They say first impressions last. The front door of your home is integral to creating that special feel that will stay with your guests long after they've gone. So for homeowners, choosing a door can be one of the most crucial decisions to make, and finding a door that speaks about your style and vision can be daunting.

Here’s a guide for your consideration that will help you find a door that will not only stand the test of time, but will make you, your family and friends feel welcome to your home.

1. Define your style.

You would obviously want a door that blends in smoothly with the design and colours of the facade of your house, but there's more to choosing the perfect style than meets the eye. For instance, your door style should also complement its surrounding, as well as your homes interior. If you have a dark entrance area in your home, you might want to consider a door with glass elements to allow natural light to come inside and lighten the area. Likewise, if you want a more soundproofed area that cancels out the external noise, a door without a glass feature may be a better choice.

2. PIck the best material that will suit you.

The most common materials used for doors are wood and steel. There are also doors that have glass incorporated to them for added aesthetic quality and functionality. In order to choose which material would be best for you, here are a few things you might want to consider:

• Aesthetics - Traditional looking houses built with wood or brick generally look best with wooden doors, while modern commercial buildings and houses might have a more industrial steel door.
• Energy Efficiency - Aside from aesthetics, it’s also important to consider how your doors may impact your energy consumption. While glass doors look great and allow plenty of natural light inside your space, you also might want to consider that in winter, glass doors also allow a lot of cold inside your home. This means that your house would need more heating, and this could affect your energy consumption during these months.
• Durability - While steel doors are understandably more durable, it could also be extremely difficult to repair on the off-chance that it gets damaged. Wooden doors, on the other hand, whilst less durable, can be repaired more easily. Also, take note of the overall weather in your location. For example, wooden doors are susceptible to warping in humid environments, and may not be advisable in the long run.

3. Think about security.

Steel doors are the best choice for homeowners whose primary concern is security. As glass embellishments on doors are more likely to be used to gain access during a break-in, you might also want to consider installing an added security feature to it in order to eliminate that issue.

4. Consider the cost.

Prices of doors vary depending on the materials used and size. Wooden doors are generally more affordable compared to steel doors. Additionally, if you want to customise a door, this could also affect its cost. However, you would also need to consider long-term costs of the doors you choose. If a door is durable and requires less maintenance, it might be cheaper in the long term as compared to doors that have cheaper upfront costs .

To find the right door for your home, or for any further information or assistance, please reach out to AMS Doors, Timber & Hardware at 1800 349 688 or visit us at 19/250 Milperra Road, Milperra NSW 2214.