One of the often-mentioned terms when discussing home improvements is “curb appeal.” Making your home look attractive from the first approach is a priority for many homeowners, and that starts with the front door.
Front doors can span the range of design trends, but among the more popular styles are doors with glass and ones that can be customized to your personal style and needs. There are numerous considerations in choosing front doors with glass, including how much natural light you desire in your home, safety and security features, and being able to include more visual interest.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Glass for Front Doors
There are a variety of types of glass available for your front door, so it’s important to choose one that meets your needs. Some primary areas of consideration could be:
- Security – Choose a glass that will enhance your home security features, such as impact-resistant glass or laminated and tempered glass.
- Privacy – Frosted, tinted, patterned, and textured glass all decrease the visibility into your home giving you greater privacy.
- Energy Efficiency – Double- and triple-glazed glass, as well as low-energy glass coatings, can help keep heating and cooling costs low and your home aligned with sustainable advancements in home design.
- Aesthetics – Choose a design and style that aligns with your home decor and compatibility with home architecture. Types of Glass for Front Doors
When choosing the glass for your front door, there are seemingly endless possibilities. The best type of glass for your home’s front door comes down to efficiency, cost, design, privacy, and safety. We weigh the pros and cons of different glass options to help you make the best choice for your home’s front door.
Clear Glass
If you want a clear, unobstructed, and cost-effective view out of your home, clear glass is the best choice for your front door. It is the most commonly used glass for inlaid glass doors and windows and allows you to easily identify visitors outside your home.
Pros
- Widely available and compatible with many construction materials and colors
- Cheapest of glass inset options
Cons
- May require more frequent replacement
- Offers no additional enhancements to privacy or security
Frosted Glass
If the aspects of clear glass appeal to you but you want more privacy, frosted glass may be a good choice for your home. Frosted glass on your front door is an ideal balance of letting in natural light and enhancing privacy by not allowing in a direct line of sight. The two most common types of frosted glass you’ll find are acid-etched and sandblasted. For a uniform, fully frosted aesthetic, you’ll want to look for sandblasted frosted glass. If you want a smoother, more design-forward option, go with acid-etched glass.
Pros
- Offers enhanced privacy at the door
- Decorative and adds visual interest
- Allows filtered natural light into your home
Cons
- High opacity can reduce visibility in or out
- Allows less light than patterned glass options
Tinted Glass
Tinted glass is a great option if your primary concerns are eco-friendliness and privacy. The tint helps protect your floors, furniture, and skin from harmful UV rays while increasing privacy from outside eyes. Tinted glass is available in a wide variety of opacity and several colors, ranging from warm to cool.
Pros
- Offers UV protection by filtering harmful rays through tint
- Can customize the opacity
- Decreased home heating and cooling costs
Cons
- Tint can scratch easily, requiring replacement
- Allows less light than clear glass option, unless choosing a clear lowE option
Patterned and Textured Glass
Patterned glass is an ideal choice for people looking for maximum natural light in the home while also enhancing privacy. Because the base of the glass is clear with patterns overlaid, you get the best of both light and design. Common designs include patterns like Seedy Baroque and Flemish, which can add an artsy element to the door.
Some types of patterned glass use textures from nature versus an artistic abstract design. Rain glass, also called cascade glass, for example, does not have a design directly overlaid on it. Instead, the construction of the glass and its texture gives it the perma-wet appearance of glass with rain running down it. Other common textured-based glass patterns include fern (also called glue chip), reed, and ribbed glass.
Pros
- Easily hides scratches and imperfections in glass
- Decorative and available in a variety of patterns for different aesthetics
- Allows enhanced, diffused, natural light into your home
Cons
- Can easily trap dirt and grime requiring more cleaning
- More expensive than other decorative glass options
Stained Glass
Stained glass is the most art-forward glass in homes and has a wide range of applications in home design enhancement. With virtually limitless custom designs and colors available, it can be a striking way to add immediate visual interest to your front door. It not only adds privacy to your home but also character. It is a core design feature of homes in both Victorian and mid-century design aesthetics.
Pros
- Widest array of color customizations
- Sustainable option as it can be made from recycled glass
- Art-forward glass great for Victorian or maximalist design homes
Cons
- Allows the least amount of light into your home
- High maintenance
- Can be most expensive decorative glass option if work is custom
Laminated Glass
The bound nature of laminated glass makes it the ideal choice for those whose primary glass concern is security. Laminated glass helps block entry to your home by being difficult to break and remaining intact even when shattered. It also reduces noise transmission, making it great for homes on busy streets.
Pros
- Enhances safety as it remains intact even when shattered
- Reduces noise transmission
- Offers UV protection
Cons
- Must be professionally installed and repairs can be costly
- More expensive than other standard glass options
Tempered Glass
Another safety-conscious glass option for your front door is tempered glass. The heating and cooling of the glass as it is made helps increase its durability, and when broken, it does not reduce to shards but rather dull fragments. It is a widely available type of impact-resistant glass.
Pros
- Can withstand more wear and tear than standard glass
- If broken, designed to break into non-sharp shards, reducing injury
- More durable than decorative glass
Cons
- Limited customization options
- More prone to spontaneous breakage due to tempering process
Leaded Glass
Leaded glass became popular in the mid-20th century when its production became more cost-effective. It remains a good choice for homeowners today because it allows for design style flexibility and enhanced front door privacy. Because leaded glass combines multiple styles of glass held together with metal soldering, also called caming, it is both a durable and beautiful glass design option.
Pros
- Suited for a variety of home design styles
- Available in a variety of patterns and designs
- Allows enhanced natural light into your home
Cons
- Low energy efficiency
- Can be drafty and decrease overall home efficiency
Maintenance and Care for Glass Front Doors
To ensure your glass remains pristine, you’ll need to take extra precautions depending on which glass you’ve chosen. For glass with special laminates, coating, or treatments, be sure to discuss care instructions with your install team as some common household cleaners can degrade it and reduce effectiveness.
To avoid general scratching and damage, avoid keeping pots, planters, or decor directly in front of your glass front door, as wind and general foot traffic may cause contact damage to the glass.
In general, glass front doors are easy to clean and maintain. If you’re looking for some additional assistance in keeping your windows and doors pristine, you can also consider a cleaning and care package.
Choosing the Right Glass for Your Home
With so many options for front doors and glass, it’s important to have an expert guide you through the process. While there are always trending styles of front doors, the most important elements are security, efficiency, and that the design reflects your personal style and taste.
