So I'd like to replace them. My question is, which would you recommend for replacement? I've seen steel and fiberglass doors in Home Depot and Lowes, often under $300. Are these worth it? And which would you recommend - a steel door, which I would think wouldn't be too energy efficient, or a fiberglass door?

Any help is appreciated.

If you decide to go with them anyway, make sure you get it with a new construction frame, threshold etc. Then pray they assign you the "good" installer.

I'm on a very limited budget, having to also replace many of my windows (same problems - warping, drafty, cracked glass, broken). Would you buy one GOOD door (wood, fiberglass or steel), or would you just buy a HD special and at least have something better than you already had? Also - would you also invest in a good storm door as well?

Just trying to prioritize things... any advice is much appreciated.

I'd also watch the installer like a hawk. Make sure he gets the door square and plumb and uses lots of insulation. Make sure they include capping the trim with coil as part of the job. Insist they use Quad caulk, too.

While there are some good sub-contracted installers working for HD, it's very hit and miss whether you'll be "assigned" a good one. If you have a problem with the install, you must be relentless with your demands that they fix it.

Good luck.

I'm just very partial to Precision Doors. They are the best out there IMO.

If you had to pick a second and maybe third manufacturer of fiberglass doors (less expensive), who would it be?

Lowes on the other hand puts food on my table. The installation program here is run well and we get paid well for what we do. Since I deal with Lowes daily I can offer a fair opinion on their products. Their off the shelf steel and nominal sized doors carry the Reliabilt name on them. The doors are made to Lowes standards by Jeldwen and then stamped with the Reliabilt sticker and information tag. The Reliabilt name is just a fictitious name Lowes uses to tag their own line of doors. Jeldwen also makes the upper end fiberglass doors you see with the higher price tags. They also carry the Therma-Tru brand which is usually provided by a local supplier used in each region. These are two manufacturers that sell a lot of doors and receive great respect around the nation.

The glass used in the doors is really the same across the industry. The "Lite-Kits" or window frames used with the glass can differ from one to the other. Each manufacturer uses different suppliers for their glass products. It just depends on where they buy it from. Over the past 25 years these kits have made some huge changes in what they're made with. The old style kits had serious issues with heat and direct sunlight. The major issues were related to heat build up between the entry door and the storm door. If both doors were closed and latched without any venting capabilities, the kit would literally melt from the heat. We would test the heat range between the doors back in the late 70's and early 80's to see how bad it would get. During the Summer months we would test a house with a southern exposure and dark colored paint. The temperature would reach anywhere from 125 to 150 degrees. This kind of heat would melt the kit and also delaminate the door. Delamination is the breakdown of the bonding of the door skin and the insulation. Ounce this occurs the door is junk and needs replacement.

Todays foamed in place doors and more durable kit material have eliminated a lot of these issues. The heat build up between doors is still a big issue and can cause all kinds of problems. It's very important to keep your storm screen open at least three inches at the top in order to vent the heat build up. There are some door manufacturers out there that will void your warranty if you install a storm door on their entry system. Make sure you check this out when purchasing a new door.

In most cases you can get a good door for a great value if it's a door you can buy off the shelf. This value is based off the abundance of doors they buy from their manufacturer. This price is only for certain models they carry in the stores. If you want anything different than what's on the floor, get out the checkbook. You'll pay more for anything special ordered.

The last and most important issue is as skydawggy pointed out earlier, installation. Expensive doors are junk if not installed properly. Your rolling the dice when you go through the DIY stores in most areas.

Money pit go with the fiberglass door over the steel door. The steel door can rust away where the fiberglass door won't. It's also much more durable and if stained properly looks exactly like wood. Good Luck!!!

Statistically speaking, nowadays steel doors outsell wood & fiberglass for exterior doors.

Most glass used for steel & fiberglass doors is in the form of a "lite kit" as Guy previously mentioned. Unfortunately, those same lite kits often have the shortest-lived sealants used for sealing an insulating glass unit (single seal PIB). Look for a decent warranty on the glass to hopefully ensure longevity. Twenty years or more non-prorated would be nice.

Most steel and fiberglass doors are prehung in fingerjointed primed wood door frames. Yuck. After a number of years the fingerjoints can start to show if the frame isn't properly maintained. You may wish to consider ordering a clear, non-fingerjointed frame, or better yet a clad door frame to eliminate this variable. It will cost more though ($50-$100).

Oberon or Guy, any observations on the IG seal used on steel & fiberglass doors?

I want people to know that you will NOT get any support from a local company called Classic Openings. The old man was convinced there was something else wrong and was not helpful AT ALL. So I contacted Therma-Tru directly. They sent a professional to check the door and determined that it was indeed a defective door. 8 months later,
Thermo-Tru sends a replacement door -- to Classic Openings. These people calls me up, tell me to take off my old door and go into the store to swap out with the new one. They actually suggested I put up a plastic cover. The original doors that I bought were delivered, however for this replacement I need to do all the work. Doors cost me $2800 total.

Basically just want to let folks know:

1) fiberglass doors can warp
2) therma-tru was somewhat supportive
3) Classic Openings in Irving, TX has NO concept of customer
support. You are on your own.

That's why I like Precision doors. When you look at the Precision parts next to the Therma-Tru, or any other manufacturer, it a no brainer which is the better quality door.

Contrary to what some may think, Precision offers a 20 gauge galvinized steel door with a lifetime warranty that covers everything including rust. Steel ball-bearing hinges, lifetime Schlage hardware or optional Emtek Designer hardware, baked on factory paint and options galore. Precision also offers a very high quality fiberglass door and even a stainable steel door, all with lifetime warranties.

Most of the hardware store doors I've seen are 24-26 gauge. That's a huge difference from 20 gauge. Once you start adding in paint (if that's even an option) basic hardware (included with Precision) there isn't a huge difference in price if you shop around a little.

So why are all these lying manufacturers out their saying these fiberglass doors do not warp? I notice a second set now that does. and if people pay more attention to theirs, I bet there will be alot more people with the same problem.

Precision Entry.

Michael

Amen. I cannot in good conscience recommend another brand to my customers based on experience. Anyone who looks at a Therma-Tru and thinks it's a good quality door, simply hasn't looked at a Precision Door. They aren't cheap but, nobody I'm aware of can match them for quality and service. Especially if you buy them from a reputable contractor and get a quality install and good labor warranty. We give 10 years on the install and very rarely have to make a service call.

It's the ONLY entry door we show and or sell.

Michael

Unfortunately the buttons are not made by the glass trim manufacturer. It's as close as possible in the world of manufacturing differences.

I'm glad you enjoy the doors.

Michael

Seems clear to me. Standard door warranty that i have seen a thousand times over.

We had a Menard's Mastercraft fiberglass door with two sidelights installed several weeks ago. We paid extra to have it pre-finished, plus a continuous brass sill, ball-bearing hinges, and vinyl wrap over the brickmould. The door has a half-lite while the sides have full-lites. Cost of unit was around $2500. We hired an established local builder to install it. The door enters from a porch with a roof extending 8 ft from the door wall.

All has seemed fine, until today. It is a sunny day in frosty Michigan. I've been home all day and have been hearing assorted popping sounds coming from the entry. At one point, they were so frequent that I went to investigate.

I was surprised to see the sunshine beaming through a gap at the top of the door. The bottom was closed tight, but the top was warped inward to the point that it no longer made contact with the weatherstrip! The brisk outside air was spilling through.

From outside, the sun is hitting only the bottom half of the door due the porch roof, and there is a pronounced temperature difference between the warm sunny part, and the cold upper portions.

As the day progresses and the sun is moving away, the door is still popping, but seems to be recovering its shape. From outside I can now see that the gap between the door and the weatherstrip is nearly sealed.

Is this the norm for fiberglass doors? Did we just choose poorly? Ironically, we replaced the original steel door in our 8-year-old house because it was cold and drafty in the winter. (We are the second owners.)

Any advice?

I went into Lowes & HD and the guys there suggested Fibreglass door against Steel - as per them the Fibreglass doors dont dent etc etc and with small kids it will be better than Steel - while the contractor with whom I am likely to work with suggested STEEL only - says stronger and better than Fiberglass

So my Questions:
1 - Fiberglass or Steel
2 - Which Brand is better - Lowes sells MASONITE and HD sells JELD-WEN doors -
3 - This question is directed to Skydawgy and anyone who can guide as to where can I get a PRECISSON DOOR in NEW JERSEY - name of Retailer or website - etc...

THANKS

Use fiberglass.

There is no real advantage to the thin steel.

20 gauge steel door, half glass (emerald style glass, door style 400), sidelights with half glass -- $3400. Also getting a back patio door so that may have helped bring the price down a bit for both. I'm surprised they're telling you $3900 for just a single door and nothing else.

I would also throw Polaris in that group of good door manufacturers.

I want full view glass and the porch is medium-dark stained wood. We use this door all the time because it is one of our main entrances to the house. I have looked at provia and several people have steered me away from anderson and I don't like the handle on that door anyway. I'm asking the supplier to price out a high level Jeld Wen. I see that many people on here don't like Jeld Wen and I get that but are their top line doors OK? Any thoughts? Thanks, John - Arlington VA

I want a wood look exterior (Mahogany) and am wondering how long the finish will last. What should I know to ask the deliver who is installing and finishing the door to make sure I get the longest life out of it. I assume the fiberglass is painted somehow to get the brown wood look?