Should You Install Entry Doors With Sidelights?

Sidelights and transom windows can effectively frame your front door, giving it a little extra “oomph” and improving your curb appeal. These are long glass panels situated on the sides (for sidelights) or above (for transoms) of the door. While they are not essential to your door’s function, they serve a few practical purposes.

Enhancing the look of your exterior is just one of the many benefits of using doors with sidelights. Here are a few others, as explained by our door and window professionals at Woodbridge Home Solutions.

Daylighting

While patio doors are typically designed to resemble windows with numerous glass panels, front doors offer considerably more privacy. This means they allow very little sunlight to pass through them, which could reduce your daylighting efforts. Sidelights are an effective source of natural light to solid block doors, giving your home adequate illumination without sacrificing privacy and security.

Convenience

The original purpose of sidelights is primarily aesthetic, but they did give homes an unintended benefit. The narrow windows allow you to see visitors even without a peephole. Sidelights designed to extend to the floor level can also give your pets a nice little window that is just the perfect size for them.

Should You Install Sidelights?

Fiberglass and wood exterior doors are the most common doors to feature sidelights in their designs. These doors pair well with traditional and classic styles such as Colonial, Cape Cod, and Georgian homes. Craftsmen and modern contemporary home designs can also use sidelights, but often without the intricate scrollwork and layered trim and molding that traditional styles are known for. The decision to use sidelights depends entirely on your preference. Talk to your exterior door replacement technician about which designs, patterns, and materials will be best for your home.

Explore different sidelight, transom, and door designs with the help of our professionals at Woodbridge Home Solutions. We are one of the top door, siding, and window companies in Amarillo, TX, and nearby locations in Texas. If you’re ready to upgrade the look of your home’s exterior, give us a call today for a free quote.