Parade of Homes

Parade of Homes FALL 2015 11 neufeld says darker stains in particular will break down quickly and will only resist fading for one or two years on both wood and fibreglass doors. But they can be made to work. "In the right location with a good overhang or an east or north facing entryway with limited sunlight you won't have any problems with the stained products," he says. "Finishes in these locations will last for 10 to 15 years and generally need to be refinished just from the wear and tear a front door gets from everyday life." He says if you have an exposure with sunlight most of the day, you will need to consider paint instead of stain for the fibreglass and wood doors. A qualified salesperson can help you understand the differ- ences and direct you to the right door with the right finish. neufeld says wood doors have the advantage on esthetics. "Wood wins, hands down, with so many interesting wood species that lend themselves to unique designs, sizes and shapes," he says. "In addition, they are easy to accent with metal panels such as copper and steel." Once you've settled on the look and feel you want in a door, it's time to get down to brass tacks. you need careful mea- surements, the right materials and a professional installation. ray ginter, owner and director of operations at gnT Pre- mium Windows and doors, says the company focuses not on volume but on careful design in function and appearance. Quality is paramount when choosing and installing an entryway door. "you should be prepared to spend more on this door than any other opening in your house walls," says ginter. It should fit with the home's heri- tage, or be part of a curb appeal re-design. Energy efficiency is the next consideration. "The greatest contributor to the energy efficiency in any door is the door sill, which can make or break the total in air or water infiltration," he says. Weather-strips are a part of every door these days to control that infiltration, but the door materials will dic- tate performance. "It is a common belief that the door slab (panel) insulat- ing factor is most important, but this is simply not true," says ginter. "you can have all the insulation you want in the panel but if you have one spot of air/water infiltration the rest is only as good as the leaky part." Materials used to build doors and frames vary by quality of function and appearance. According to ginter, steel and fibreglass skin panels are the most common material used for volume builders since they are readily affordable and can provide great service. They may not last as long but if properly main- tained they can do the job. "The most important factor is that a material remains stable with the wide temperature swings we have here in Manitoba and in Saskatchewan," he says. He says steel is not the best performer since it expands and contracts in temperature change, although fibre- glass is stable, as is wood. 'Wood wins, hands down, with so many interesting wood species that lend themselves to unique designs, sizes and shapes' Cont'd on page 12 << a stately mahogany door with wrought iron grill makes a statement. a cherry storm door has plenty of curve appeal.

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