April 19, 2024

Front Door Design: Best Entry Doors for Curb Appeal, Security and More

Entry Doors Trend Report for 2024 and Beyond

Whether you’re remodeling your current home or building a new one, the front entry door is an important consideration that will influence the home’s curb appeal and resale value. When you make the decision about which type of front door design is best for your home, you’ll want to understand which are the best entry doors for curb appeal, security and other considerations.


Front Entry Door With Abstract Glass Pattern -- Photo Courtesy of Sidekix Media
Front Entry Door With Abstract Glass Pattern — Photo Courtesy of Sidekix Media

Front Entry Door With Abstract Glass Pattern -- Photo Courtesy of Sidekix Media
Front Entry Door With Abstract Glass Pattern — Photo Courtesy of Sidekix Media

Best Entry Door Materials:

There are several different materials currently in widespread use for constructing entry doors. They are as follows:

  • Steel or metal
  • Wood
  • Fiberglass

These materials can be combined with others; for example, you’ll often see wood or metal doors that incorporate glass windows into the design. Doors with glass are a top trend right now, but if you want to get in on this trend, you must be patient; expect long lead times and delays for procuring glass doors or doors that include glass windows as part of their construction. This is because of labor shortages and supply chain hiccups plaguing the glass industry right now.

Each of these materials offers distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Steel Entry Doors

In new residential building projects, home renovations, and commercial building projects, steel doors used to be the most popular choice for front entry doors — and they are still high on the list of most popular choices, if not the most popular choice. As I update this trend forecast to be current for 2024, it is clear to me that fiberglass doors have gained popularity since the last time I updated this page. What is in question: Whether sales of fiberglass entry doors have outpaced sales of steel entry doors. I haven’t been able to find definitive sales data on this. However, the folks at the Window + Door noted that, in their most recent survey, respondents collectively voted for fiberglass doors being amongst their highest-demand products.

Nevertheless, as of 2023, steel doors are still one of the best upgrades you can make if you are hoping to achieve the best possible return on your investment when you later resell your home. According to the 2023 Cost vs Value report at Remodeling.hw.net, homeowners who replace other types of entry doors with steel doors tend to recoup more than the actual value of the cost of their doors later when they sell their homes.

For new home builders, steel doors are in high demand, and offer outstanding value for the funds spent on them.

Steel doors are well-suited for use in a variety of different home styles, but are particularly well-suited for use in contemporary homes and environments.

Wood Entry Doors

This weather-beaten wood door illustrates wood's main advantages and disadvantages as an entry door fabrication. From the article "Front Door Design: Best Entry Doors for Curb Appeal, Security and More," posted online at DecoratorsWisdom.com. Photo Copyright Amy Solovay; All Rights Reserved.
This weather-beaten wood door illustrates wood’s main advantages and disadvantages as an entry door fabrication. From the article “Front Door Design: Best Entry Doors for Curb Appeal, Security and More,” posted online at DecoratorsWisdom.com. Photo Copyright Amy Solovay; All Rights Reserved.

Wood doors offer homeowners many advantages. They are completely customizable; they can be made in just about any shape or size or configuration. They’re charming when used in a wide range of different architectural styles, but they are particularly well-suited for use in traditional style homes.


One of wood’s main disadvantages is its susceptibility to decay. On the one hand, weather-beaten wooden doors have a distinctive charm. On the other hand, at some point, the weather-beaten look loses its charm and crosses into “eyesore” territory.

Fiberglass Entry Doors

Fiberglass doors are advantageous in tropical or humid climates. They are not susceptible to rusting or decaying, unlike wood and steel doors. They have been trending up, up, up in popularity and, as noted above, were amongst the highest demand new window and door products in 2022.

Energy-Efficient Doors Are a Top Trend in 2024

As consumers become increasingly concerned with the long-term sustainability of their home design choices, energy-efficient doors are increasingly of interest. Cost-conscious consumers are also becoming aware that purchasing energy-efficient windows, doors, and home appliances can help to keep energy costs at bay, so they see the value in making these upgrades.

References

This page was last updated on 9-14-2023.