Front Doors with a Transom

Create a Stunning Entrance with Unique Styles and Designs

A staple of traditional doors, transoms add class and style to any entry door. Compared to a solid facade, an upper transom window creates a more inviting and open appearance on the exterior while adding lots of natural light to the interior.  Upper transoms tend to be fixed today. However, selecting a tilt-only mechanism is a great way to add ventilation in the summer and ensure a nice cross breeze in your home without having to leave the door open. They are available in rectangular and arch shapes with your choice of muntins (glazing bars). Add matching sidelights for a unique and welcoming entrance. 

Advantages of a Front Door with Transom Light

Transoms are not strictly necessary in a functional or structural sense. Yet, they have a long architectural tradition due to their many benefits. These include:

  • Extending great views over doors and windows
  • Adding more natural light to the interior
  • Catching more sunlight throughout the day based on the sun's position, especially as the day gets darker
  • Improving ventilation and creating cross breezes without having to leave the door open
  • Decoration including ornamental glass and muntins

Like any window, a transom can be fitted with custom muntin patterns to match your existing home or decorative glass. If your transom is located high enough in your entryway that no one can see through, you can stick with clear glass unless the added look of ornamental glass is desired.  Whatever your preference, Neuffer can craft a bespoke entry door solution to fit any opening in your home whether in wood, uPVC or an aluminium clad option.

Security and Burglary Prevention

Securing entry doors with an upper transom is not inherently different than any other door or window. Transom windows have the added benefit of being located out of reach and are difficult to access in the first place, in contrast to single or double sidelights. Nevertheless, depending on the size and shape of your transom, you may wish to select additional security measures.

For inoperable transoms, an exterior layer of laminated safety glass will dramatically increase the difficulty of breaking the glass. It consists of two panes with a layer of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) sandwiched between them.

This is the same type of glass used in automobile windshields that remains intact when impacted and produces a spider web like pattern. For operable transoms with a tilt only function, laminated safety glass is also recommended in addition to concealed hinges and multiple locking points. 

Thermal Insulation and Noise Protection

Door transoms are still simply windows that can be configured with all of the same energy saving features as our other products. We offer double glazing as standard though generally recommend triple glazing, particularly in cooler climates. Choosing warm edge spacers between each pane can further boost the overall U-value of the transom as can gas fillings such as argon in between each pane. 

Since front doors nearly always face the street, they bear the brunt of external noise whether from vehicles, passersby or animals. Depending on your home's location, distance to the street and the general density of the area, you may consider selecting at least a basic level of sound protection. Neuffer offers several levels of noise reducing glass as defined by the number of decibels they reduce outside noise. It can be combined with security and energy efficient glass to create the exact combination of features that meets your requirements. 

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