Door Decisions

“The overall height and width of doors continue to increase,” says Premeau. “Builders and remodelers are continuing to work on projects that contain higher ceilings. If the opportunity exists to use a larger door, the consumer is taking advantage of it.

“Universal design will continue to escalate in interest and relevance within the remodeling market,” he adds. “Remodelers are becoming more cognizant of the need to accommodate potential accessibility issues with a home. By utilizing universal design characteristics, they can give more options to the homeowner. Items such as wider doors, lever handles and motorized blinds are some of the door options which can help in this area.”

Kolbe’s TerraSpan lift and slide doors are designed to match the company’s aluminum-clad wood windows and doors. The doors are available in energy-efficient glass options, and can incorporate up to 10 panels per unit with a 12-ft. maximum panel height. The exterior cladding includes recycled aluminum and has an environmentally friendly finish. A range of sustainable wood species can be chosen for the interior trim. TerraSpan doors feature multipoint locking hardware and may be selected in finishes such as satin nickel and oil rubbed.

“Exterior doors, both entry doors and patio doors, will continue to be bigger than the standard entry or patio doors of 10 years ago,” says Jeff Kibler. “As the centerpiece of an overall design scheme, entry doors are more commonly requested beyond the traditional 6-ft. 8-in. heights, and then enlarged by sidelites and monumental transoms that flood two-story foyers with natural light. Patio door widths continue to expand, allowing homeowners to open up more of their home to fresh air and entertain in a free-flowing fashion. Motorized telescoping, pocket doors or bifold doors span large widths and provide design enhancements inside and out.”

Pella has expanded its fiberglass door line to include an 8-ft. Craftsman fiberglass entry door. Pella also offers fiberglass entry doors featuring a Deluxe Oval panel option for a more traditional door style. In addition, wrought iron grilles mount to the exterior of Pella fiberglass doors to create a Western or Southwestern look. The grilles are available on full and three-fourths light fiberglass doors with textured and Low-E glass.

Regional requirements

While many industry trends are overarching, individual architecture styles and geographical locations ensure that one size does not fit all.

Derek Fielding, Therma-Tru Doors product manager, says, “Rustic door styles in a two-panel soft arch are still very popular in the West and Southwest regions. On the coasts, we’re seeing continued interest in Craftsman-style doors for renovations and remodeling projects.”

“There continues to be interest in impact-resistant products along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts, as there always has been,” says PGT’s Carole Reams.

PGT’s WinGuard Aluminum SGD780 is an impact-resistant sliding glass door featuring an optional 9-in. bottom rail for a French door look. The door’s panels are 4 ft. wide by up to 10 ft. high, and the door is offered with a choice of the company’s five Eterna simulated wood grain finishes — dark walnut, cherry, dark oak, acacia and light oak.

Atrium’s SafeHarbor impact-resistant vinyl and aluminum patio doors feature laminated glass system with .090-in. interlayer for impact resistance as well as outdoor sound suppression. Insulated glass panels range from 3/4 to 1 in. with warm edge spacer system, and the product’s multichambered frame assembly is designed to improve thermal performance. SafeHarbor’s hardware components also meet impact-test protocols. The doors have certified design pressure (DP) ratings of up to 60 for sliding glass doors which meet coastal wind and hurricane debris code requirements.

“Trends are more relative to a home’s architectural style than geographic location,” observes Jeff Kibler. “Craftsman-style or Arts-and-Crafts-style homes are located throughout the country as are Victorian-style homes. Homeowners are choosing entry doors that complement those architectural styles regardless of where they live.”