When you’re changing the look of your house, the exterior doors you choose can make a big difference. Among the various options available, glazed doors and clear glass doors stand out as popular picks.
This guide will consider the distinctions between these two types of doors to benefit anyone in the market for either glazed exterior doors or clear glass doors, for either outside or inside their homes. Knowing what sets these two door types apart will help you choose the right one for your space.
1. What Are Glazed Doors?
Glazed doors, often called glass panel doors, contain one or more panels of glass as part of their structure. The panels may be clear, allowing for an unobstructed view, or they may be obscured in some way. Obscured options may simply be frosted glass, but other options include wire glass, which contains metal strands that may be almost impossible to see; glass block, which is really just an extremely thick pane of glass; and rain glass, which has a wavy surface that is difficult to see through.
2. Standard Glass Doors
Standard glass exterior doors, as the name indicates, consist of solid glass panels without mounting or framing hardware that’s discernible to the eye. These exterior doors offer an unobstructed view and a modern, minimalist appearance in any setting.
3. Advantages And Disadvantages of Glazed Glass Front Doors
Glazed glass front doors have become quite the item in contemporary homes, balancing between letting natural light enter and keeping most people from seeing anything past them. However, as with any design choice, they come with a mix of benefits and problems.
a. Advantages
One of the most pronounced benefits of using frosted glass is how little you have to manage it. Unlike its clear counterpart, frosted glass doesn’t streak nearly as much when poked and prodded by the elements, so you won’t find yourself engaged in a Sisyphean struggle of glass wiping. You can get behind the glass in your bathroom and give it a good spray with your cleaner of choice; in a moment, it will look as if it has been freshly misted by an artist seeking that soft-focus effect.
The appearance of the frosted glass door is as close to “elegant” as you can get. When you truly want to make a statement with your front door, consider frosted glass as your medium. That’s my big takeaway after a week of poring over articles and sites touting the pros and cons of frosted glass doors.
b. Cons
The main disadvantages of these glasses are that they allow less natural light and create a sense of confinement. When someone sees a door, they automatically think of entry and exit. This is a fundamental human concept; we’re always entering and exiting spaces. When it comes to smaller spaces, seeing a semi-transparent door can really make the mind feel a little weary. Seeing an opaque frosted glass door only adds to this sense of confinement. Seeing a clear glass door might be the better option here. If visual privacy is ideal, then the opaque door cannot be achieved without using a solid material or by using too much visual obfuscation.
Benefits And Disadvantages of Regular Glass Front Doors
Clear glass is precisely what it sounds like: see-through and providing a fully unobstructed sightline. It is commonly used in windows, doors, and room dividers because it offers a completely open feeling and makes spaces seem more light, brighter, and more inviting. When used in front doors, it operates in the same manner—and, if one really gets down to the nitty-gritty, given how “standard” clear glass is, it might as well be the quintessential clear glass front door.
a. Advantages
Although clear glass exterior doors Toronto are in vogue, you may want to weigh their pros and cons before installing one in your Toronto residence. On the plus side, clear glass is a superb light source. It allows sunlight to flood into your home to such an extent that, in some instances, clear glass may actually outperform opaque doors and sidelights in terms of sunshine. A clear glass front door, then, is very much like an interior window in that it creates a space with abundant natural light.
Contemporary Aesthetic-Clear glass possesses a stylish and contemporary appearance that complements modern homes throughout Toronto. It is the ideal choice for a front door that makes a modern statement and is flexible enough to fit various home styles, from totally contemporary to a beautiful traditional look. You get a front door that makes a stylish statement but is also practical in terms of safety and visibility. And let’s face it, safety can be stylish.
b. Cons
No Privacy: The most significant downside to using clear glass for your front door is the lack of privacy it offers. Some people might find it a little unnerving to have anyone who happens to be walking by have the ability to see right into their home. Light and privacy can coexist if you install good-looking curtains or drapes in the front door frame.
Brightness and heat—although clear glass will allow plenty of natural light into your home, it will also invite direct sunlight in, which can cause glare and make rooms feel hotter.
