Steel doors are a staple of most modern homes. Here’s how to use them to make the best possible impact on your design.
Steel front doors and entry doors are classic, timeless, and have limitless aesthetic appeal. Many homeowners have made the upgrade, empowered by the versatile designs and custom options many steel doors offer.
Considering an upgrade? Clark Hall’s design specialists support homeowners through the entire process, from the first sketches of custom door design options to your door’s final installation.
Our experts have compiled this helpful guide to the hottest 2025 front door styles, showing you the exact changes you can consider for a more powerful and poignant design for your space. Read on to learn more.
Pros and Cons of Steel Doors
Pros
Homeowners often aren’t aware of the range of benefits steel doors offer beyond their aesthetic appeal. Here are some of the top little-known benefits that you can expect from your upgrade:
Enhanced Home Security
Steel doors offer a level of security and durability that isn’t often seen with other types of entry doors. They’re one of the strongest metals available, deterring intruders and natural risks alike. For example, many steel doors are heat resistant (and can be fire-rated), offering you extra peace of mind as you work to protect your space. Steel doors and steel frames are also the better option if you live in places where earthquakes occur, as they are both lightweight and incredibly strong.
Increased Energy Efficiency
Steel doors are incredibly energy efficient. Many experts believe they can outperform fiberglass and wood entry door options. The question on many homeowners’ minds is: How?
The key to cutting energy costs with your steel door lies in its construction. Your average steel door is two slabs of steel filled with core material, buffering any heat or cold loss as the seasons change. This benefit alone makes steel doors a popular choice and the best material among homeowners who live in more extreme climates.
Nearly No Maintenance Required
Steel doors are low-maintenance, unlike doors made of other materials (like wood). Solid steel masks wear and tear easily, holding up well even with heavy use.
Most homeowners clean their steel doors just once or twice per year. If you live in more humid conditions, however, you might consider a more rigorous cleaning schedule. If you have questions about your cleaning schedule, it’s best to reach out to your vendor or the door manufacturers, as they may be able to give you tailored advice based on your door type.
Limitless Customization Options
Steel doors offer limitless customization options across style, color, and hardware. For example, solid steel doors can be offset or framed by glass sidelights and transoms for a secondary natural light source. If your home is currently being built, you can also reach out to your design expert to ask about available custom frame options. Even if you have traditional front door ideas, they can often be done with steel over traditional wood.
Cons
As with any home improvement project, installing steel doors has pros and cons. However, the biggest disadvantages of installing steel doors are related to cost and maintenance.
Cost
Steel doors require a higher cost upfront than other types of doors but fewer maintenance costs later on. You might pay several thousand dollars for high-end steel doors, and a custom steel door can start around $10K for a single door or a smaller double door (including the glass, hardware, and installation).
Maintenance
Touch-ups may be needed to cover hairline scratches or other dings on the door that are bound to happen. You’ll also need to regularly clean your steel doors to increase their lifespan and preserve their beauty.
Key Considerations When Buying Steel Doors
Ready to make a change? Here are a few things to consider before you purchase your steel door:
Quality of Steel
The quality of your steel matters, whether you’re looking at a single door, double steel doors, or any other variation. Clark Hall uses 14-gauge steel door panels, widely regarded as one of the best types of steel for doors. This gauge of steel creates a strong outer shell for your exterior door and is commonly found in steel doors used in commercial buildings. It’s a good option for homes facing extreme weather conditions like in Indianapolis or the strong coastal winds of Charleston, as it lends strength to both the door and the frame.
Door Core
The two most common door cores for steel doors are polystyrene and polyurethane. While both provide soundproofing and energy efficiency benefits, polyurethane door cores (which is what Clark Hall uses) are best for those in wetter climates.
Polystyrene doors tend to have air pockets and gaps between the two steel slabs, which can allow moisture buildup over time if the door skin (or slabs) is compromised. For this reason, many favor polyurethane cores.
Finishing Options
Finishing options for your door are unique to your preference and effortlessly boost the curb appeal of your home. You can opt for a burst of color or a neutral hue. Clark Hall offers several custom colors to choose from, including Burnt Copper, Cinnamon, Slate, and more.
Costs
Cost is a key factor in your choice of steel doors, as you’ll want something both high-quality and cost-effective. Clark Hall custom doors range in price depending on the location, size, and level of customization that you choose in your design. Your Clark Hall design specialist can discuss pricing options with you, exploring options that suit your style and budgetary needs.
Top 4 Steel Door Styles for Your Home
Any steel door can be a great option and addition to your home’s design. The safety and noise control benefits are invaluable, providing homeowners with an immediately noticeable difference.
If you’re looking for inspiration, we recommend starting with the top four steel door styles available on the market and tailoring them to your specific design preferences. Many homeowners transform their door styles with modern, traditional, or ornate themes.
Single Iron Doors
Single iron doors are long-lasting doors that offer uncompromised strength and versatility, supporting a range of design styles. Homeowners using this type of iron door for their entryway often complement it with custom-inserted glass or transoms for additional natural light.
Double Iron Doors
Double iron doors are one of the best steel doors for your home, offering a touch of modernity and a wider entry point to your home. Double iron doors can be accentuated with textured glass windows, custom hardware, or ornate wrought iron scrollwork like single iron doors.
French Iron Doors
French iron doors are meant to be a focal point of your living space. They seamlessly connect the exterior to the interior, giving you near–limitless views of your space. Many homeowners who live in small- and mid-size homes enjoy the spacious illusion that these types of doors create, but they are suitable for all types and sizes of living spaces.
Pivot Iron Doors
Pivot doors are a fantastic statement piece, functioning a bit differently than your average door. These doors swing on a pivot hinge, with both planes of the door extending inside and outside when the door is used. As a result, they effortlessly open your space and extend your entryway, which is ideal for homeowners looking to offer more vertical or horizontal space.
If you’re feeling inspired by the idea of a pivot door, be sure to check out our pivot front door ideas.
How Steel Doors Compare
Knowing the benefits and downsides, you may be wondering about comparisons across the different styles. For instance, how do things stack up with iron vs. steel doors? Luckily, the comparisons between door materials are fairly straightforward.
Although they are both metal-based, iron doors require less maintenance and may be cheaper than steel doors. However, steel doors are more durable, energy-efficient, and offer more security as they’re harder to break into.
Meanwhile, fiberglass doors often have more design options and require less maintenance than steel doors. But steel doors are much more durable, secure, and cost-effective than fiberglass.
Lastly, there’s the traditional wood door. Other than wood doors being cheaper, steel doors far outweigh wood in all other major categories. Steel is more durable, much more secure, requires less maintenance, and offers better insulation than wood.
Steel Door Installation
Once you have your steel door designed, installation is usually a breeze. As long as the weather is good, our professional in-house installation team should take just a few hours to install your new door.
Having professionals take care of the installation is the best way to go. The major benefit of utilizing professional installation from Clark Hall, especially for your custom door, is that it will be done right — and quickly. Contact us when you’re ready to make your entryway pop!
Why Choose Clark Hall?
Clark Hall is the leading provider of custom steel entry doors. From the first call to Clark Hall, our in-house team works with you through every phase of the design and execution process, offering white-glove experience and industry-expert support as you work to perfect your space.
After you design your door with our specialists, you can finalize your hardware, finishes, silhouettes, and windows on a completely custom basis. Once you’ve finalized your design, our in-house install team will arrive to bring your vision to life. After installation, you can enjoy your upgrade for years to come — as well as the peace of mind that you’re covered by one of the best warranties in the industry.
Considering designing your own? Clark Hall’s experts are here for you. We understand how valuable your custom iron doors can be to your property and are here to support you through every stage of the design and execution. Connect with us today to work with an expert and start your home improvement process. It’s our pleasure to serve you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which grade of steel is best for a door?
There are many different “levels” or classes of steel doors. Many homeowners believe that Level 2 or Level 3 doors, which are considered “heavy duty” and “extra heavy duty,” are the best options for the home. Level 1 (or standard duty) doors are a strong choice for doors in the interior space, as they generally won’t be exposed to the same wear and tear that they might otherwise be in outdoor-facing arrangements.
Feel like you need something more? You might also consider Level 4 (maximum duty) doors if you live in an area with more severe climates. What are the potential disadvantages of a steel door?
What is the best exterior door for a house?
Steel doors are generally the best exterior door option for most, offering energy-saving benefits and a weather-resistant option that suits most climates.
What is the best exterior door for a house?
Steel doors are generally the best option for most people — and for good reason. They are extremely customizable and secure. In fact, steel doors are the most secure door type. Since they are extremely difficult to break into, they are the clear winner for residential front doors.