exterior front door advice..Maine, wind, sun, farmers porch
bentap
8 years ago
I need to replace my front door unit…steel door , two sidelights. ..the house has little protections from wind, snow, rain in all directions, although the door is facing south and there is a farmer's porch that affords SOME protection from the marsh, ocean and north weather. There is and there will be a storm door.
I have seen a door unit with 3/4 glass with matching sidelights…which will allow a lot of light into an otherwise darker portion of the front of the house. It looks very good on the house in the next town, also a coastal town. My concern, the unit is wood. Am I crazy to consider a wooden door with lots of glass even with a storm door??
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8 years agobentap
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Newbie needs advice: finishing oak exterior door
Comments (6)Don't try to stain it in place ... have it cut to fit and the hinges routed and holes drilled, lay it flat on some sawhorses and do each side. Then install it. It's way easier to get an even coat, avoids runs in the finish, etc. That usually means waiting until late spring, and does mean you take down the old door, re-install the old door and take it down again when the replacement is ready. But it's sooooo much easier, Use as many coats of a penetrating oil stain as it takes, or let it stay on longer before wiping for a deeper color. Don't pay attention to the names of the stains, look at the color samples. Beware of "Red mahogany"! It's REALLY RED. It's useful for boosting the red tones in a stain that is not red ehough, but way too red to use by itself....See MoreIs the Southeast side the best location for a front porch?
Comments (14)We are in SC, and our front porch faces southwest. Due to the layout of our house, it doesn't darken any of the 'public' rooms, shading the stairwell, foyer, and master bath. We call it our 'winter porch', as it gets pretty hot in the summer. We have an open deck across the back which only gets filtered morning sun, so we sit out there on hot days. We are in the woods, and have trees in all directions. The trees to the east and west serve to shade the house in the summer, but let light through in the winter when the leaves are off. Consider keeping or planting trees for this purpose- they really make a difference. Our front porch serves several purposes. It shelters the front door so you don't have to stand in the rain when unlocking the door. It is a major architectural feature. It shades the front of the house from our hot summer sun. Oh yeah- It's a great place to sit!...See MoreAdvice? Maine Coast Storytale Home from 80's Rural Vermont Rectangle
Comments (16)Hi Lindsey, thanks for your ideas about the house! We have an addition out the back of the house with a garage and large shed that meet our needs for storage, tools, etc. We have several farming friends who indeed have many unexpected costs and trials throughout the season, and I agree with your advice for that kind of life! Especially living debt free, too many of our friends have not been able to do that. However, our main source of income is not from the land and we don't consider ourselves to be farmers. I say this with much respect to farming families, and for means of clarifying the needs of our house. As for the standing seam roof, yes it was indeed costly but worth it to us. We only covered the house on the right side and middle, not the roof of the section we plan to dismantle. I know most of the commenters have advised against taking that part of the building down (including my FIL who built it) but we really are set on it. It's not of highest priority, it will be some years before we get to it Yes, the peaked portico is my favorite suggestion so far! As well as spacing the windows more symmetrically. I also think a window box below the farthest right window with trailing vines would be lovely. That room is our bedroom and we look out the window often....See MoreFront porch update ideas
Comments (20)I never suggest painting brick, but in your case I am changing my mind. I would paint the brick on the front of the porch to match the siding. I would leave the interior brick alone. I would widen the stairs to be full width of the entry,, hang a base Music of the Spheres wind chime (90" tall - perfectly pitched sound) and a small bench on the non door side....See MoreUser
8 years agobentap
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localeater
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millworkman
8 years ago
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