One green building attribute to consider with door selection is durability. In areas subject to extreme weather, repeated exposure to rain, sunlight, and moisture can take a toll on unprotected wood doors, potentially causing problems with warping, increasing up-keep and in some cases decreasing the overall life of the door. To help prevent these problems and prolong the youthful appearance of exterior wood doors, some manufacturers now offer components that can be built into the door to provide additional protection.

For exterior wood doors frequently exposed to rain, a new technology provides improved resistance against moisture absorption in the most susceptible area of the door – the bottom of the door’s stiles. Called UltraBlock technology, this combines a composite block in the bottom of the stiles with a moisture-resistant sealant on both ends of the bottom rail, helping to eliminate rot and reduce buckling, swelling and separation in the bottom rail and lower stile components. Because the composite blocks are finger-jointed in the core of the stiles and covered by veneers, they help prevent water infiltration without changing the outward appearance of the door.

A new option for exterior French doors offers superior moisture and UV protection on the entire outside of the door and the warmth and beauty of natural wood on the side facing into the home. An alternative to an expensive cladded door, WaterBarrier technology incorporates a Medium Density Overlay (MDO) and PVC glazing bead on the exterior side of the door to help keep water out. MDO, typically used for the rigorous applications required by traffic signs and concrete formwork, is manufactured using resin treated fiber, which gives the material an extremely durable and smooth finish, combined with a thermoset acrylic latex primer topcoat. Water Barrier is easy to paint and can withstand continuous exposure to rain, sun, insects and other outdoor hazards.

For more information on options for extending wood door life, see the “Performance Series” page on Simpson Door Company’s Web site: simpsondoor.com.