How to Choose Decorative Front Door Glass

An attractive front door can add curb appeal to a home.

Your front door is the gateway to your home and provides not only a welcome into your private domain but also protection form the outside world. Glass panel doors are prized for their chic welcoming appearance and ability to bring more sunlight into a home. When choosing the type of glass for a front door, consider a wide range of attributes and weigh these against your practical needs and style preferences to find the perfect glass for the door of your home.

Instructions

1. Evaluate the opacity level that you want for your front door. Select a glass that provides the amount of privacy you are comfortable with and that suits the entrance to your home. Choose more opaque glass options when the entry door is near the street or the front door opens directly into the living space as opposed to a buffer space, such as a foyer.

2. Determine the amount of light transfer you want from the glass in the door. If you have a dark entryway, you may want maximum light to pass through the glass. If your front door faces the afternoon sun, and you do not have an overhang on your porch, you may want a little less light to protect your furnishings from becoming sun-bleached.

3. Choose a texture of glass that suits the period and style of your door frame and your home. Sometimes modern glass textures and patterns can be mixed successfully with more classical styles, but not always. Choose a glass with texture or pattern that complements but does not override or conflict with the broader design idiom.

4. Select a door glass type and style by considering strength, safety and security. Determine whether it has a shatter-resistant coating or is made of safety glass that crumbles into pieces as opposed to sharp shards when broken. Determine if you need extra-thick glass or a glass product with fiber or metal embedded in the glass to prevent easy breaking.

5. Consider the thermal properties of the glass and whether it is suited to your climate. Choose double or triple glazing, thermal or gas-insulated glass to minimize energy transfer through the glass and keep extreme cold and or heat out of the home.

References

• This Old House; Here's How to Pick a Front Door; Don Vandervort
• Simpson Door: Glass Options
• Jeld-Wen Doors and Windows: Glass Panel