Front door shopping.

[dlundblad]

We are giving our house a facelift and adding a covered ~450 square foot porch and want a new front door. We like the wood grain look. There’s fiberglass and steel. Any pros and cons to either or?

Me not knowing anything, I prefer an unfinished fiberglass that I can stain to our liking when our porch is completed. It’s my understanding steel can only be painted.

We like the style on the left.

 

[GON]

Composite frame is an absolute must. Fiberglass crushes steel, as steel rusts and dents. The extra $$$ for composite frame, and fiberglass will quickly pay off.

This is a wood door frame in the desert all rotted. In a humid climate, this frame wood frame will rot even quicker. Note that Home Depot vendors have to be super competitive to sell their products of this nature at Home Depot..this is achieved by using the lowest cost materials. Can't recommend enough to go with the composite frame and fiberglass door.

 

[KCJeep]

My wife has us hunting for a new front door, she says ours is outdated. I had no idea it was a thing either.

 

[Malo83]

Gonna be painting our front door, big and heavy with a oval glass center.

 

[y_p_w]

Can fiberglass be stained? As far as I can tell, most standard fiberglass entry doors are prepainted in white. My folks had one installed in a rental, and since it was already white they didn't bother repainting it.

 

[GON]

Can fiberglass be stained? As far as I can tell, most standard fiberglass entry doors are prepainted in white. My folks had one installed in a rental, and since it was already white they didn't bother repainting it.

No, fiberglass doors can't be stained. But they can and are often repainted. I suspect only a wood door is a common match for staining.

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

When we bought our home, the 25 year old wood front door frame on the front entryway, not covered, was rotted about a foot up from the brick landing. We went with composite for that reason and got a super deal at Builders Choice. The pricing was much, much better with many additional options not found at the big box retailers (Home Depot, Lowe's, etc).

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

No, fiberglass doors can't be stained. But they can and are often repainted. I suspect only a wood door is a common match for staining.

There is a faux wood stain type of look on the upper end models of composite doors. We went with the base model and painted it.

 

[GON]

There is a faux wood stain on the upper end models. We went with the base model and painted it.

What is "faux wood stain"?

Google states this :Faux means fake, or imitation.
One can get a fiberglass door with wood like grain molded into the fiberglass and use numerous coatings to try and match the look of real wood.

 

[GON]

.

 

[2002 Maxima SE]

What is "faux wood stain"?

Google states this :Faux means fake, or imitation.
One can get a fiberglass door with wood like grain molded into the fiberglass and use numerous coatings to try and match the look of real wood.

Exactly. Either the composite has synthetic grain and/or the paint mimics a stain.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Therma-Tru-Benchmark-Doors-36-in-TTB-FCM-Varissa-3-4-Captured-Oval-Zinc-Caming-Walnut-Right-Hand-Inswing-with-Brickmould-6-9-16-In-Jamb-Depth-Composite/5010175249

 

[oil pan 4]

I just spent about $500 on a nice basic metal impact rated glass at the top front door. Last time I got a similar one with glass window up high was about 10 years ago and want to say it was $360.

 

[97prizm]

We are giving our house a facelift and adding a covered ~450 square foot porch and want a new front door. We like the wood grain look. There’s fiberglass and steel. Any pros and cons to either or?

Me not knowing anything, I prefer an unfinished fiberglass that I can stain to our liking when our porch is completed. It’s my understanding steel can only be painted.

We like the style on the left. View attachment 221152

Would you consider mahogany? My parents went this route years ago and it seems to absorb alot of noise and they will last.

 

[dlundblad]

Would you consider mahogany? My parents went this route years ago and it seems to absorb alot of noise and they will last.

Depends on the price. Lol.

 

[snarl]

Gel stain for fiberglass doors.

 

[dlundblad]

This is my parents front door. I remember it originally came unfinished. (The inside still is.) Dad used some sort of stain to get it to resemble wood. I believe the door is a Thermatru (sp?) brand.

 

[Lubener]

If the door is facing south, I would go with steel.

 

[facility1]

fiberglass doors are nice,steel has some good points also, use either as long as they are insulated,and installed properly ,and to mention a storm/screen door, this will help insulate and get air flow in house,plus added security,but however get a good one if you decide on a screed/storm door.