Dry hands, chapped lips, and chilly noses — there’s no denying that the cold winter weather can take its toll on your body. But did you know it can also wreak havoc on your exterior doors?
In fact, weather changes throughout the year can cause warping, cracking, and a host of other door issues. So, how do you weatherproof an external door and keep it in top condition all year round?
What impact can the weather have on external doors?
In the UK, the changing weather can really affect your external doors — particularly exterior wooden doors. In the summer, sunny days might shrink wooden doors, causing gaps — but cold weather can also make doors shrink, letting in draughts.
When it’s wet or humid, these doors can swell and stick, making them hard to open, and too much sun can fade your door’s colour. Heavy rain and wind? They might let water sneak in if your door isn’t well-sealed.
It can seem like a bit of a minefield. But there are ways around these issues — the key is to choose high-quality exterior doors, whether those are solid oak front doors or front doors with glass. There are also several care and maintenance actions you can take to protect your external doors against a variety of weather conditions.
Protecting exterior doors from the changing weather
So, what are the key areas to focus on when preparing your doors for the changing seasons?
Choose the right door finish
The right paint or varnish can bring a myriad of benefits to your external door. A high-quality varnish or paint will guard against moisture and sun damage. Especially helpful for external wooden doors, this can help reduce the chance of your door swelling in the rain. It’s a good idea to look for a varnish that protects against UV rays, too — this will prevent your front door colour from fading.
Before winter, you may find you need to reapply your door finish to top up the protection and prevent cracking or peeling.
Apply weatherstripping
Weatherstripping offers a fast and easy way to seal gaps around your doors. By applying strips of adhesive material around your doorframe and any other gaps, you can minimise draughts and air leaks. Foam tape is a popular type of weatherstripping, ideal for placing around the edge of your door but you can also install a door sweep at the bottom to keep pesky breezes at bay.
Take particular care around any glazed areas. If you live in an area that’s especially prone to storms and extreme weather, it’s worth considering security window film to keep your glazed panels safe from high winds and debris.
Update your door furniture
It’s also important to check your door furniture. Over time, it’s not uncommon for door handles, hinges, and letterboxes to become loose and this can lead to air sneaking in around the gaps.
Tighten or replace pieces of furniture and external door hardware when needed to keep your external doors ready to face changing weather conditions. If you don’t already have one, an escutcheon can be a helpful way to reduce draughts coming in through the keyhole.
For more advice on keeping your home draught-free, take a look at our guide to draught-proofing your doors.
Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation
While you want to stop any cold draughts coming through gaps around your door, ventilation is also essential. During wet weather, you want to avoid excess humidity build-up, which can cause your doors to swell.
Trickle vents or night vents are helpful for keeping the right amount of air flowing through, and ventilation is particularly important if you’ve got an external door in your kitchen — as you cook, it can get very steamy and humid in there! It’s worth using an extractor fan when preparing food to reduce the amount of humidity in the room.
Keep your doors in top condition with A Wood Idea
The best way to make sure your exterior doors are ready to face any kind of weather is to start with high-quality materials. By opting for a door from a reputable supplier, you can feel confident knowing your front door will keep your home warm, dry, and safe no matter the weather.
At A Wood Idea, we provide external doors to suit every property and use strong, durable materials designed to stand the test of time. From solid oak and hardwood front doors to stylish black composite front doors, explore our full range online.
To browse our collection in person, why not head over to our showroom? Find us at the Blaydon Trade Park, and feel free to get in touch with our friendly team if you have any questions.
