Whether you're looking for better energy efficiency or peace and quiet in your home, doors are surprisingly able to meet these needs.
Unless a door is broken or you’ve simply hated how it looks since the day you moved into your home, it’s probably never crossed your mind to replace it. This might come as a surprise—but doors do so much more than provide basic security, privacy or protection from the elements. Swapping out your door can do more for your home than boosting curb appeal or improving the functionality of your floor plan.
Here are six surprising ways a new door can improve life and living for everyone in your home.
Have you noticed cold or warm air blowing through your entryway when it shouldn’t be? How about water spots on the floor near your front door after a hard rain? If you’re all too familiar with either of those unpleasantries, your current door is no longer doing its job.
Replacing your front door can improve the comfort of your home and help you save on energy bills by ensuring a solid seal between inside your home and the outside. For those in warmer climates, a superior entry door can keep the hot air where it belongs and your air-conditioned home at the temperature you prefer, helping you save money on utilities.
The Masonite Performance Door System was designed to do what doors are meant to do – keep the outside out and the inside in – but do it better than any before. We tested our fiberglass system against the leading competitor and found that it’s 64% better at keeping air and water out. That means no more drafts coming in from under your door – or heat heading out. And no more precious A/C escaping during that summer heat wave.
How do we do it? A seal that’s superior with:
Your home is your safe space. Go one step further to protect it. Introducing M-Protect, a multi-point security lock that is 4x* stronger than a standard deadbolt and can be added as an enhancement to the Masonite Performance Door System. Being able to withstand up to 480 joules of force means M-Protect helps you rest easy knowing your home, and everyone inside it, is safe.
*Testing performed on a door without glass, results may vary for other door styles.
You walk through the doors in your home multiple times a day, often without even thinking about it. This means you may also not notice when your front and interior doors are due for an upgrade to match the aesthetic of your home. But remember, doors have style, and considering this can elevate the look of your home’s exterior and interior.
Your front door is the first impression of your home. Replacing it certainly adds an instant “wow” factor on the curb appeal — and it can also help increase the resale value of your home.
The latter depends on many different variables, including the color you select. Black is one of the most popular front door colors and is currently the most recommended by real estate professionals. According to Zillow, this dramatic hue could raise your home value by up to $6,500.
Your interior doors do not have to perfectly match your front door. However, they should complement the distinct architectural details of your home to achieve a cohesive look.
For instance, if you have a classic home with ornate features such as crown molding, pick interior doors with more intricate panel designs like the C88 8 Panel Le Chateau interior wood doors.
For a Craftsman home, opt for a design with Shaker-style recessed panels like the Winslow interior molded door to match your furniture and cabinets.
If you have a modern home, consider simpler designs like the Berkley interior molded door.
Transitional homes (ones that fall between styles) offer more flexibility. Go with the Livingston interior molded door, which features a unique profile design for a bit more flare, or the Logan interior molded door (pictured) if you prefer an understated look.
A home filled with natural light feels instantly welcoming and can also help boost your energy and improve your mood. But you don’t have to add a skylight or knock down a wall to brighten things up. Filling your home with natural light can be as easy as swapping out some doors.
Start by choosing a front door with glass. Masonite VistaGrande exterior fiberglass doors allow up to 18% more light than doors with traditional glass frames. For even more natural light, consider adding sidelites, a transom or both.
Inside the home, allow light to flow throughout your floor plan with French doors. These are a smart choice for offices, multi-purpose spaces or anywhere you’d like some privacy without feeling too closed off from the rest of your home. If you want something a little different, Masonite’s barn door styles with glass, like the new 6-Lite Metal, can add style and light to your space.
Looking to conceal a space or just want to elevate the look of your home? Whether it’s a secret reading nook, a messy laundry room or a kitchen pantry, a sliding barn door is the perfect answer. Because of their sliding design, barn doors are ideal for places where there is not enough space for traditional doors to open and close easily.
Any door can be converted into a sliding barn door. Masonite Barn Door Kits with hardware make it easy by including everything you need to make over a space in about 90 minutes. These kits include a predrilled barn door slab, installation instructions and all the necessary components such as mounting board, track and rollers, stoppers and guides, screws and bolts, and even a handle. Plus, the kits come in a variety of styles, from rustic to modern, to complement any home.
While barn doors provide some privacy by obscuring areas from view, they are not as effective in reducing sound as hinged solid core doors. Because of their design, barn doors have gaps on the side that allow some sound to pass through. For this reason, solid core doors are better suited for some areas of the home (such as bedrooms, offices and shared bathrooms).
Hollow core doors are a standard feature in most homes. What’s the difference between a solid core door and a hollow core door? If you still hear a blaring TV or a rumbling appliance through a closed door, you likely have a hollow core door. Masonite solid core doors are made with 70% more sound-dampening material than our standard hollow core doors, making them perfect for those rooms where you want to keep sound in or out.
Think of those work calls that you can’t have interrupted with the noise of your household or the late-night game you want to watch on the big screen without disturbing your sleeping kids. Solid core is the solution for creating peaceful spaces that work for everyone.
Solid core interior doors also feel sturdy, which adds another layer of luxury to your home. With their heft and weight, they convey a sense of quality and craftsmanship you can feel the moment you open or close them. Their durability means solid core doors are more resistant to daily wear and tear like dents and dings, making them a great option for busy family homes.
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