Dutch doors, also known as stable doors, double-hung doors, or half doors, are made using two independently swinging doors stacked on top of one another. While they can latch together to appear and function like any other door, exterior dutch doors' can also open with just the top or bottom halves. This dual function provides extra ventilation and light for your home. Homeowners can open the door's top half for an extra breeze, while maintaining a safe environment for small children or pets.
Read on to learn more about exterior dutch doors and their various pros and cons.
Costs for Exterior Dutch Doors
Today, the design options for modern dutch stable doors have vastly increased and improved, leaving homeowners with new materials to choose from. At their most basic, exterior dutch doors usually begin from $500 to $1000. Homeowners can add glass windowpanes on the top door, with low-e coating and decorative glass. Also, homeowners can choose textured or wood-clad finishes and custom colors. These additions will raise the prices for exterior dutch doors to $1500 to $3000 or more.
Maintaining Your Dutch Stable Doors
Similar to their cost, the care and maintenance needs for exterior dutch doors depends on factors like the materials and treatments for your door. While doors made from traditional woods may need occasional touch ups to their finishes or paint, homeowners can still invest in weatherstripping and energy efficient glazings to improve the longevity and performance of your door.
Exterior dutch doors made from materials such as fiberglass, vinyl, or steel composites are more durable than wood or aluminum doors and will require much less maintenance.
Energy Efficient Exterior Dutch Doors
While dutch doors made with wood can have R-values as low as R-1, more energy efficient materials and additions can boost the door's R-value to R-5 or higher. Wood, fiberglass, or vinyl exterior doors tend to insulate well. Homeowners who choose to incorporate a glass panel on the top portion of their dutch door may want to also add insulated panes and low-e coatings to insulate their home and lower overall energy consumption.
Because their top or bottom halves can open independently, exterior dutch doors can be an excellent to increase airflow in your home during the warmer months. This increased airflow will create a more energy efficient home, lowering energy bills for expensive air conditioning.
Bottom Line: A Unique and Efficient Addition
With plenty of opportunities for customization and personalization, exterior dutch doors are attractive and convenient. You may be looking for a new and creative renovation to your home. Or, you may be looking for a way to increase ventilation while maintaining security for pets and children. Either way, exterior dutch doors are a unique addition to your home.
