Buying an Iron Front Door- Some questions to consider

Choosing the right provider for your iron door purchase- Some questions to ask…



Iron doors are increasingly gaining popularity in today’s market as they have proven to be a superior choice to their wooden counterparts. The strength, durability and versatility of an iron door has led many homeowners to choose them for installation into new construction projects as well as remodels. Once the decision has been made to install an iron door in the home, a daunting task lies ahead. Iron doors are available everywhere; from local home improvement stores to the internet and everywhere in between. There are literally hundreds of retailers to choose from. Not every iron door is created equal and there are many things to consider when picking the right supplier. Door features such as material, construction, weather-stripping, hardware, glass and designs are just to name a few. This article will attempt to shed some light on what features should be important when shopping for an iron door.





What is the door jamb and what size will I require for my house?



The frame or door jamb usually bolts to the frame of the house and it is on this jamb from which the door or doors are hung. Door jambs come in various sizes. The size of the door jamb largely depends on the framework of the house onto which the door is being installed.





What materials make up the door’s construction?



Next are the doors themselves. Iron doors come in all types of different sizes and shapes but are basically built in the same way. Most are built from rectangular tubing in sizes such as 1 ½" x 4", 2" x 4", 2"x5" or 2"x6". Doors built out of 2"x5" or 2"x6" material generally look more substantial and have a heavier look. Choose a door that is made out of one of these two types of tubular steel. Doors made from 2"x5" have more open space in the middle than those made of 2"x6". This allows for a larger glass panel and more area for the design work. The gauge of material can also vary between doors. 12 ga. and 14 ga. are the two most common gauges used. Both gauges create a very strong and durable door. Not much concern should be given to the difference in these gauges.





What are my choices for the glass panels on the doors?



Another part of the door is the windows. Some windows are fixed and some are hinged. Hinged glass offers a distinct advantage over fixed glass. Hinged glass allows for easy cleaning while fixed glass makes it almost impossible to clean behind the design work. Hinged glass can also allow for airflow. Some iron doors come with single paned tempered glass while others are sold with dual panel insulated. The latter is a far superior choice. Glass is also available in numerous colors, tints and styles. Clear glass is usually standard. Any other glass choice may carry a premium. Pick glass based on your preferences and budget.





What kind of hardware works with my door?



Pay special attention to how each iron door is set up for hardware. Many of the lesser expensive doors are not set up to take hardware but have cast iron door pulls instead. While some cast iron door pulls are attractive, they do not make for a very secure door. Doors with cast iron door pulls are usually held shut by spring loaded ball latches mounted in the door stiles. A strong wind or small child could push the door open if the latches are not strong enough or adjusted properly. These doors’ only means of security are by a deadbolt mounted above or below the door pull. Choose a door that is pre-drilled to accept most types of commercially available door hardware. Quality doors generally have two 2 1/8" holes drilled in them at 2 3/8" or 2 ¾" backsets. One hole would accept the deadbolt while the other will accept the handle. These set-ups generally allow for the installation of high end handle sets such as Emtek or Weslock brands of hardware.



Additionally, if buying a double door, there is the issue of securing the inactive side of the door. The inactive door is the door that remains latched shut for a majority of the time. The inactive door can be latched shut in a couple different ways. The first option is surface bolts. Surface bolts are located on the house side of the inactive door and are usually visible towards the top and bottom of the door. The top bolt engages into the door jamb above and the bottom bolt engages into the threshold below. With this setup, it is conceivable that the door’s window could be broken and someone could reach through to undo the surface bolts. The door could then be pushed open even if the deadbolt is thrown. The better, more secure option is flush bolts. Flush bolts are located on the side of the inactive door and can only be accessed if the active door is open. Again, the top bolt engages in the door jamb and the bottom bolt engages into the threshold. Look for a door with this feature.





What are my design choices?



As mentioned before, there are hundreds of door dealers and each dealer offers many designs. The choices can be daunting as designs can range from scroll to geometric to solid panel doors. When researching designs that consist of scrollwork, the size of the material is usually mentioned. Most scrollwork is classified as being made of ½" or 5/8" round or square material. Both types of materials create very beautiful designs. There is no distinct advantage to either type of scrollwork. The 5/8", of course, would produce a design that had a slightly heavier look. In the end design choice all comes down to personal preference.





Is this door made in the USA or is it imported?



Many if not most of the dealers in the USA are just that- dealers. It would be strongly advised to check the BBB to see if there are any concerns surrounding the dealers you are considering. There are very few actual domestic manufacturers. Many doors that are sold in the US are imported. In fact, many websites are intentionally vague about where their doors come from. Most likely, unless the website specifically states "Made in the USA," the doors are imported. This is not necessarily a bad thing. There are many import dealers that sell quality products. However, there are also many dealers selling inferior imported products. Beware of extremely low pricing on iron doors. The old adage "you get what you pay for" definitely applies when buying this type of product. When buying imported doors, a little research can go a long way. There are a few manufacturers of iron doors in the US. Some of these manufactures sell both domestic and imported products. It would be a very wise choice to highly consider these domestic producers even if you are buying one of their imported products. If it is possible to buy direct from the manufacturers, do so. These manufactures should have strong knowledge of what it takes to produce quality products. It would stand to reason that they would also be able identify and sell good quality imported doors.



Like all big purchases, buying an iron door will take some research. The advice in this article should help you along your way. Now that you are armed with a little knowledge, call some dealers and ask them these questions. You will know very quickly if you have found the right one.



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