Does your front door let the rest of the property down? Do you want a front door that is super secure? Or do you just want to ramp up the kerb appeal of your property? Whatever your reason for hunting down entry doors for sale, we are here to inspire you.
Front doors have evolved through the centuries to become the entryway doors of today. They’ve gone through centuries of stylistic change driven by the tastes of the rich and royal.
Early doors from the Egyptian era were simply slabs of wood fitted with hinges, there were doors in India made from stone in a saloon style, which admittedly don’t sound very secure and eventually the first recorded timber doors which were built for the temple of King Solomon and carved from olive wood.
The Greeks and Romans had doors that were single, double, folding and even sliding doors, created in bronze which was both strong and pliable.
Doors have been invented to keep property more secure and to prevent undesired entry from others. But they were also designed to impress. Look at doors on Tudor mansions, 18th century country residences and Victorian stately homes and you’ll see that those living in the grandest houses employed master craftsmen to create impressive richly carved oak doors. The heavier and more imposing the better.
Front doors have always been a status symbol – even from the earliest days. Basically, the poor would have no need of a front door, as they’d have little to steal and had hardly any privacy. During the Victorian era the front door was a highly important symbol of wealth and importance. In fact, only those who were deemed similarly wealthy and important were invited through the front door. Everyone else would use the tradesman’s entrance.
In America if someone painted their door red, it meant their door was open to travellers who need to be fed and rested and during the Civil War in the Underground Railroad, runaway slaves would also see a red door as a sign of a safe house.
Today, not having a front door is unthinkable. They’re there to protect us, to allow us to enter and exit our homes and add style and character to the façade. They are indeed an essential part of modern living.
What are the different types of front door?
Doors on sale in the 21st century are created from all kinds of materials and in different configurations.
uPVC doors
Many entry doors on sale are created from uPVC, which is the low-cost option for anyone who is on a budget. Another positive is that they have insulating properties so can help you save on energy and some uPVC doors can also be finished in different colours. The downside of UPVC doors is that they can look cheap unless you spend a little more on them.
Wooden doors
Wooden doors can be a handsome addition to a home. The big advantage of wooden doors is that you can paint them different colours and also, they feel more traditional and familiar to most people.
Wooden doors are also a lot more flexible than other options when it comes to resizing; if the door is too big it can be planed down and if it’s too small you can use packers to fill out your frame.
However, on the negative side, doors made from wood can take a battering from the great British weather. The exterior can fade, and the door can warp and deteriorate unless it is treated regularly.
Composite doors
Composite doors are created from an amalgamation of different materials to maximise durability and insulation. A typical composite external door will be made up of materials including various woods, PVC, insulating foam and glass reinforced plastic. The result is a door with higher thermal resistance (due to the insulating foam), a greater resistance to weathering and a look that won’t discolour or fade over time like a wooden door. The downside is that they are more expensive option but don’t give you much in terms of the wow factor.
Aluminium doors
Aluminium doors are much more weather resistant than uPVC and composite doors although cheap aluminium tends not to insulate as well as the other door materials. Like uPVC and composite doors, they are low maintenance and only need to be wiped down once in a while to maintain their appearance. The coating used to finish aluminium doors can be available in many different colours and it is known as powder coating. It provides a very smooth finish and it unlikely to peel or crack after years of weather exposure.
Iron doors
Iron doors are an investment, but their impact is undoubtably dramatic. The big benefit of iron doors is how they ramp up a property’s kerb appeal. Entry doors for sale don’t come any more prestigious, as they are simply so beautiful to look at. They are available in various sizes and feature exquisite scroll work. They can look cool and contemporary, or timelessly beautiful. If you have a striking entryway and want to make the most of its design, then the iron door is the way to go. Cast iron doors can be predesigned or customised to suit the look of any home and their looks are something that will last without being too high maintenance.
How to choose the right front door for your home
- You love the look
You can decorate the interior of our house to make it look beautiful, increase the size of the kitchen to make the living easier and modernise the bathroom but the front door is often way down the list of priorities when it comes to revamping the home– and yet it is the front door which gets all the attention. Whether its from people passing by or friends and family who are visiting, the front door is all about creating a good impression and this is why the right front door for your home is always going to be the one with greater aesthetic appeal.
- You don’t want to copy the neighbours
Choosing a front door gives you the chance to express your individuality and taste. Plus, identikit front doors in a neighbourhood just look very dull.
- Light is an issue
A front door can be a great way to bring more light into the home. Iron doors are the perfect way to do this without compromising on potential security benefits. Front doors made more or less totally from glass can make you feel a little vulnerable but where they do have an advantage is to create a sense of space and light. A stunning iron double door with side panels, solves all these problems, so if you need more light, it’s absolutely the best option.
- You are on a budget
Financial considerations will always impact on your choice, but if you feel you can stretch the budget then do. The right front door for your home is always going to be the one that is most beautiful.
- You want it to suit the size of your home
Size does matter when it comes to entryway doors. A modest sized home can be elevated by a statement door, whilst a larger house can be made to look grander and more upmarket.
If you are looking for a gorgeous door for your terraced townhouse or semi detached residence, then you might opt for a single front door. A larger house can stand a double front door, maybe one with glass panels either side to make it an even more stunning focal point.
- It needs to fit with the architecture
A fabulous front entrance will always be complimentary to the architecture of the building. If you have a period property or a contemporary residence, make sure that when you check out the front doors on sale they work in harmony with the rest of the property. One big advantage iron entry doors have is their ability to enhance any property. Beautiful iron scrollwork looks elegant against the walls of a Georgian town house as it does being defined by the minimalism of a white modernist cube.
- You want something easy to maintain
You may love the traditional look of solid timber doors for example, but they do need maintaining in order to prevent them from warping because of the weather. If your front door is forever being battered by rain and snow one minute and blistered by the sun the next, you need to rethink the kind of material your front door is made from.
- You want it to be durable
Admittedly, uPVC and composite doors are pretty hard wearing but if you want an entrance that is, well, entrancing, then you need a door that has aesthetic appeal as well as durability.
- Uniqueness is a priority
If your beautiful home is filled with unique touches, why wouldn’t you want the same from your front door? Wouldn’t you want a front door designed specifically for you, a door that suits your perfectly, both in function and in appearance?
- Check out Valeanto’s range of doors and be inspired
Beautiful iron doors are a rarity. You are unlikely to see them in every street in every city which is why they are so special. Take a look at our ranges and open up a world of uniquely and lovingly crafted front doors to inspire you.
Where to find front doors for sale
Exterior doors can be sourced everywhere. DIY shops, online, salvage yards and specialist suppliers. This means that the choice can be overwhelming, especially if you are looking at the modern conventional type of doors on sale. What you will certainly see are entry doors on sale that look like every other door. The differences will be in the materials they are made from their finishes, paint colours and accessories such as letterboxes and door knockers. If you are looking for something different, unique, and exciting then you have come to the right place. Valeanto has front doors for sale that you won’t find anywhere else. They are elegant and eye catching but also understated and refined. A Valeanto double door will give your entrance glamour and grandeur but will also be durable and easy to maintain.
Conclusion:
If you have the budget, checking out iron entry doors for sale is absolutely what you should do.
The reason? They bring a whole new aesthetic to a property, elevating its kerb appeal and making it stand out from every other house. The iron entrance door is as much a status symbol today as those big carved doors of the past were to the Tudors or the Victorians adding grandeur and flair in spades. If you are revamping your home and want to enhance its beauty, maybe even helping to increase its resale value should you want to sell in the future then this is an investment that is definitely worth every penny.
So the next time you are looking for an front door for sale check out our stunning designs at Valeanto's Iron Doors!