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No feature enhances solid wood doors in Toronto quite like high-quality custom glasswork.
As you’re in the process of designing a brand new custom front entry door, maybe you’re comparing a bevy of design options, or perhaps you’re unsure of the value that custom glasswork will add to your home.

In any case, here are the top four benefits of adding custom glasswork to your Toronto exterior doors!

1. Custom Glasswork Increases Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Your front door is one of the first features people notice when driving by your property or visiting your home. By adding custom glasswork, you can make not only your front door but also your entire home stand out.

While most of your home’s exterior features are likely to be rugged and practical, glasswork will bring a sense of elegance and glamour that very few exterior features are able to showcase.

2. Custom Glasswork Raises the Value of Your Home

Whether you plan to put your home on the market in the near future or 30 years down the road, custom glasswork is an addition that will only increase the value of both your solid wood doors in Toronto and your home—allowing you to raise your asking price. To many home buyers, the front entry door is such an important home feature that the addition of glasswork might even serve as the tiebreaker between two comparable homes!

3. Custom Glasswork Allows More Natural Light to Enter Your Home

From an interior design perspective, natural light is by far the most desirable type of light in most spaces—which is why many homeowners are always looking for new ways to maximize the amount of natural light that shines throughout their homes.

Custom glasswork allows you to enjoy more natural light in an area of your home that, for logistical purposes, might be lacking windows, skylights, and most types of glasswork—your front entryway.

4. Custom Glasswork Comes With Versatile Privacy Options

If you’re worried that glasswork will automatically compromise your privacy and the security of your Toronto exterior doors, fear not—there are all kinds of custom glasswork that allow for various levels of visibility.

Glasswork privacy levels are measured on a ten-point scale. Zero to three points is considered low privacy. This glass is clear and allows plenty of light through. Four to six points is considered medium privacy. This glass largely obscures objects on the other side of the glass so that only shapes and colours can be detected, and it allows a moderate amount of light through.

Seven to ten points is considered high privacy, and this glass allows minimal light through. Keep in mind that a higher privacy rating will require that you sacrifice some natural light, and vice versa.

Are you in need of a professional manufacturer for your Toronto exterior doors? For the best solid wood doors in Toronto, be sure to contact the team at Traditional Door today. We would love to help you explore your options!

Want to know how much you should expect to pay for custom entry doors in Toronto?

The reality is that people spend as little as $3,000 and as much as $15,000 or more on their custom made front doors. The amount you spend will ultimately depend on your budget, as well as the costs of various materials, features, and other design elements that you choose.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest factors that will impact the cost of your door, so that you know what to expect before you buy!

Material Costs

There are a variety of materials that can be used for custom made front doors, but wood, steel, and fiberglass are the three most common options. Although steel is somewhat limited when it comes to design options, it is typically the least expensive of the three materials. Fiberglass and wood boast budget-friendly and premium options but both tend to be more expensive than steel. While woods like alder and poplar are quite affordable, other high-end wood species—such as cherry and mahogany—are usually even more than expensive than most fiberglass options.

Design Costs

Perhaps the biggest factor that impacts the cost of custom made front doors is their design. Naturally, you should expect to pay more money for doors that use more materials—such as double entry doors. Likewise, you should expect to pay more for doors with transoms, sidelights, and other intricate design features. As a rule of thumb, the greater the level of customization, the more expensive your front entry door is likely to be.

Security/Locking System Costs

Your front entry door is arguably the most important door in your home. Beyond providing insulation and curb appeal, this door is the main defense against someone who might want to break into your home. Fortunately, there are many different types of locking systems to choose from at various price points. At the more basic end of locking systems is your simple mechanical lock-and-key set. These traditionally cost between $50 and $150. High-end lock sets—such as electronic locks with keypad entries, for example—may cost up to $400 or more.

Installation Costs

For front entry doors in Toronto, it’s also critical that you factor installation costs into your budget. This is unless, of course, you know a close friend of family member who is able to install your new custom door for free. In most cases, you will need to hire a professional contractor to install your door and frame for you. While these costs may vary greatly from contractor to contractor, you should pad your budget with at least $500 and as much as $1,500 for installation. Per Home Advisor, the national average cost for door installation is $1,024.

Are you in the market for a brand new entry door? For the best custom entry doors in Toronto, contact Traditional Door today. We would love to help design and build the perfect front door to complement your home!

Which style should you choose for your home’s interior doors?

As is the case with any home design or remodelling project, there are all kinds of important factors you should consider before making a final decision — such as the style of your home, how much natural sunlight shines through, and of course, your own personality and flair.
Without further ado, here are five of the most popular styles to consider for your custom interior doors!

1. Flush Doors

Flush doors are your simple, stock-standard, no-frills interior doors. These doors are wildly popular — not because they boast incredible detail or ornamentation, but because they are significantly more affordable than most other styles.

What’s more, the style’s simplicity lends itself to versatility. A flush door can be used in almost any scenario, making it a very safe choice for all of your custom interior doors!

2. Paneled Doors

Paneled doors are fairly similar to flush doors with the exception of a few design details. These doors, of course, include panels — raised or recessed sections of wood that give the door some added dimension.

In theory, you can choose to adorn an interior paneled door with any number of panels; though the most common paneled door features four equal recessed panels. Paneled doors can be painted, stained, or left entirely unfinished!

3. Barn Doors

Barn doors are very popular among homeowners who want to use their interior doors to add a sense of character, warmth, or charm to a room. While not quite as versatile as conventional flush doors, barn doors can accommodate single and double door designs.

These doors typically hang from a top rail, and slide horizontally to open and close. Unfinished or stained barn doors can add more natural rustic look to a room, but you can also opt to paint them!

4. Bi-fold Doors

Bi-fold doors are quite limited in terms of their application and design options; yet they can make the perfect addition to any closet, pantry, laundry, storage room, or any other room where space is limited.

These doors also take up very little real estate, as instead of swinging outward, they fold inward. Bi-fold doors are typically equipped with doorknobs, and are available in both single and double interior door designs.

5. French Doors

Despite their signature look and classy appearance, French doors manage to be fairly versatile and can be used to divide most rooms. While most French doors feature glass panes — which allow a room to feel larger or more open — you can opt for solid doors without glass for rooms that require more privacy.

What’s more, French doors are compatible with a variety of systems and frames. Choose a pair of swinging French doors for a large space, or opt for top and bottom sliding rails in a tighter area!

Do you need help choosing the perfect style for your new interior doors?

Be sure to get in touch with the design experts at Traditional Door today for all of your custom door needs in the Greater Toronto Area! Contact us today for a quote or for more information.

Are you interested in adding sidelights to your front entry door?

Sidelights are some of the most popular additions to front entry doors, and for good reason. These glass accents can provide your home with more natural light and tie a bow on a beautiful entryway. With that said, you can’t pair just any skylights with any front entry door.

Here are 5 tips to Find the Perfect Design for Your Entry Door Sidelights:

1. Match Your Sidelights With Your Entry Door

First and foremost, you need to make sure that your sidelights and front door need to match. It should go without saying that a modern door will usually conflict with classic sidelights and vice versa.

So, design your front entry door and your sidelights in tandem so that all styles, details, and colours work well together.

2. Keep Your Sidelights to a Reasonable Size

If you want to make sure that your sidelights let through plenty of sunlight, you may be tempted to make them as large as possible.

However, large sidelights can quickly compete with the entry door itself and detract from your entryway’s appearance. As a rule of thumb, make sure your sidelights are no larger than half of the width of your entry door!

3. Coordinate Your Sidelights and Transom

If you plan on adding both sidelights and a transom to your custom wood door, it’s important that you coordinate these two features very carefully — just as you would with your door and sidelights.

If you opt for two different designs, at least one of these accents is going to feel out of place. So, make sure you match styles, patterns, materials, colours, and any other details when designing your sidelights and transom window.

4. Use Heavy-Duty or Textured Glass if You’re Worried About Security

Security is one of the most common concerns that customers have regarding sidelights. For the most part, however, door systems with sidelights are believed to be just as secure as door systems without sidelights.

But if you’d prefer to double-down on security and put your mind at ease, consider heavy-duty glass — such as hurricane impact glass — for your sidelights. You can also prevent strangers from looking into your home by opting for textured glass.

5. Go With Insulated Sidelights for Extra Energy Efficiency

It’s no secret that doors and windows are some of the most vulnerable areas of your home when it comes to energy efficiency. The truth is that adding sidelights can easily cause your home to lose even more hot and cold air — potentially causing a spike in your energy bill.

Choose materials that are filled with insulating materials or sidelights that are equipped with insulated coatings. This will go a long way towards helping your home retain as much hot and cold air as possible.

Want to make sure that you land the perfect design for your custom front entry door and sidelights? Contact the experts at Traditional Door today to discuss a plethora of design options and find the perfect entryway design for your home!