Door Installation in Houston

The front door to your house must be tough, yet handsome and gracious. See our list of options that cater to a variety of styles, budgets and quality.

Whether that describes your front door or you just want to trade a solid door for one with glass panels that offer more light, you'll find plenty of options available. There are new wood doors that resist the elements better than earlier versions, as well as metal and fiberglass ones that look like wood but provide greater security and often cost less.

How to Replace a Front Door

Sometimes replacing a door means simply exchanging one door, called a slab or blank, for another. But in some cases you'll have to rip out and replace the old door framing, which includes the door jambs and threshold — especially if these wood members have begun to rot.

Even if the old door frame is fine, the wall studs it's nailed to can bow and settle out of square. This makes it difficult to open and close the door. To make a new wood door fit an out-of-kilter frame, you'll need to plane the top and bottom or even trim one of these edges so the door hangs correctly. This is only an option with a wood door; metal and fiberglass doors can't be planed or cut.

Prehung Front Doors

Most new doors are prehung, which means the door hangs on hinges within a new frame (these systems also include some form of weatherstripping). Prehung doors are an ideal choice if the old frame is bad or if you're removing the frame because you want to enlarge the opening.

If you're replacing your old door with a prehung unit, first determine if you need a left- or right-hand door. Stand in the doorway and face outside. If the lockset is on your right, you have a right-hand door.

Door Replacement Kits

An alternative to replacing the entire frame is to use door-replacement kits, such as Replace Door Systems from Pease Industries. Here, the door is prehung in a small steel frame that attaches to the old one. Benefits include easy installation and the added security of the steel frame. However, these kits slightly reduce the original opening, they're available in only a few sizes, and they can't be installed over rotted jambs.

Front Door Designs

Most manufacturers offer dozens of door styles, and you'll find a broad selection at lumberyards, home centers, and door dealers. Or, design your own door. Some manufacturers let you specify the types of panels and glass options you want. But these doors have to be specially ordered and take two to eight weeks for delivery. A third option is to have a local woodworker or millwork shop build a wood door according to your specifications. Again, the drawbacks are time and money.

Best Materials For Front Doors

Perhaps the most important decision is what your door is made of. Most combine several materials; for example, many fiberglass and steel doors have wood frames. But it's the surface material that most affects appearance, durability, security, and price.

Wood Doors

Wood doors are the most common. Versatility and beauty are their strong suit. Natural-finish stock and custom wood doors come in oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany, maple, fir, and pine. You'll also find paint-grade doors in several softwood varieties, such as pine and western hemlock.

Many stock wood doors are a sandwich of wood-veneer skins over an engineered-wood core. This configuration minimizes the expansion and contraction that cause warping. At about $200 or so to start, they're a low-cost alternative to solid-wood doors. Look for tough, furniture-grade veneers at least 1/16 inch thick; anything thinner damages too easily.

Steel Doors

A steel door is your best bet if security and durability are top priorities. Steel units are stronger than wood or fiberglass doors, and they won't crack or warp. Any dents or dings on these doors can be pulled and puttied with an auto-body repair kit.

Steel doors also cost the least: Prices start at about $150 for a 3-foot-wide x 6-foot 8-inch-tall paneled door without hardware or glazing. A steel-door system with sidelights and premium hardware can nearly equal the cost of a wood-door system, however.

Fiberglass-Composite Doors

Fiberglass-composite doors are tough and maintenance-free, and are a smart choice for harsh or humid climates. They mimic the look of wood with wood-grain texturing and can be stained to match oak, cherry, walnut, and a variety of other woods. Beneath their molded surface is a framework of wooden stiles and rails, including wood edges for the lockset. Voids in the framework are filled with polyurethane-foam insulation.

Aluminum Doors

Aluminum doors, like steel units, use an insulation core covered by a metal skin. Unlike other door systems, however, aluminum versions are sold exclusively through dealers. Each is custom-built to your opening.

Aluminum doors have a baked-on enamel finish, so they never need painting and won't rust — which explains the 20-year warranties that are common. You can also match the color and style of your door with an aluminum storm door. All these benefits don't come cheap, however. At prices that start at about $600, aluminum doors are the most expensive choice after solid wood.

How to Buy a Front Entry Door

Whether you buy the door by itself or the entire door-and-frame system, keep these shopping tips in mind:

For complete entry systems, be sure all components come from the same manufacturer. (Many systems are assembled by distributors with parts that might not mate perfectly.) Check that the weatherstripping seals properly and that the threshold interlocks with the bottom edge of the door.

Picking the right front door will pay off in smoother operation, less maintenance, and added energy savings. You'll also have an elegant entry that makes a great first impression for years to come.

📞 (281) 864-8522 | 📧 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

📍 907 Herbert Ave Apt B, Pasadena, TX 77506 

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Source: thisoldhouse

Door Refinishing RX, has over 20 years of experience and we work till the job is finished. We service the metropolitan area in Houston TX, we do doors and metal repair and refinishing, we guarantee our work there are many colors to choose from.

Door Installation in Houston

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