Despite the Northwest's lack of extreme weather, it’s still important to ensure that your home is protected against inevitable weathering and decay. Since exterior doors often receive the brunt of this damage, buying the right front door is essential. Brew yourself a cup of fine Northwest coffee and read our guide for the information you need to find the best front door for your Northwest home today.
Contemporary Front Door Styles for the Northwest
Often, contemporary front door styles in the Northwest are simple, rather than ornate. Many homes feature paneled front doors and often incorporate decorative glass inserts. A simple, rustic style is generally preferred in the Northwest, as this aesthetic blends in perfectly with the region’s pine forests and mountain ranges.
Considerations for Contemporary Front Doors in the Northwest
When buying contemporary front doors for Northwest homes, several factors are important to consider. If you are buying a home in the Pacific Northwest, temperatures are generally mild, but rain is constant. If you are buying a home east of the Cascades, the climate is drier but temperatures fluctuate far more dramatically.
Contemporary front doors in the Northwest should protect against moisture. | © CC BY-SA 2.0 flickr.com / David Prasad
Materials for Contemporary Front Doors in the Northwest
Since the Pacific Northwest is such a moist climate, it’s best to choose contemporary front doors that will stoutly resist rot. Wood doors are prone to decay in rainy regions, making them less than ideal for Pacific Northwest homeowners.
However, if you’re committed to buying a wood door, make sure you choose a wood species that resists rot, such as Douglas fir, which is native to the Northwest and is naturally less prone to rotting in rainy weather. Your wooden front door will also need regular and thorough examinations to look for any signs of warping or other damage from moisture.
Also, be sure to treat your wood door with a reliable finish, such as polyurethane, as doing so will help your door resist water damage. If you live east of the Cascades, be sure to install your contemporary front doors beneath some kind of covering or awning, as this will guard them from the sun and prevent fading.
The best door material for the Northwest is fiberglass. A fiberglass door will not only resist the extreme temperatures east of the Cascades, but it will also repel persistent rain. All in all, buying a fiberglass door will help you avoid the constant money and upkeep that a wood door often requires.
Summary: Contemporary Front Doors with Moisture Protection
All in all, buying a door in the Northwest is relatively simple. The region’s temperate weather rarely sees dramatic fluctuations, and so homeowners can rely on a reliably constant (and often reliably moist) climate. In that case, a homeowner in the Northwest needs to prioritize protection against moisture. Other than that, the maintenance for your contemporary front doors in the Northwest should be fairly easy.
