July, 2007

In Depth: Doors

Homeowners who want to jazz up their home’s appearance look to their doors—inside and out—as a quick way to present a new face.

By Craig A. Shutt

Weak new-home sales are having an impact on the size of the door market, but even as sales flatten out, options are expanding.

Homeowners who are electing to stay put or to remodel their existing residence want to create a new face for their homes, and that starts with an entry that stands out from the neighbors—even if the rest of the house’s architectural style doesn’t. Updating also extends to patio and interior doors, keeping suppliers scrambling to stay abreast of new styles.

"A lot of entry-door sales are being driven by homeowners’ desire to change the appearance of their homes,” says Jeff Kibler, brand manager for doors at Peachtree Doors & Windows, a subsidiary of Weather Shield Manufacturing Inc. based in Mosinee, Wis. "A new entry door can dramatically change the look of the house, unlike window projects, which typically are done for energy-efficiency. A new door jazzes up the house pretty fast.”

The styles that are jazzing up suppliers’ sales focus on simpler designs that fit with American Craftsman, Arts & Crafts, or Shaker architectural styles.

"The Craftsman style has been huge,” says Kevin Pine, product marketing manager for exterior doors at Jeld-Wen Windows & Doors in Klamath Falls, Ore. "We’ve really seen a resurgence in the last three years. It’s a very clean look and the most popular of older styles.”

Western rustic styles also are gaining ground, says Mark Ho, sales director for Plastpro Inc. in Livingston, N.J. "The Spanish style, with its heavy planking, is very big in the Southwest, and it’s spreading to other areas now,” he reports. That comes from homeowners who want their homes to stand out, or who want to bring some of their original, regional personality with them when they relocate. Kibler says, "We’re seeing mixes of architectural styles in each market. They want to be different from their neighbors.”

Creating differentiation with a new door isn’t hampered by a lack of architectural distinction in a home, notes Bob Keller, senior product manager for Therma-Tru Entry & Patio Door Systems in Maumee, Ohio. "Homeowners want to match the architectural style of their door to either the architectural style of the home—or to what the homeowner would like to achieve with the home’s style,” he explains, making a distinction between the two. "Even when they have a Midwest tract home with a nondescript style, they want to create a style, and the door is often the starting point for establishing that.”

Mixing styles also is becoming more common, adds Plastpro’s Ho. "Homeowners who like the rustic style are using it even if it doesn’t match their home’s architecture. I’ve seen Spanish-style doors being used on Colonial homes in some areas. It doesn’t match [but] for some reason, they can get away with it working.”

Bigger Is Better

Style and appearance are more significant for doors now because entrys are expanding in size. "The biggest trend we’ve seen is that entryways continue to get larger,” says Therma-Tru’s Keller. "Every category has added 8-ft. offerings, and that popularity is growing.” The trend began on the West Coast and is moving east, with doors also widening to as much as 42 ins. Much of that growth results from the grand entryways on new and remodeled homes, notes Peachtree’s Kibler. "More homes are being designed with two-story foyers, and homeowners want a signature entryway to lead into that.”

In some cases, larger doors are being further expanded with double-door configurations. Also popular are sidelites, which can expand the entry facing while still adding a decorative touch. "The use of sidelites depends on the market; it’s definitely regionally driven,” says Keller. California homes, for instance, use fewer sidelites, while Phoenix homes use more. "My guess is that’s because Phoenix has more Midwestern retirees living there, and the Midwest is a big sidelites market,” he says. That, ironically, would indicate that door trends that typically move from West to East are rebounding as Easterners spread their own architectural styles by migrating.

The West in general, with its Spanish-Mission styling, doesn’t lend itself as much to sidelites, Keller notes, while homes in the South, perhaps due to the plantation tradition, favor double doors over sidelites. In the Midwest, 6-ft. 8-in. doors often are enlarged visually with sidelites and transoms. "We’re seeing a trend to creating huge, grandiose entryways with enormous transoms,” Keller says.

Homeowners are also demanding more color and finish options. Kibler says Peachtree has seen growth in its two-sided doors, with a different color or texture on each side. Gel-stained products, which provide more sophisticated coloring, have attracted attention, but homeowners are intimidated by the techniques required. As a result, prefinished doors are becoming popular. "Painting at the site always is a problem,” Kibler says. "Remodelers in particular like prefinishing because they want to be in and out and have it completed.”

Companies that sell both doors and windows have an advantage, notes Jeld-Wen’s Pine, because many homeowners can be convinced to do both replacements at once. "We have around 32 colors for window cladding in our line, and we can match that cladding to a door option,” he explains.

Market Demand Is Flat

As options expand and preferences widen, the market itself is expected to flatten after many years of robust growth. "Demand for passage, entry, and patio doors is expected to remain virtually flat, declining 0.6% annually to 53.1 million units in 2010,” says a new report from the Freedonia Group in Cleveland. "This represents a significant deceleration from the gains posted in the 2000-2005 period.”

Fiberglass doors will register the only true gains during the next five to eight years, the report says, growing from 3.2 million units in 2005 to 4.3 million units in 2015. Much of that growth will come at the expense of wood doors, as they drop from 2.9 million units in 2005 to 2.6 million in 2010 and 2.4 million in 2015. Steel doors remain the dominant force at the low end of the market, accounting for 10.2 million units in 2005. But their sales will drop to 10.1 million units in 2010 and only recover to 10.7 million units by 2015.

The Freedonia study notes that replacement projects will drive sales of many exterior doors, which will hurt sales for interior doors that are not exposed to weathering. A growing demand for open areas in the home also will reduce sales, the study says.

But Dan Schmidt, president of Masisa USA in Atlanta, disputes that trend. Although more homeowners are looking for "great-room” type living spaces, homes also are getting larger and adding more bedrooms and home offices, which require privacy. His studies indicate that the number of doors in a typical home has actually increased from 17 to 18. Larger, more dramatic interiors also lead to some uses of double doors, which may increase the total as well.

Technology Expands Options

One of the reasons fiberglass door sales are growing is improvements in technology that allow the material to better replicate the appearance of wood. "Builders are looking for upper-end fiberglass doors that can provide a good wood-grain appearance,” says Plastpro’s Ho. Peachtree’s Kibler agrees. "As more features are added to fiberglass doors, they are gaining ground. But there always will be a segment at the upper end that wants only wood.”

Weather Shield has introduced a line of high-definition skins that provide wood-grain textures in a variety of species, which is reflecting the new variety demanded of wood doors. "We’ve seen a lot of growth in mahogany skins instead of the oak that’s been around forever,” says Kibler. Fir also is popular, particularly out West. "The demand for new styles is there, and the technology is allowing us to create tighter grains and better finishes.”

Glass Options Grow

New technologies also are aiding other aspects of door products, such as glass. "The use of decorative glass is definitely growing,” says Kibler. Wrought-iron mullions are becoming a trend, he notes. "Even though it reduces energy efficiency, it creates an interesting look that customers want.” Energy efficiency isn’t a key factor in choosing glass products, he notes. "Thermally speaking, the front door isn’t thought of the same way as windows are, so we don’t get many requests for low-e film even on full-lite doors.” With porches and overhangs, he says, the exposure decreases.

Patio doors offer a different approach, and customers are paying more attention to the glass in those doors, notes Dave Koester, brand manager for Weather Shield. The company’s recently introduced the Zo-ë Shield glass system for both its entry and patio doors to meet homeowners’ needs for improved glass options.

Flush-glaze doors also are gaining popularity, says Plastpro’s Ho. The concept eliminates the inset glass in a fiberglass product so it more closely resembles a wooden door. "The structure of a flush-glazed door is entirely different, with the glass frame as part of the door, and more customers are demanding that look,” he says. The company has been using the style in its patio doors, and will expand it to entry doors this summer. "The door has a cleaner, more wood-like look.”

Sophisticated Framing Systems

Door frames also benefit from new approaches. "Composite-wood jambs with fiberglass doors are becoming very popular,” says Jeld-Wen’s Pine. The company has seen demand rise, especially among young homeowners, for low-maintenance products of all types, including doors.

"Customers who spend $10,000 on an entry system don’t want to have to maintain a wood jamb every year.” Kibler says. "Everything else related to the home’s openings is clad, so why not the door frame? It’s more of an upcharge, but it adds benefits that are recognized.” The company offers a complete sill system that ensures the door doesn’t touch the sill pan, along with a door jamb that features finger-jointed composite materials at the bottom to make it resistant to moisture. "Moisture has always been a problem at the bottom of the jamb, but now technology is providing solutions.”

Therma-Tru also offers a complete system in which sills, weatherstripping, and jambs work together, says Keller. "Other systems have to rely on pieces and parts put together, so a complete system provides better assurance,” he explains.

Complete performance overall is a key ingredient in the purchasing decision, marketers say. "Structural performance is definitely changing,” says Peachtree’s Kibler. "We’re testing far more products to meet building codes and provide the ratings that customers want. They are looking for design-pressure ratings and impact testing most of all.” Some customers want DP ratings as high as 60 to 65, he notes. "There’s a lot you have to do to get past 50.”

Florida has been a major market for higher DP ratings, adds Keller, but the Northeast, even away from the coast, also wants these products because of the severe weather conditions that hit the area. "Builders and end-users both are becoming more aware of ratings for wind-borne debris and DP ratings, and they want a stronger product,” says Keller. Increased protection also creates other benefits, he notes. "These products are better at keeping out wind, because the weatherstripping is tighter than in a standard product.”

Energy-efficiency ratings also are being requested more often, he says. "Customers want numbers for solar-heat gain, U factors, R values and STC ratings. All are being requested more often, and by more than just architects.” The company’s web site serves as the key source for maintaining that information, he notes.

Masonite International in Tampa, Fla., offers a number of impact-rated fiberglass doors aimed at providing high performance. Sales are particularly strong in Florida, Texas, and parts of North and South Carolina, and this list is likely to grow, the company says. The company also promotes its Masonite Tech Services to dealers as being available to support sales and answer customer questions.

Energy Saving Remains Key

Energy-efficiency remains a key ingredient, and that aspect has been boosted by Energy Star ratings and the energy-tax credits that provide rebates. "People really pay attention to Energy Star products due to high energy costs and the available credits,” says Therma-Tru’s Keller. "The ratings ensure they understand the door’s performance. A lot of people ask for that, because it’s respected, and more builders are creating Energy Star homes.”

Green building in general is gaining ground, marketers say. Jeld-Wen recently made its low-VOC finish a standard feature on its pine doors and is considering expanding on that because of the interest from customers. Masisa, too, promotes that it imports only Plantation Pine wood from Brazil and Chile, but no hardwood, says Schmidt. "You’re seeing more environmental responsibility in the market today, and we’re very focused on that.”

Patio Doors Open Up

Options also are expanding for patio doors, which create more challenges than entry doors. "Patio doors are a difficult area of the home for protection,” explains Therma-Tru’s Keller. Typically, entry doors include overhangs and other protection, whereas patio doors often are set into a flat, unprotected portion of the home’s wall. "They are exposed to a lot of wind and rain, so they are more difficult to protect.”

The company introduced a patio system last summer that includes sill, corner pad, door bottom, and other pieces similar to its entry door approach. "The bottom 15 ins. of the door is a key area for leakage, so you have to ensure the entire system works,” he explains. California builders have been particularly conscious of those needs, due to litigation over moisture penetration.

Plastpro also has enhanced its patio system, says Ho. "Customers are looking for a patio system that they can trust, and that includes the lockset, sill, door frame, and moulding. Moisture prevention is a key concern for builders because a leaking door is their biggest nightmare.” (The bulk of projects in which a door fails feature incorrect installation, he notes.)

Keeping out moisture is becoming even more difficult because these doors are expanding, marketers say. "There are getting to be larger doors with more panels opening up,” says Dave Koester, brand manager for Weather Shield. "Homeowners are expanding their landscaping, and they want to see more light coming into the home.” They also are doing more outdoor entertaining and want interior and exterior spaces to blend, he notes. "Some are adding kitchenettes and other elaborate entertaining spaces so the largest openings are selling.”

Bifold doors with eight panels are popular, he notes, creating 24-ft. lines. Telescoping doors that slide also are popular. "The goal is to open up the patio to make it interactive with the indoors.” Structurally that creates more difficulty, but he notes that most of these projects are designed by an architect with engineering support. "About five years ago, patio-door height rose to 10 ft., and now that’s a standard, but the width continues to grow.”

Jeld-Wen has also seen this expansion, offering accordion-style doors that slide on an overhead track and fold away.

The doors can match window styles installed at the same time, Koester adds, creating a seamless look, especially during a renovation or addition. "We can offer 55 standard colors in our windows and color matching, as well as assorted wood species for the interior.”

As with doors, DP ratings are a key concern in some markets, with multi-point locks adding protection. "The multi-point lock actually holds the door in a truer plane, so there’s no distortion in the frame, [and] it adds more benefits,” he says.

With doors of all types growing in size and the range of products expanding, dealers have to stay up to date with the latest styles and technologies. Customers certainly will be staying on top of products through Internet sites and advertising, and the market continues to evolve despite what the overall housing market is doing.