Both iron doors and steel doors bring an air of sophistication to your home — as well as type-specific benefits and privacy for your peace of mind. However, each material type offers unique pros and cons when it comes to your door’s design process.
Read on to learn more about iron doors vs. steel doors and our expert takes and tips to care for and maintain both door types.
The Construction of Iron and Steel Doors
Before determining which door type is the better option for your home, it’s important to analyze the construction of each. The construction of your door goes far beyond stability or aesthetic appeal, contributing significantly to the benefits of each type when it comes to security, durability, and maintenance.
How Iron Doors are Made
While each respective vendor might have their own unique manufacturing steps, the process of creation for iron doors typically falls into three main steps: Smelting, pounding, and shaping.
During the smelting process, raw iron ore is heated in a kiln using hot air and direct heat source exposure. The blacksmith will stir the iron as it melts, removing any contaminants. After it’s melted completely, the iron will be removed and cooled slightly so that it can be handled.
Once it’s cooled, it can be shaped and formed into what’s known as iron profiles. These profiles can then be welded into tubular frames, and further processed to your personalization preferences.
How Steel Doors are Made
The steel door creation process is similar to the creation process for iron doors. To begin, a blacksmith will melt down the raw steel in a kiln. It can then be cooled and shaped into sheets for further refinement and processing.
Once cooled, experts can take the raw metal and shape it further, using precision cutting tools to form the components of the door, panels, and frames. Once everything has been cut, it can be bent and welded using hydraulic presses and commercial welding kits. From there, the piece can be surface-treated and otherwise personalized. Lastly, the parts will go through final assembly steps and a quality control process.
Iron vs. Steel Doors: The Primary Difference To Know
Iron and steel doors offer very similar benefit profiles, however, there is a critical point of difference: Iron is traditionally used for scrolling and ornate designs, while steel is more often used for modern-minimalist home doors.
While the industry may show partiality for one or the other for specific types of design work, we affirm that both iron and steel doors show the same design and aesthetic potential, and can be molded to suit the unique taste preferences of each homeowner.
Customization then, in this case, ultimately comes down to your choice of vendor and the different styles and designs that they’re able to work with. This is fantastic news for you and means that the sky is your limit — making anything and everything possible across both material types.
We invite you to connect with Clark Hall for support through the visualization, sketching, and manufacturing process for your steel and iron door designs.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Iron and Steel Doors
Ready to start your search for your new door? Our experts have compiled a list of factors that homeowners should consider as they go through the search and evaluation process.
- Personal Preference and Design Interests — Ultimately, you’ll want your iron or steel entry door to reflect your personal choice of design, no matter what that may be. Working with a custom door manufacturer or a design team are typically two of the best ways to ensure that your vision comes through.
- Environmental Considerations — Cold winters, hot summers, and other weather events could be the main difference between a weather-worn door and a like-new door. Considering weather ahead of time will allow your manufacturer time to layer and treat your door for the weather that it will be in, proactively avoiding unnecessary wear and tear. Considering this early will also allow you to prepare to complete proper care steps for your door, keeping it in good working condition for a lifetime.
- Budget Constraints — While this may seem like a bit of a given, considering budget ahead of time can help customers like you to walk away with the best choice across categories. It also enables homeowners to make an informed decision, rather than a rushed one that could be influenced by any external factors.
Care and Maintenance of Iron and Steel Doors
Care and maintenance for your door of choice should be a top concern, both before you buy and after the sale and installation have been completed. Properly caring for your door goes beyond aesthetics and design appeal. Rather, it allows you to preserve your property’s security and the durable material that your door is made from.
While both doors do require ongoing care, iron doors require little maintenance compared to the more intense steel doors. Simply keep them dry, avoid dirty buildup, and keep the door’s hinges oiled. High-quality steel doors require a bit more, such as protective weatherproofing treatments, repainting, and ongoing maintenance to reduce or remove weather-related wear and tear. They also require ongoing cleaning, as buildup can eat away at the paint.
Iron vs. Steel Doors – Which to Choose?
Both steel doors and iron doors offer similar benefits and boundless design potential — so we completely understand if you just can’t choose. Our experts are here to support you as you perfect your vision, working alongside you to bring it to life using the highest-quality and most appropriate materials for your needs.
Ready to get started? Connect with the artists and experts at Clark Hall Doors and Windows today to discuss your options. It’s our pleasure to assist you.
