If you’re building a barndominium, chances are very high that you’ll end up choosing your own doors and windows separately. That will often mean doing the research to figure out what kinds of doors you want and why.
For example, with 7 major different types of doors to choose from, you’ll have to settle on an overall look and feel to each entrance of your home before moving forward. In addition, you’ll have to consider what kind of material you want and why.
Doors offer aesthetics, they keep your home warm and dry, and they provide security. Some doors perform very well in some of these categories and others perform very well in others.
In each case, you’ll have to decide what you want to prioritize so you can more easily choose the door option that best suits your needs as well as your preferences.
Barndominiums are almost always made with aluminum siding which means that aluminum and PVC doors are extremely common.
However, you can choose any material you want. That means heavy-duty steel for high security, glass for light and aesthetics, wood because you like the look or the feel, etc.
In addition, you’ll want to look at factors like where the door is for, which part of the home the door is in, and even what you’re using the door for.
Door Price Range Best For Security Materials
Door Type | Price Range | Best For | Security | Materials |
---|---|---|---|---|
Front Doors | $200-$1,700 | Basic front and side doors/Main doors | Very good | Composite Fiberglass Aluminum Steel Wood |
Glass Front Doors | $700-$2,500 | Beautiful front doors/Main doors | Poor | Composite Fiberglass Aluminum Glass Wood |
Sliding Doors | $1,200-$4,800 | Porch and patio back and side doors | Medium | Composite Fiberglass Aluminum Glass Wood |
Double Doors | $600-$5,600 | Porch and patio back and side doors | Medium | Composite Fiberglass Aluminum Glass Wood |
Bifold Doors | $600-$5,200 | Porch and patio back and side doors | Medium | Composite Fiberglass Aluminum Glass Wood |
Roll Up Doors | $322-$2,977 | Garage, shop, and barn entrances | Very good | Aluminum Wood |
Walk Doors | $100-$600 | Garage, shop, and barn entrances | Very good | Composite Fiberglass Aluminum Steel Wood |
Storm Doors | $100-$1,500 | Additional security on the main and side doors | Good | Composite Fiberglass Aluminum Steel Wood |
Each of these door options will offer something very different to the look and feel of your home. However, you’ll also have a lot to consider in terms of security, pricing, and materials.
1. Front Doors
Your basic front door is a standard single door with hinges on one side. For security reasons, these doors open outwards.
They may feature small glass inserts at the top or at eye level. However, for the most part, they are designed around sealing your home off from the outside and providing a level of security.
Basic front doors come in the most available materials which makes them a good all-around option.
In addition, this is your primary option for a main door. Why? No matter how pretty another door option is, it’s less convenient to use non-stop.
The more traffic you get to a door, the more you want to ensure that it’s simple, fast, and easy to use. The best doors are the ones you don’t notice when you’re using them.
Still, you want your door to match the aesthetics of your home. Simple doors can come with the details and the trim to make your home look beautiful.
In addition, basic front doors can come with everything from glass inserts to carving detail, so you can go as fancy or as simple as you want.
Pros
- Affordable
- Simple
- Easy to use
- Ideal for main doors
- Available in all materials
- Good security with the right materials
Cons
- These doors might not suit your aesthetic preferences for your home.
2. Glass Front Doors
Glass front doors use the same basic design as a standard front door. However, they feature glass panes in a door frame instead of a solid door. This means you get either small glass panes in a lattice frame or a large glass pane set inside the outer door.
In either case, the finished result is prettier. Many people prefer the look and feel of these doors.
However, they can cost much more. They’re also more prone to damage, which means you’ll want storm doors and potentially a mechanism to keep the door from slamming if you live in a windy area.
Otherwise, these doors offer many of the benefits of the standard door – with the added benefit of being pretty. On the other hand, they are less secure, as it’s easier for someone to break a pane of glass and unlock the door from the outside.
If that’s not a concern or you have good security measures in your home, the glass swinging door offers a good alternative to a basic wood or steel door.
Pros
- Prettier than a standard door
- Allows more natural light
Cons
- Reduced security
- More expensive
- More likely to require maintenance and repair
3. Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding glass doors are a very popular choice for many barndominium owners. However, few people want them as a main door – because they require more effort to open and close.
This means they are a better fit for porch, patio, side, and back doors – where you might be able to leave them open in warm weather.
Sliding doors are popular because they allow a lot of light in. They also give you a good view of your back yard or property – which can be a huge perk if you live in an area without a lot of neighbors.
At the same time, glass doors may be a security risk. If you have a risk of burglary or your neighborhood isn’t safe, glass doors are easy to break.
However, most feature security glass which means you still get plenty of security for your home. Glass doors are also lower maintenance and often cheaper than double and bifold doors, which means you’ll spend less time and money overall on your doors.
They’re also available in almost every material but steel, so you can choose the look and feel you want for your doors.
Pros
- Attractive
- Allow light in
- Create wide doorways
Cons
- Harder to open and close
- Less secure than a solid door
- Higher maintenance than a simple door
4. Double Doors/French Doors
Double doors and French doors are extremely popular on barndominiums because they allow for a classic look and feel to your barn home.
That’s true whether you’re going for the French doors that fold outwards to create a very wide entryway, or for a more saloon-style double-door that opens from the center to create two doorways. In either case, you’re getting a unique and aesthetic look that many people love.
Double doors are expensive. However, they can be a great choice in many areas of your home. On the other hand, you might not want them for a main entryway, because they decrease security and complicate moving in and out of your home.
For example, French doors often allow you to open a single door and walk through it with the second door still locked in place. That means you can use it as a normal main door.
However, it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to open both, meaning your French doors will just be for show. On a patio or in your backyard, those doors can stand open in the summer.
Pros
- Attractive
- Diverse styles
- Allow light in
- Large entryway
Cons
- Less secure than a single door
- Cost more than a single door
5. Bifold Doors
Bifold doors are similar to double doors in that you have two sections of doors.
However, rather than using two hinges and doors that open separately from each other, your door is hinged to itself. This means that you fold your door up and away from one side of the frame.
Most people prefer these doors for side and back doors. Here, they allow you to create wide entryways and spaces whenever you want. On the other hand, during normal use, the second part of the door can remain locked in place so you functionally have a single door.
That makes bifold doors a good middle ground between bifold and single doors. However, it’s still unlikely you’ll use them on the front of your home. Therefore, many people will choose them for main entrances for aesthetic reasons.
On the other hand, if you actually want to use the bifold door, it’s more likely to be a better fit as a patio door. Bifold doors are available in almost every material but steel.
Pros
- More secure than French doors
- Don’t require two hinge posts
Cons
- Expensive
- Can be high maintenance
- May be heavy to open
6. Roll Up Doors
Nearly everyone is familiar with the roll-up door, which is commonly called the garage door. These are normally available in aluminum and placed in garages. However, they’re common in barndominiums for garages, shop entrances, and storage entrances.
They allow you to easily fit a highly secure door into your home without spending the money on a prettier door. In addition, most barndominium manufacturers will supply them, which means you can purchase them as part of your barndominium kit.
Most people don’t like the look of aluminum garage doors. However, you can opt for multiple styles and can even match the paint to your barndominium. That can do a lot for the look and feel of your home.
In addition, you can opt for wood roll up doors – although this will greatly add to the weight and expense of the door.
Roll up doors are ideal in situations where you want a wider entrance and you want the door completely out of the way while you’re using the entrance, which primarily means practical entrances.
However, the act of opening and closing a roll-up door can be significantly more time-consuming than a hinged door, so you don’t want these on main entrances.
Pros
- Practical and create wide openings
- Can match your barndominium
Cons
- Not always attractive
- Only suitable for service doors
7. Walk Doors
Walk doors are offered by most metal building kit manufacturers. These are simple single or double doors that open outwards, and are designed for animal and machine use.
They’re generally the folding alternative to a rolling door. That means this is a good alternative if you want your barndominium to look more like a horse barn than a garage.
For this reason, some barndo owners choose walk doors instead of traditional garage doors. However, they do typically take longer to open, because you normally have to open two doors instead of rolling one up.
On the other hand, with options including wood and aluminum doors, walk doors can be a lot more attractive than garage doors. You can also get partially opening walk doors, so you can open the top half of the space to let light or fresh air in without fully opening the doors.
Walk doors are a great choice for storage, agricultural, garage, and shop doors. However, most people prefer not to have them opening into their home.
Pros
- Barn look and feel
- More attractive than rollup doors
Cons
- More expensive than rollup doors
- Not suited as main entrance doors
8. Storm Doors
Storm doors are protective and sometimes aesthetic doors that close over the outside of your primary doors. These are ideal if you live in a windy area and want to protect the glass or even the paint on your primary door.
Here, you normally have your main doors opening inwards and your storm doors opening outwards. Depending on the area, storm doors can also provide additional security.
Storm doors are available in almost every material but glass. However, you’ll want to shop around to see what’s the best fit for your own area. And, many barndo kit manufacturers will sell them with paint and trim to match that on your barndo.
Next Up
Choosing a door typically means looking into what style of doors you like. That means looking at which kinds of doors you like on other barndominiums, shopping around within that style, and picking something. You’ll also have to consider materials, what works for the look and feel of your home, what works with your windows, and what meets your security and storm-proofing preferences. In general, every door will provide basic security and protection so it’s usually a choice of aesthetic taste. Good luck picking your barndominium doors.
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