With a plethora of materials to choose from, it can still be hard to find one perfect for your home's exterior doors. Engravings, finishes, and intricate ornaments are all valid options to revitalize your door's aesthetic design.
But you want to create something minimalistic yet bold. Mesmerizing but elegant and simple. For instances such as these, glass panels might be the ideal choice rather than solid body doors.
Your front door is more than just a decorative architectural element. With the right panels, it can be an entry point for warm natural light and guests. Adding glass to your doors can let the ethereal colors of a sunset pour through, livening up the interior in style. It can also be much more than just a barrier between the exterior and interior.
Likewise, door material like iron and steel front doors are bold choices essential to your home's overall feel. However, breathtaking aesthetics and light aren't the only advantages of using a door with glass panels for your entryway. Here, you can learn why you should have doors with glass panels.
When You Should Choose a Front Door with Glass Panels
Many contemporary entry doors have a variety of styles that are good for almost any homeowner. There are many types of glass, including traditional panels, obscure glass, double-layered, and even triple-layered.
While the decorative element might be apparent, these elements also come with often unnoticed benefits for your home. Let's first look at when you should use glass panels for your front door.
You Want Maximum Visibility of Your Neighborhood Through Your Front Door
A glass panel front door can transform the overall feel of your entry point by making your neighborhood visible. Homeowners can peek out the door as if a window to marvel at the beauty of their area, whether that be a carefully cultivated front lawn, a sunset, or even memorizing scenery.
However, increased visibility is a functional concern as much as an aesthetic one. Glass panels will allow homeowners to see visitors, potential intruders or unwanted attention.
This makes it a valid option for other house sections, not just the front door. Consider glass panel patio doors, as they can serve the same function. Glass doors help you see what's going on and enjoy it too.
You Want to Raise Your Home's Value with a Higher Curb Appeal
When investing in a home's value, many must pay attention to curb appeal. Changing seemingly small things like the front door can have a huge impact, skyrocketing your home's value.
Glass Panel front doors act this way. They add a touch of open and elegant sophistication to your home's exterior. Reflecting light on a sunny day, they can make your home look shiny and immaculate while also providing a sense of depth that traditional solid doors don't offer. Many doors with glass panels also offer sidelights, making a big difference when it comes to providing exterior lighting.
This addition of value is two fold. Firstly, it leaves a bigger impression for those who might be interested in buying your home. Secondly, it counts as a concrete investment towards raising a home's value.
You Want A Wide Variety of Beautiful Options for Designing your Home
Only some glass panel doors will work with every frame in each house. It should harmonize with the overall feel of your home while complementing it. That's why homeowners can find various front doors in PINKYS' collection. You can choose from materials like steel and iron, flat tops, full arches, and half arches.
Next to the material, shapes, and frames available, homeowners will also need to consider the glass type, as they can widely influence the feel and function of your glass front door. Some examples of glass types include:
- Clear glass options - This glass panel will give you the most natural light with maximum visibility. However, this visibility goes both ways, as others in front of your home can also peer in. Clear glass is best for those not worried about guests looking into their homes. It's especially good for homeowners who love to see their home bathed in light.
- Textured and decorative glass - Those who prefer a bit of privacy but still love the aesthetics of glass front doors can opt for different textures, including ripples, beveled, or seeded glass. Each surface is distinct in terms of clarity and aesthetic appeal.
- Stained glass - Creativity doesn't have to stop at glass panels for your front doors. Homeowners can add an artistic touch to their entryways with stained glass in various colors.
- Layered glazed glass - If durability is your biggest concern, you can choose double or triple-layer glass panels. Due to their increased thickness, they're secure, efficient and insulate the home, ultimately reducing energy costs.
- One way glass - Sometimes, homeowners can find glass panel door options with one way glass, acting as a window on one side and a mirror on the other. However, this is a much less common option.
You Want Energy Efficient Exterior Doors for Insulation
During hot California summers, you crank up the AC. You want to stay cool and don't want any of that cold air escaping your home. That's where energy efficiency and front doors combine to rescue you from sweltering heat.
Sure, sunlight is great, but you won't need to sacrifice comfort just to get it. Modern entry or patio doors have specialized coated glass panels that block thermal radiation. Overall, this leads to optimal energy efficiency, blocking out heat during warmer months and trapping heat when it's cold outside.
PINKYS glass panel doors are also made from steel or iron, which is, by default, an excellent material for energy efficiency. While steel itself conducts heat, the door's core acts as a thermal buffer and can be five times better than wood at insulating a house.
You Want to Revitalize Your Home's Interior with New Exterior Doors
Ultimately, a glass front door will freshen up your home's interior, providing lively light. This also creates the impression of visual continuity. Glass transparency connects the inner with the outer, creating a sense of flow and harmony between the two elements.
With many styles, you can further customize the feeling a glass panel door communicates. For example, wide modern glass panels can achieve a minimalistic yet simple appeal. In contrast, a frosted glass panel will have more of a decorative contribution.
You Want to Expand your Cramped and Small Entryway
Many homes have small entry hallways. While breaking down walls to expand the space is a potential solution, it can ultimately be inefficient, time-consuming, and expensive. You can use external architectural elements to manipulate the space, making it seem wider and open while inviting in light.
A front door with glass panels can be critical in reversing a small entryway's stuffy feeling. Installing one can transform the space by utilizing visual continuity and blurring the boundaries between the exterior and interior. A glass front door can also become the central style piece of an otherwise dull room.
How Glass Panel Doors Hold up to Common Concerns
Let's say your front door situation falls into one of the cases above. In that case, it might be time to break down boundaries and let the light in by choosing the perfect door with glass panels. However, there are still multiple concerns many homeowners might have regarding these door types. Let's take a look at some of these common dilemmas.
Privacy Concerns and Glass Panel Doors
The first question many might have regarding front doors with glass panels revolves around privacy. While glass panels give you a view of the outside world, they also let the outside look in. Choose a decorative glass panel if you're a homeowner who values the utmost privacy. With their texture designs, they limit visibility from both orientation points.
If your heart is still set on a wide-open glass front but you're still worried about privacy, consider glass placement. While some door frames have glass panels installed throughout the structure, others might have less glass in the final product.
Glass Panel Compatibility with Exterior Doors
Next to choosing glass panels, you can select from a wide range of materials for the actual body of your door. Glass panels offer a much-needed contrast to dark and heavy materials like steel and iron. But they easily work with other materials like wood. For most door types, you'll be able to find a few stellar versions with glass panels.
Some manufacturers will even make customized glass panel doors based on the material of your choosing. However, this will definitely make the pricing go up.
PINKYS has a selection of steel and iron exterior doors with glass front panels, which can be a stylish entry point for any home.
Upkeep and Maintenance for your Front Door
General upkeep is vital for any architectural element, let alone doors with glass panels. Installing one may require more upkeep than a one-material solid door. However, this depends altogether on the type and amount of glass used for your door.
Homeowners will want to regularly clean the panels with a non-abrasive commercial glass cleaner and a soft cloth. For iron doors and other metal elements, it's best to use PINKYS iron door spray. This will keep both the frame and the panels shiny and in good shape for many years.
The Durability of Glass Panel Door Options
Not all glass panel doors are the same. When selecting one for durability, you'll need to examine other important elements that go into making a door. Together, they make up the durability and structural integrity you need. Depending on your needs, you can find a glass panel door resistant to harsh weather conditions.
Material is your biggest consideration here. Glass panel doors with wood can warp overtime, giving in to harsher weather conditions. That's where iron and steel come in. These two materials are robust and can last a long time. They also easily stand up to the harshest weather conditions while acting as efficient insulators.
Other paramount consideration includes hardware such as door knobs and hinges. They must be durable enough to hold the door and prevent it from crashing down.
How Door Material Affects Longevity
So you want to get glass panel doors but aren't sure how long they last. As it turns out, there are many components influencing this. The frame is the first element to consider when assessing the durability of glass panel doors. A strong frame will make sure your front door can last decades. Some common examples include:
- Iron door frames with glass panels - This material is exceptionally durable and provides a sturdy structure for your entrance. It can last decades while standing up to even the harshest weather conditions. Sure, it's slightly less durable than steel, but also low maintenance. Homeowners can choose from French doors as well as more contemporary frames.
- Steel door frames with glass panels - If durability is the most crucial aspect of your entryway, then steel is your best friend. These doors are the most durable in terms of longevity and provide the most insulation. However, this durability can vary depending on the manufacturer. Lower gauge steel weighs more and lasts longer. Together with glass panels, steel door frames can deliver plenty of strength.
- Wood with glass panels - Wood is commonly used for front doors. However, there are more durable choices. After a time, wood can change its shape. Cracks can form, discoloration sets in, and the wood begins to warp and deteriorate. Adding glass panels to doors gives more of a decorative appeal than a functionally durable one.
There are other materials out there. However, they could be more durable. Homeowners might choose from aluminum and fiberglass too.
Glass Options for Maximizing Durability
Next to door frame material, you'll want to also look into various glass types for the best durability. Some of the best-specialized glasses include:
- Laminated Glass- Safety and durability come together with laminated glass panels. These come with multiple sheets of glass and plastics. Bonding together, the glass doesn't shatter into sharp pieces if broken. It also is more resistant to breaking than regular glass.
- Tempered glass- When durability is the most important, homeowners can opt for tempered glass, which is about four times stronger than standard glass. If broken, the pieces are blunt, so you won't have to worry about any safety issues.
- Glazed Glass- Homeowners can frequently choose double or triple-glazed glass for additional layering. This option makes the glass panels much harder to break, upholding the overall structural integrity of your exterior doors.
To make the choice easier, homeowners will need to select their priority, a durable glass option might cost more than regular glass panels often found in doors.
Front Doors with Glass Panels and Noise
A noisy neighborhood can significantly influence the type of door you'll choose for your home's entry point. While the material of the general frame is crucial here, glass can also play a vital role. In most cases, solid material doors of iron and steel will give you the best noise insulation. But don't fret; there's still a way to incorporate stylish glass into your home's look and feel without compromising noise reduction.
For the most noise reduction, homeowners should go for double or triple-glazed glass. However, specialized acoustic glass is also available for those that need peace and quiet next to a beautiful front door.
Those that live in a relatively quiet environment won't have to worry much about glass type for noise reduction, as regular glass panels should do the trick.
Final Thoughts: Getting Front Doors with Glass Panels
With the right glass panel door, your home can shine. Natural light can come together with your home's interior, making it a special dwelling place for visitors and residents alike. While homeowners will need to make some considerations regarding safety, insulation, and maintenance, there's a variety of styles and glass types for almost any circumstance. You can also choose from various materials like steel and iron.
Most of all, glass panel doors are for those who want to upgrade their home's aesthetic with an elegant and minimalist approach. This introduces a spatial continuity as a palpable addition to your home's design elements.
Let the Light in With Front Doors With Glass Panels at PINKYS
There's something about a vast open space that can enhance the style of any home. Glass panel doors are the architectural element to facilitate this. You can have natural sunlight, durability, visibility, and efficiency all wrapped up in one memorizing entry point.
At PINKYS, our iron and steel glass panel doors are inspired by the southern Californian skyline and the sun, humankind's largest light source.
Most doors act as barriers between us and the outside world. But with PINKYS, you can break that boundary, making the colors of the distant horizon a central element within your own home.
Browse PINKYS to find the perfect front door and introduce a spatial continuity that harmonizes and elevates both your exterior and interior. You can choose from many shapes including flat tops, half arches, and full arches to fit your entry point perfectly.