Shut the Front Door!

This is the new front door at the Microcosm.  It's wonderful!  Made of steel, mounted correctly (as opposed to the door on the house which was installed by a prior owner), and gotten at a discount -- it's all we could have asked for.  There was no chance of making an exact color match to any of the siding colors, so the hue chosen was one that can be found nowhere else on the exterior --  but that we believe complements the house well.  The cedar framing was built around the factory frame and will be stained the same color as the faux shingle in the gable.  The porch and steps are made of Trex.  This material and the door were not cheap, but they will last a long time and require very little maintenance.

We chose the door because it was sold by Greater Niagara Building Center -- the kind folks who provided the siding and other material at wholesale.  On-line reviews were very good and the energy efficiency rating was a major factor too.  It was very lucky for us that the wholesaler was willing to work directly with a homeowner -- this isn't something they generally do.  We worked with the owner/president and he came by to check progress a few times too.  He was very impressed with the quality of installation -- so we feel good about that too.

The colors on the first page were the only ones available to us because we went with steel.  We chose "Burgundy."  The only two choices that were likely to work was that and Redwood.  We thought burgundy would be better with both the gray of the trim and porch, and the intense blue of the siding.  It's probably obvious by now, but we are not pale people.  We need color!

The door darkens the entryway quite a bit.  There is the option to have the interior white, but white shows up dirt, so we went with the same color on both sides.  We picked brushed nickle hardware to go with the exterior light fixture and house number -- and it also seemed to be a better choice with the gray deck.  The handle, lockset and security chain were purchased using a Home Depot gift certificate obtained using reward points.

The framing took a lot of work -- they boys were very exact with measurements.  The trim and surrounding wall still need to be painted.  We still have paint from past repair/touch-ups.

This new door is a vast improvement.  Less light filters in at night -- which makes a difference as it made the upstairs lighter too.  The draft that the prior door let in is a thing of the past.  It opens and shuts more easily and actually fits the frame -- something the last door was very deficient on.

Because it seals so well and because there is an overhang on the porch, we have not ordered a screen door to go in front.  We never leave the front door open and we think it's prettier without anything in front of it.  The last screen door didn't fit right and would blow open in the wind.  It was a real pain.

The old door was in good condition, so we donated it to Habitat for Humanity.  We are certain the next owners will like it much more than we did!