ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 31, 1996 TAG: 9604040011
SECTION: BETTER HOMES PAGE: BH-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JOANNE ANDERSON
When you look at the front of a house, sweeping your eyes from one side to another and from roof to foundation, you inevitably focus on the front entry.
Although the front door stands apart as the welcoming arm of the house, it also should be ``part of the whole house design,'' according to Thomas Koontz, a Blacksburg architect.
``With the cultural shift from the front of the house to the back, front doors are not getting the attention they need,'' he added.
Indeed, decades ago house designs incorporated a front porch where children played, parents waved to neighbors and older folks rocked. Nowadays, time is spent out back on private decks surrounded by fences.
Overhangs aren't as common as they once were and so doors are not as well protected from weather elements. Neither are the people standing at the door.
An overhang adds to the architectural quality of a house, Koontz said, not to mention making the front entry more inviting and the door more protected. So herein lies the argument for special care that your front door is well-sealed from the elements.
Of the three basic door materials - steel, fiberglass and wood - all can be protected with stain or paint. Ron Bland of National Window and Door in Christiansburg said he'll recommend a steel or fiberglass door ``when the entry faces the weather and the owners may not be interested in the maintenance of a wood door.''
Steel and fiberglass doors with decorative molding, panels and fancy glass make an attractive entry as well as one which is sturdy, energy-efficient and virtually maintenance-free. The fiberglass doors can even be stained to look like wood.
Wood doors with ``brass came'' insets - an exotic beveled glass look with brass or zinc lines through it - are the most popular doors now for the upscale house, according to Bland.
``The fancy wood and glass doors can run into thousands of dollars, whereas you can buy a six-panel steel door for as low as $120 and a simple fir or pine wood door for around $250.''
Whether you're going to shop for a new front door or plan to spruce up the one you already have, there are security and energy efficiency needs to be addressed.
Melanie Mengett of Precision Glass in Christiansburg said that state law dictates that glass in any exterior door must be 3/32- or 1/8- inch tempered glass or laminated unless it's plexiglass. ``Plexiglass is most common in exterior storm doors,'' she said.
In addition to the door handle lock, there should be a single cylinder deadbolt lock with a thumb turn.
``I recommend all two-story houses have one of these,'' said Derwin Sutphin of Brian's Lock & Key in Blacksburg. Most two-story homes have staircases that come right down near the front door, the obvious exit in the case of an emergency.
The door handle hardware has only a 1/2-inch lock into the door jamb and if there's a 1/4-inch space, then it's only in one quarter inch. The deadbolt extends a full inch into the jamb across from the door.
There are double cylinder dead bolt locks which lock on both sides with the key. ``A house with one of these won't pass inspection around here,'' Sutphin said, because during an emergency, a homeowner can't spend time looking for the key to unlock the deadbolt.
However, Sutphin does recommend this type of lock for other exterior doors, particularly when there's glass in or next to the door. ``It prevents someone from breaking the glass, reaching in and turning the deadbolt open.''
Sutphin especially likes the Schlage brand locks because they make a quality door lock which, when locked, unlocks by turning the knob on the inside. This is good for a door which is the most likely exit during a crisis situation.
If you are dressing up the door you now have, check for air leaks. If you feel some air moving in or out of the house at the doorway, buy some 3/8-inch or 1/4-inch weatherstripping at a local hardware or home improvement center. Install this on the jamb opposite the door so when the door closes, a tight seal is established.
Today's popular storm doors are all one sheet of glass so the front door is not hidden behind a door that's one half aluminum or fiberglass. The glass can be replaced with screen in the warm months.
A combination storm door with screen and glass on the bottom half is practical because the glass can be closed in a few seconds with the weather turns cold or windy and rainy.
Doors for other entries to the house include an array of steel, fiberglass and wood patio doors, sliding doors, French doors, Dutch doors and fire doors, the latter often used in apartment complexes and between a house and garage.
Whatever you select for your front door can be further dressed up with a wreath or dried spray arrangement, fancy railing or steps, a brass door knocker or potted flowers next to the entry. Besides protecting you and your possessions, letting in your friends and family, your front door makes a personal style statement about those who live on the other side.
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: JOANNE ANDERSON. National Window & Door inby CNBChristiansburg offers doors with brass came insets, the most popular
look for upscale homes.