Tips for Choosing Doors and Windows for your Upcoming Remodeling Project
Although you cannot “see” them, windows are an essential element of every home. They connect the interior with the outdoors and are an ultimate source of daylight. Not unlike doors, they also have a decorative and safety component, so it helps to consider the type, material and the security level of windows and doors when designing a news home or overhauling an old one. Here are a few useful tips.
Matching Styles
As accented elements, doors and windows should definitely match your home design. Most designers agree that aesthetic aspect is the primary one when choosing doors and windows. With a wide selection of styles and materials, you will surely find an appropriate set, whether you are looking a floor-to-ceiling windows for a modern home or an American Craftsman house with double sash windows. Your home architectural style should guide you. The door should complement the exterior walls, creating a positive presentation for anyone coming to visit.
Popular Window Styles
Apart from aesthetic aspect, window style also determines their function. A classic sash window remains popular as ever. It has a moveable section that can move either up or down, left to right. Double hung windows have both portions moveable vertically, and horizontal sliders do the same thing but at horizontal pane. Apartment designers favor awning windows, which can be hinged at the top or bottom to allow opening at an angle. This type is also to be found in many old houses. Bay windows are ideal for small rooms, as they increase the floor space in bathrooms, or counter space in kitchens. They can be used as a sitting nook.
Exterior Door Styles
Aside from being easy to combine with all architectural styles, steel doors are airtight, rigid and easy to maintain. Often featuring a magnetic weather-strip on top and lock side, they are excellent for insulation. Not so common today, wood doors have their place on traditional or heritage homes. The new technologies use wood laminate panels injected with insulation material. They need more care than steel doors, however in the sense of sealing by painting, staining or varnishing. Fiberglass and PVC doors
need minimum maintenance and are virtually weather resistant. They also come in many styles, textures and colors which sometimes emulate natural wood grain. They have excellent energy efficiency.
Security Aspect
Exterior doors should have solid composition, either steel, fiberglass or solid wood and swinging outward on security hinges. For maximum security the doors should be windowless, and not kept apart from windows, so the burglar cannot break through the glass and unlock from inside. If you have any doubt you can always rely on trusted locksmiths in Sydney CBD to make a recommendation about window and door locks. An alternative to unseemly exterior window security grate is a clear unbreakable polycarbonate panel on the inside, behind the glass pane.
Some combinations lend themselves to more architectural styles while some are more specific. When you take all these in consideration, you can easily recognize your home requirements and choose the style, material and the security level of your doors and windows.
Written By Derek Lotts
Exclusively For Homes Re-Imagined, LLC