new front door

[redneck joe]

for the house.

our house was built in 99 but the builder seemed to be stuck in the early 90's and all brass / gold along with green counter tops and golden oak cabinets. All the gold plumbing fixtures and cabinet hardware have been replaced with brushed nickel. The cabinets are still golden oak except one bathroom that we test painted and the rest will be converted this winter we hope. Counterparts replaced wiht pored concrete a few years back, prob going granite when we paint the cabinets (and blow out the wall tot he livingroom. Last gold thing is the front door is oval glass with the gold 'leaded glass' insert.

so the queestion is; fiberglass or steel? It is under a covered porch, on the north side of the house so no direct sun. Going a dark 'express' color. Will have a storm door. Is one better than the other?

 

[hemi rt]

The steel door should outlast the fiberglass one by at least 2 times or more, A lot of fiberglass doors I come across are made with very poor cores that aren't any where near as solid as a steel door.

 

[sphelps]

If you live in a salt environment I would go fiberglass .. Otherwise Steel

 

[bruceb58]

I have a fiberglass door at my home in the mountains. It's an awesome door. Receives direct sun for half of the day. Looks like brand new and it is over 8 years old already. I did find that there are many different quality of doors out there though. Mine looks like a real wood door.

 

[redneck joe]

bruce where you buy yours and brand maybe?

I'm not in TN so no salt and am not planning to outlive the door.

 

[bruceb58]

I will look to see if I still have that info. The door was installed by a door place up in Lake Tahoe.

Sent you a PM

 

[bruceb58]

I found my info.

It's made by plastpro

www.plastproinc.com

This is my exact door:

It wasn't cheap!

 

[bruceb58]

BTW, my house down in los angeles also had golden oak cabinets. I changed my kitchen maple but had a mahogany gel stain applied to some of my golden oak cabinets in other parts of the house. Looks amazing now.

 

[gm280]

I have three steel exit doors with foam cores, and they were installed in 87 and not one bit of rust yet. They are heavy and well insulted. So if comes down to what YOU actually want. JMHO

 

[bruceb58]

My GF has steel doors at her Big Bear house. I hate them. Maybe I just haven't seen attractive versions.

 

[alldodge]

My vote is fiberglass, great door all around, still looks like new after 17 years. Will never do steel again

 

[southkogs]

I put a fiberglass one in a few years ago - a buddy helped me rebuild the entry and framed in the door. Happy with it so far. I replaced the back door with a steel one, so I guess I'm bi-dooral.

 

[redneck joe]

....

 

[redneck joe]

Bruce got it; we're going with a 3/4 lite as we have very little light at the front because facing due north and covered porch and only two other windows. Looks like you have plenty of natural light.


Very similar door as we want, including the glass other than the larger size.

 

[bruceb58]

Yes...we have a lot of light because of the window above and next to the door.

Not sure if there is a dealer near you that carries those doors but they are definitely worth a look. My previous wood door took a real beating because of the weather. Even though it was under a covered area, it still had occasional snow and rain hitting it.

 

[avenger79]

Bruce - that is a very nice looking door. if I were looking again I would have to look at it.

as it is I put in a steel one 9 years ago. Still looks new, but it also still looks like steel.

 

[bruceb58]

Bruce - that is a very nice looking door. if I were looking again I would have to look at it.

as it is I put in a steel one 9 years ago. Still looks new, but it also still looks like steel.

Yeah, I looked at steel doors for all of one minute. Was not going to be an option.