Although there are new types of materials for entry doors available in the market today such as fiber glass and steel, wooden doors are still as popular as ever.

If you take a look at the prices of these door types, you will notice that wooden doors are among the most expensive ones. For this reason, you need to properly maintain your wooden doors for them to be able to serve their lifespan and even a few years more.

Maintaining a wooden door is not all that difficult. Here are some great ways on how you can keep your wooden doors at their best shape.

• Every now and then, tighten the screws of the hinges where the door is attached to the door frame of the house. If the door is screwed properly, it will be in its upright position and you will prevent the door from sagging which usually is the cause of scratches on the floor, on the door, or on the door frame surface. Do not forget to check the door knobs as well. Loose door knobs can be a reason for burglars to enter your premises.

• Check the edges of the wooden door to see if there are areas where it is sticking or binding. Use sandpaper and you need to follow a motion that goes with the direction of the length of the door and never across its width. Open and close the door several times to see if the area is not sticking anymore.

• To keep your wooden exterior doors from causing friction against the door jam and the door frame, a very simple thing that you can do is to use a bar of unscented soap and rub it against the top and sides of the door edges. The dry soap will act as a lubricant and protectant to the wood.

A lot of homeowners are looking into replacing their exterior doors; maybe because they are planning to sell their homes or their old doors are already too damaged to serve their purpose.
Although there are plenty of modern materials used in doors today such as steel and fiber glass, wooden doors are still quite popular among homeowners.
Before jumping into a purchase, take a look at these important notes about wooden doors:
Advantages of a Wooden Door

• Wooden doors are considerable light but there are also types of wood that can be heavy. Heavier doors are better when it comes to function and purpose because they are thicker in grain.
• Doors made out of wood can easily be customized according to your liking. There are plenty of designs to choose from and they can be carved into the wood.
• Wooden doors can be cut and shaped depending on the door frame that you have without having to spend a lot of money.
• You can paint over wooden doors to make them look good or you can retain the wooden look to give a sophisticated country feel to your space.
• You can choose wood for any doors in your home including residential garage doors.

Disadvantages of a Wooden Door

• Wooden doors are not the very best options when you live in an area where the weather is pretty extreme. Wood can change color when placed directly under the sun. They can rot and dry overtime making them susceptible to damage.
• Rain and wood also do not go well together. Rain can soften the wood even though it is a thicker type.
• Wooden doors are often not insulated. You will need to pay extra to install weather stripping to the doors.
• Wood can easily crack and split especially if the weather shifts from cold to warm sharply. This means you need to pay additional fees to repair the door or to hide those imperfections.

Before buying a wooden door, always consider the weather in your area. You also need to research on the perfect type of wood that will function well and look great in your exterior too.