One of the most important and noticed aspects of your home’s façade is the front door. With all of the options available in colors, styles, finishes, and artistic glass inserts, there is almost no limit on how far you can customize the look of your exterior doors. However, when determining what material to use for the door, there are three main materials that are used. Wood, steel, and fiberglass are by far the most common materials for doors and all of them have their own unique characteristics.

Wooden Doors Fiberglass vs Wood DoorWood has a warm, classic look, which is a widely admired trait. People often speak of the “beauty of wood.” Aside from the natural feel and beauty, however, wooden doors have several major drawbacks. Wood doors can be fairly expensive, sometimes significantly more than steel or fiberglass. Additionally, wood is a high maintenance material. It is susceptible to bowing, warping, splitting and rotting, among other things. In order to prevent these problems, wooden doors must periodically be refinished, adding further to its cost. Finally, wood doors are typically less energy efficient than fiberglass doors and less secure than a steel door. Steel Doors

Steel is another material commonly used for doors. Steel doors can vary widely in quality, ranging from a fairly poor quality door that might be purchased at a “big box” store, to a high quality product that is custom made and carries a lifetime warranty. Steel doors are typically less expensive than fiberglass or real wood and are a great selection for people who are simply planning to paint their door a solid color. Because steel is such a strong material, steel doors are a great product for security. New high quality steel doors can also be very energy efficient as a result of an insulating foam core.

Fiberglass Doors

A relatively newer alternative, quality fiberglass doors are highly durable and low maintenance. Unlike wood doors, they will not rot, warp, bow, split, or deteriorate, even without applying a finish. Unlike steel doors, they also will not rust or be easily dented. Energy Star has rated fiberglass doors to be five times as energy efficient as wood.

Another feature that many people appreciate is that fiberglass can also imitate the charm of wood through a wood grain finish. This gives the appearance of a smooth but still natural construction. These doors can be painted or stained in a number of other styles, as well. They can still be customized with glass, and are often less expensive than wood.

Choosing the Right Entry Door

A professional remodeler like Legacy can help you find the right door for your home. Legacy offers many types of doors in a wide range of colors, styles, and finishes. If you would like more information on the ways you can beautify your home with a new entry door system, please visit our website or contact us to schedule a free consultation.