hoped it would do.one way mirror←Previous...Get fast answers from reviewers See all 87 answered questions Customers also viewed these itemsGila PRS361 Daytime Privacy Window Film, 36-Inch x 15-Feet, Mirror535BDF S05 Window Film One Way Mirror Silver 5 (36in X 12ft)373One Way Mirror Film (30" x 36")53BDF S4MS15 Window Film Security and One Way Mirror Silver 4 Mil (36in X 12ft)6BDF EXS15 EXTERIOR Window Film Privacy and Sun Control Silver 15, Dark - 12in X 14ft-41Need customer service? Average minimum cost of fiberglass entry doors: around $200 Average maximum cost of fiberglass entry doors: around $1,500 While the average maximum cost hovers around $1,500, this can go into the many thousands of dollars depending on how the homeowner wants the fiberglass entry door to look.
The price range for fiberglass doors can vary depending on different factors. These include size and shape, window styling, paint and other finish options, weather resistance, locks and hardware and custom detailing. The price will also depend on whether or not the homeowner chooses to purchase a fiberglass door to frame and hang as a DIY project or if the homeowner purchases a pre-hung door-and-frame system. A pre-hung door will generally add another $100 to $200 to the overall cost of the door. A homeowner will likely be able to find a simple, no-frills fiberglass entry door for around $200 to $300 at a local home-improvement retailer. Purchasing a painted door or one with a custom finish often costs an additional $100 to $200. This price applies to doors within a standard range, usually 32 inches or 36 inches wide and 80 inches tall. Other sizes may require a custom order. The cost of installing a prehung fiberglass entry door may also vary depending on the home's construction.
For standard wood-frame construction, it may only cost around $100 to install the door. However, for brick, metal or other homes, extensive carpentry may be required to build a frame into which the pre-hung door can sit. In this situation, the price of installation may go up to $600 to $1,000. Fiberglass entry doors often look like wood doors from afar, though they tend to be stronger, sturdier and more weather-resistant. In the past, it was more difficult to get a custom fiberglass entry door than a custom wood door, but now many people can find custom fiberglass options through major retailers that fit their needs. Basic fiberglass entry doors generally have a tiny window at the top to let a small amount of light in. However, the homeowner may opt to purchase a door with a fancier or larger window. Decorative or colored glass is also available for fiberglass entry doors. Some entry doors may provide the option to install a peephole to see who is at the door. While most fiberglass doors provide the same level of weather protection, certain types of glass are more energy-efficient than others.
Beyond the cost of the door itself, there are the costs of installation or pre-framing. Many retailers offer pre-hung doors, meaning that the door comes inside a frame already on its hinges. This pre-hung door must then be attached to the house. The quality and style of the hinges may also be variable. Homeowners may be able to purchase pre-installed weather stripping and scratch guards on the floors. Some pre-hung doors also come with door hardware such as locks and handles, and the quality, material and durability of these locks may vary from door to door. Some retailers provide the option of adding a paint finish or additional weather protection to the door. Many homeowners opt to paint the door themselves as they have access to a wider range of color options. Unless the homeowner has a strong background in carpentry, it is generally not recommended to attempt hanging the door as a DIY project. While many home improvement projects provide a margin for error, hanging a door does not.
Homeowners who make a mistake or take a lot of time to complete the job may end up with an unsecured entry door. There are many advantages to purchasing a fiberglass entry door that include it does not easily dent or scratch much like durable, strong wood. Unlike wood, fiberglass also does not warp, stretch or shrink with the weather and humidity, making it perfect for climates that see a lot of rain or rapid humidity changes. It also doesn't require annual maintenance the way a wood door might. A touch-up job of the paint finish may be the only maintenance a fiberglass entry door needs. A fiberglass entry door may be painted or given a wood grain finish for a classic appearance. Every retailer offers different options, but many fiberglass entry doors look like wood doors even on close inspection. Major retailers such as Lowes and Home Depot have fiberglass doors on display in the store. Seeing the doors first hand may help a homeowner choose the door that fits best with the home.