The Ultimate Door Buying Guide - US Window & Door

Get the Perfect Door, Every Time with the Help of Our Door Buying Guide

Buying a new door is a simple process. Unfortunately, it is deceptively simple – this is why most homeowners end up with the wrong door time and again. If this also happens with you, then this door buying guide is perfect for you.

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We’re going to explore the process of buying a new door and exploring the options that are available to you. With the help of our guide, you will get a door that is functional, meets your design requirements, and is aesthetically pleasing.

So, whether you’re getting a door for your entryway or your patio, let’s get started with the help of this door buying guide.

Are You Getting a New One or a Replacement Door?

When you’re shopping for a door, consider whether you are looking to buy a completely new one or to get a replacement door for your old one. A replacement door is just as good as a new one but it will be in the style, frame and sometimes, the design aesthetic of the old one. Replacements are the perfect option for if you’re happy with the kind of door you have.

If you’re not happy with the door type/design or have some other issues, then it is better to get a new one. Opting for replacement doors will just be a waste of money as you’re just getting the same door again. With a new one, you can explore different options and pick a door type that you are happy with. Once you have factored this out, you can then begin to focus on other areas.

Budgeting for a New Door for Your Home

When was the last time you bought a door? Since doors last for decades, most people don’t realize that getting a door replaced or a new can be a costly endeavor. In fact, if you are not careful, you will end up with an exorbitant price for your doors.

Even when you are picking ones that are costly, go for quality above everything else. Good quality doors are durable and will last you for decades. They also don’t need repairs or replacements as frequently as other doors. That’s why it’s better to invest in Milgard doors. Not only are they stylish and available in different designs, but they also come with a lifetime warranty.

This means that even with a high cost, you get to save money in the long run. The life-time warranty will make it cheaper and easier for you to get a replacement for your Milgard door over the years.

The Location for the Entryway or Patio Door

Pay attention to the location of the door. This will define the kind of door you get for your home. Additionally, there are certain considerations to pay attention to. For example – if you are getting a door for the entryway, you need to get one that is sturdy, durable and made for exterior wear. Other options for an entry door can be storm doors that can withstand rough weather and strong winds.

On the other hand, for indoor rooms, you will have more flexibility especially if you are getting patio doors. If you don’t pay attention to this area, you’re going to end up getting doors that don’t work properly. So, you could have a beautiful door but if it doesn’t work properly because of the location, you will have to get it changed.

Our top pick for durable entryway doors happens to be Masonite doors. They make truly breathtaking doors that are going to make your entryway look amazing. Plus, good entryway doors can increase the value of your home so these can be a worthwhile investment to make.

Focusing on the Styles for Your Patio Doors

Apart from the location, you also have to consider the style for the door you are buying. This is definitely among the top things you should pay attention to, especially if you want to get a new door. Most patio doors are usually divided into the following different styles:

Sliding Doors

These are commonly used for patio doors and are perfect for smaller rooms and houses. It is a good idea to use these as they slide along a single track horizontally. The sliding door saves space and allows you to have a functional, pretty door without having to sacrifice on space.

Since it is a sliding door, you don’t have to worry about space getting consumed by having a swing door. These can be designed to accommodate left-handed use or for right-handed use. While these normally only have 2 panels, you can opt for 3 or 4 door panels if you need them.

Want more information on glass swing door? Feel free to contact us.

Swinging Doors

The next option is the swinging patio doors. These are a favorite, especially in the French door style. These are also loved because they allow natural light to enter the house. These are also flexible that you can either get them with an in-swing or an out one.

• In-swing patio doors mean that they swing inwards when you open them – the door will swing towards you.
• Out-swing patio doors mean that they swing outwards when you are opening them – these doors will swing away from you.

Additionally, when picking this kind of door, you should also consider the available space, the visibility, and placement of the hinges. For in-swing doors, you need to make sure that there is enough clear space to open the doors. Similarly, for out-swing doors; you don’t want them knocking into any objects as they open outwards.

Sidelight Doors

These are unique options and not always available but Milgard has a collection of unique patio door designs that accommodate sidelight doors. These are small panels on the side of the door. These have hinges and open outwards.

The main aim of these panels is to allow for more ventilation indoors. By opening these panels, you can increase the airflow, keep your home cooler and create a unique patio door design that is bound to impress everyone.

The Material for the Door Frames

Apart from the door styles, we’re also including the material for the door frames in our door buying guide. Good frames are essential because they give your door the polish and finish it needs. They’re also an important functional element.

Therefore, the kind of door frame you have will directly reflect the kind of frame you have. The kind of materials used for the frame also determines its longevity and usability. While there are plenty of options, you will usually find that door frames are made in the following 4 different materials.

That’s why; we’re only looking at the following kinds of frames you can find for entryway or patio doors in our door buying guide.

Vinyl

Vinyl is another favorite material to use because frames made from them are very energy efficient. They offer amazing insulation which means your indoor environment stays comfortable with ease. Vinyl frames also fare well outdoors – the material is UV resistant and does not fade quickly.

Similarly, the durability and low maintenance nature of vinyl make the vinyl door frames the no. 1 choice for most people. These are also more affordable than wood frames and can deal with almost all climates, including humidity.

Fiberglass

Another option that is often used in place of vinyl is fiberglass. This material is even more long-lasting than vinyl and is known to resist warping, rotting, and swelling. For this reason, it is used widely as it can deal with almost any climate.

It’s also great for insulation but may need to be treated to give the best results. Cost-wise, fiberglass frames can be more expensive than vinyl but do consider them to be an investment as the material is extremely durable and very low-maintenance.

Aluminum

If you’re looking for a non-corrosive option for your frames, you can’t go wrong with aluminum. This material is perfect for high humidity environments such as the beach. The sand does not harm the frame as much as it would with other materials.

Aluminum is also lightweight and it is a favorite material of choice of most builders. However, it’s not the best when it comes to insulation. That’s why you need to get it treated specially for this factor. Luckily, you can find plenty of treated options that allow you to get aluminum frames in your home with ease.

The good news is that Milgard makes patio door frames in all the materials we have discussed above. You can also get in touch with them for more information regarding this area.

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Join Date: Dec Location: Dahlonega , Georgia Posts: 14,394 exterior french doors - door swing question Our new to us home has two vinyl sliding doors that are 5 ' wide . I have never been a fan of sliding doors and one of these has a broken seal between the panes of glass and has started to rust at the bottom . We are planning on replacing both with french doors.

So what is the correct way ( if there is one ) to determine in swing vs. out swing ? Or is it just determined by physical space ? And does one type " seal " better than the other or is it all in the install ? We are thinking either steel or vinyl with the blinds between the glass . Can you get a " decent " set for 750.00 each or so ? Like anything else have to try and stay within budget .

Is wood or fiberglass also an option ?
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Boxster S . Arctic silver + black top/int. Jake Raby 3.6 SS engine " the beast ". GT3 front bumper, GT3 side skirts and GT3 TEK rear diffuser. 996 C4 coupe black/grey with FSI 3.8 engine . Rear diffuser , front spoiler lip with ducktail spoiler . Registered  
Join Date: Apr Location: outta here Posts: 52,384 Exterior doors almost always swing in. This puts the hinges on the inside and makes them more resistant to entry. If you swing them out, then you will have to modify the hinges so that any idiot with a hammer and a punch can't get in your house in 30 seconds or less. There are other issues, but that one's the big decider for me.

My personal suggestion would be what I have chosen. I use wood doors, with true, separate divided lights made from double pane insulated glass. I chose some of the high-end Pella products, which are not going to be in that price range. They have other product lines that may be less expensive than what I chose to use. You'll want to use doors that are pre-hung in a jamb. Those are relatively easy to install, although there are individuals out there that can **** those up too. Whatever you do, don't buy doors and try to build a jamb and hang them yourself.

Anderson also makes good doors. I'd stick with one of the bigger companies, because of the quality of the warranty. There may be some local companies that make their own products, but I haven't been impressed with those that are available around here.

I don't particularly like the complexity of internal blinds. I would rather spend that same money on a better quality door, and then use a traditional window treatment on the inside. Having had a wife, I have found that they are fond of things that can be made from expensive fabrics.

One last thing about using quality doors and windows.... 15 or 20 years ago I embarked on replacing all of the windows and doors in my house. One benefit of that has been to render the house completely quiet from most noise outside. The difference between my windows and what I used to have is astonishing. Last edited by javadog; 10-08- at 05:47 AM.. Registered  
Join Date: Jul Location: New Jersey Posts: 8,910 Javadog offers good advice and I to would go with one of the better companies/doors. I will differ in that a door designed to open out has hinges that are not capable of being disassembled from the outside and/or need special tools in order to be disassembled. Keep in mind commercial doors are designed to open out for safety reasons per code.

Regarding which direction is correct? Either is correct it depends most on preference. I personally like French doors that swing out. My major reason is a door that swings in removes usable space from the interior of a room which is more likely to be used more often than the outside. French doors compound the unusable space. In a large room with one set of doors that may not be that big of a deal. So room size will be a factor.

I also like when the door has enough room to open fully and lay back flat against the wall out of the way, again allowing more usable room on the outside. Registered  
Join Date: Apr Location: outta here Posts: 52,384 One additional note regarding the posts above. Because French doors are almost exclusively a product used in homes, finding a set that has hinges suitable for opening outward may be a little tougher than finding a commercial door that opens out. The comment he made about doors swinging out wide enough to lay flat against the wall can be applied to those swinging inwards as well, if you have the wall space. Of course that also impacts the window treatment question.

At any rate, you have the knowledge to go forth and ask questions...

If you do select one of the bigger brands, you'll find that the big box stores tend to carry the lower-cost lines for the manufacturers. If cost is the main factor, that may be a place to start. I always use the Pella store. As a contractor, I can buy them for less money than the average consumer. They do sometimes offer sales and promotions, so that's something to consider as well. weekend wOrrier  
Join Date: May Posts: 6,130 I'm a rebel. I put an outward swinging french door in the master bedroom several years ago. It opens onto a bedroom deck.

The hinges are exposed, but seem to be riveted on both sides, so unlike an interior door, one couldn't just hammer out the pins. First, they would need to drill out the rivets, then push out the pins. 6 of them i think.

As grateful as I would be for a thief to go through so much trouble as to not harm the door, I always assumed they would just smash a brick through it and waltz right in. Checking the door today b/c of this thread, I was happily reminded that a thief wouldn't even need to do that, as my wife had left it completely unlocked. And before I could even think of Grady in the shining stating she needs "correcting", I realized her two dogs were snoozing right at the door, one of which is a flaming pitbull with rabies. So, there, my fortress is protected by several layers of ignorant serendipity.


At any rate I chose the outside swing door for two reasons. First- I wanted to be able to open the doors out so they wouldn't take up space in the room. My wife has a bookshelf next to one door, and they would both hit the bed if they swung inwards. The whole point of the french door is to be able to swing both out to disappear. If they swung inward, there would not be enough room. It would look silly and interrupt flow through the room.

Secondly, from a water standpoint, the outward swinging doors have a baseplate that routes the water out better. Any water that does gets past the door seal, will trickle to the baseplate and flow down under the door and away from the house. I think the inward swinging door completely depends on the seal. Any water that gets past the seal- let's say you open it during a storm for grab something on the deck, will flow inwards.

Those are my reasons and I'm sticking to them. I'd post pics, but my wife's laundry is all over the place. Last edited by LEAKYSEALS951; 10-08- at 08:40 AM.. Registered  
Join Date: Apr Location: outta here Posts: 52,384 If you do buy outward swinging French doors, make sure they are designed for that application. Installing a pair of inward swinging doors backwards might give you problems with the waterproofing. Same thing goes for windows. There's an inside, and an outside, and you don't want to confuse the two.

I once ran across a pair of windows that had been assembled incorrectly by the manufacturer. One section was fixed and one section was operable and they were installed as a unit, having come assembled that way from the factory. The factory got half of the assembly inside out, and that part of the window assembly lasted all of two years before failing. Registered  
Join Date: Dec Location: Dahlonega , Georgia Posts: 14,394 One set of french doors will be in the kitchen the other in master bedroom with both exiting out to an exposed deck . On the master bedroom there is plenty of space for outswing but the kitchen the deck is narrow kind of like a hallway from two large decks .

In both cases there are obstructions to fully opening inswing . Kitchen there are base/wall cabinets on both sides and in bedroom there are dressers . So anything is going to be a compromise .

I'll need to think about this a little more to come up with the right solutions . __________________
Boxster S . Arctic silver + black top/int. Jake Raby 3.6 SS engine " the beast ". GT3 front bumper, GT3 side skirts and GT3 TEK rear diffuser. 996 C4 coupe black/grey with FSI 3.8 engine . Rear diffuser , front spoiler lip with ducktail spoiler . weekend wOrrier  
Join Date: May Posts: 6,130 Another thing to consider when ordering doors-
If you end up ordering your doors from the Box stores Lowes/Home Depot, check delivery options, especially if you are installing yourself. In one case, a custom order door I bought from (lowes I think) got delivered. They carried it right up to the opening with a smile on their face.

The second door I ordered (from Home Depot I think...) had a different policy. Delivery was to "The home" meaning, the end of the driveway. It turned getting the door onto the deck into a total nightmare and if something broke, it would have been all on my dime.

Depending on how you plan to have them installed, be aware of that.

Random gratuitous pics of when I put the door in (The deck had so much room compared to the bedroom an out swing was a no brainer Also- when I was talking about shedding water, I was thinking at my place in terms of standing snow piled and melting against the door. Probably not a problem in GA.



weekend wOrrier  
Join Date: May Posts: 6,130 When I did the outswing thing, I planned on getting stops/catches on the wall, or doing doorstops in the deck. I never got around to installing them though. Wind has never been an issue. If it was, there are enough end tables and planters on the deck to move around to hold the doors if needed, but I don't think we've ever needed to. We live in a windy area as well- so I surprised it hasn't been an issue now that I think about it.

The other issue where an in swing door does have an advantage is the screen door mounting. I bought a roller screen with a magnetic joiner in the middle (kind of wonky), but like the door stops, never needed to mount them. In fact- I had forgotten about them. I found them under the bed this summer and banished them to the garage.


Another FWIW: If the doorway is five feet, make sure to go to the stores to see if there is enough glass in the french door sections to make you happy. For example- many of the doors had very thick white borders and very small window sections. They were kind of ridiculous, but you can tell right off when you see them in the store. The door I installed in the pictures was 6 feet, and even it seems a little small in the glass area. If letting a lot of light in is a requirement, and there is no obvious win-win regarding in/out swing/one fixed door vs two operating doors, then the sliding glass doors might still have an edge over the french doors, even though the intent is to get away from the slider. Just something to think about. Take the Mrs. to the box store and look at the five foot wide french doors to make sure that's what you want. On my back porch I went with sliders to maximize the views. All depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Last edited by LEAKYSEALS951; 10-08- at 04:22 PM..