A Guide To Door Thresholds: What Are They & How To Choose Them
Door thresholds (also known as door bars) are a necessity for all homes, lending stylish touches as well as adding a range of energy efficiency and safety benefits. Whether you have laminate flooring in your home or it’s carpeted throughout, you can amplify the functionality and aesthetics of your home by adding door thresholds.
However, as they’re such a small detail, it can be easy to forget about them and the difference they can make to your interior design if you choose the right ones. In this guide, we will be taking you through the basics you should know about door thresholds. We’ll cover:
- What is a door bar?
- What is the purpose of a threshold on a door?
- Do I need a door threshold?
- How to choose a door threshold
WHAT IS A DOOR BAR?
Door bars are solid strips of material, usually made from metal or wood, that sit over the gap in your doorway to create a smooth transition from one room of your home to another. They can be used in any doorway, as well as added onto the front-facing edges of wooden steps to mask any unfinished woodwork.
Whether your home’s flooring is fully laminate, carpeted, or a bit of both, you’ll have noticed the little gap where the flooring of two rooms connects in a doorway. This is most noticeable when the two flooring types are different, but it’s almost always unsightly and can pose a trip risk so needs to be covered with an internal door threshold.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A THRESHOLD ON A DOOR?
Door thresholds have a range of purposes, from helping you tie your interior décor together, to levelling out the height difference between floors. Here are just some of the ways in which they’re important.
They add style
Door bars are the perfect finishing touches to add to your home. Whether you choose wooden door thresholds to seamlessly blend in with your laminate flooring, or you add a contrast with metallic ones against your neutral carpets, there are options to suit all tastes.
Here at Stair Rods Direct, we have a wide range of stylish and affordable door thresholds, including minimalist look and posh door thresholds, as well as ones designed specifically to join different types of flooring. These include carpet to carpet, carpet to hard floor and hard floor to hard floor thresholds. Plus, we have matt well thresholds that help frame your doormat and make it look like more of a permanent fixture, as well as end profiles that can easily be stuck to many surfaces, including French window edges.
They level out your flooring
It’s not always possible to get the levels of your flooring to completely match up — especially if you’re using two different types of flooring. If this is something you’re struggling with, correctly placing your door thresholds can make a world of difference and will ensure a smooth transition from room to room.
To ensure you place your thresholds right, you need to fit the carpet, grippers, and underlay properly. So, be sure to check out our guide to fitting door bars, which explains everything step-by-step.
They can improve the energy-efficiency of your home
Door thresholds act as a seal to stop draughts, as well as excessive heat and rainwater from the outdoors coming into your home. Adding door bars means you won’t have to spend as much money heating or cooling your home, making it more energy-efficient overall. Your door thresholds can also be paired with weather-stripping to give complete closure of the gap.
They can prevent pests in the home
Similar to protecting your home from poor weather, door thresholds can conceal any gaps where insects and pests could otherwise enter your home. Usually, people will pair these with a door sweep which will cover the gap between the bottom of the doorway and the threshold to offer even more protection.
DO I NEED A DOOR THRESHOLD?
Most people view door thresholds as a necessity due to the range of benefits they can bring to the style and safety of your home.
It’s likely that any house you buy will already come with door thresholds, but if you are planning to do some home renovation, it’s quite important that you keep these — whether that means preserving your current ones or updating your doorways with new ones. This is because of all the reasons mentioned previously: to improve the energy efficiency of your home, keep pests at bay, and remove trip hazards.
HOW TO CHOOSE A DOOR THRESHOLD
There are so many different door thresholds on the market, and they all have a very different look, as well as their individual pros and cons. So, when you’re shopping for new door thresholds, it’s important that you have an idea of what you’re after. Here are some of the key things you need to consider.
Blend in or stand out?
Before you begin your search, it’s important that you consider what kind of aesthetic you want within your home. If you like to keep things neutral and uniform, it’s best to choose door thresholds that will blend in with your existing flooring. Alternatively, if you want to use them to add detailing, focus on finding ones that will contrast with the colour of your floors, like using dark brass ones against your light carpets.
What colour or finish?
Whether you choose wooden or metallic door thresholds, there are so many different hues available. Adding polished brass thresholds to your doorways can give your home’s interior a luxury finish, while antique styles will add hints of classic detailing for those who prefer a less modern look — our Z door bars are available in both of these finishes, and have been created with a simple and timeless look to ensure they are versatile enough to suit any home.
Whether you’re looking for something to tie your home’s décor together, or you need something practical to exclude draughts, the door thresholds we stock here at Stair Rods Direct will be perfect for you. We have plenty of styles, as well as matching stair rods and brackets, skiffers, and carpet studs, which will help to give your home a cohesive look. We even stock runners that will look fantastic in your hallway or on your staircase.
If you have any questions about fitting our products, be sure to check out the rest of our how to guides to find advice on fitting stair runners, stair rods and clips and easybind. We even have interiors inspiration with our staircase decorating guide and tips on how to brighten a dark hallway. Alternatively, you can contact us via email on [email protected] or by telephone on 0330 113 4909 to speak to our expert team.