At the end of the day, I listen to the guys talk about the details of their day – door installations, products, problems and solutions. One detail they discuss quite often are the types of doors that they like to install. So, I thought it would be good to share some of these thoughts with you.

In an informal interview with Chuck Hughes, our CEO and master craftsman, I asked him to share his opinion on the type of entry door he prefers to install.

His reply:

There are basically 3 types of entry doors: wood, metal and fiberglass.

Although there is nothing more beautiful than a wood door – they expand, contract, warp, and their R value is low. Many manufacturer’s include notes on finishes for wood doors, stating that if all 6 sides are not finished within a 48 hr time period, their warrany will be void. A south or west facing door will also become sun damaged regardless of the finish. If a storm door is installed with the wood door, it creates an oven effect that will bake the wood door causing further damage.

My biggest complaint about metal doors is that they dent and scratch easily. Metal doors are now filled with styrofoam so there is minimal heat/cold transfer to the interior of the home. Although the exterior of a metal door, may still be hot or cold to the touch. They also come pre-primed, so you can add the paint coat yourself.

Fiberglass glass doors are dent resistant, resilient like a car bumper. You can buy them with a smooth or simulated wood grain texture. You can order the fiberglass doors in many different colors, or pre-primed so you can paint them yourself. Their R value is comparable to the metal door. This is why I prefer to install fiberglass entry doors for my customers. This door is literally a “0” maintenance door.

For more on R-value and its importance, visit this site: Energy.gov

It’s a brand new day, make it a great one!