Not All Doors Are Created Equal

Doors are built in different grades with different price points. Here are some facts to keep in mind as you shop for doors:

• WOOD DOORS
  Wood doors come in two basic grades, expensive and inexpensive. Expensive doors will look expensive, are made usually of oak or mahogany or alder, or maybe even pine or cherry. Inexpensive doors are usually made of fir, birch, some processed pine or a foreign species you never heard of before.
  Expensive doors will cost thousands; inexpensive wood doors will cost hundreds. Wood doors of any species or cost will require more maintenance and upkeep than comparable steel or fiberglass doors. However, if you choose to have a door with a stained finish, wood is still the best option you have.
• STEEL DOORS
  Steel doors were popular for many years due to their low cost. Most people assume steel doors are more secure, when in fact, they are less secure than wood or fiberglass doors. Steel doors should be considered ONLY when price is a real issue. Initial purchase price is the only real advantage steel doors have; in the long run, they are the most expensive to own.
  The reasons for this are multiple. Steel doors conduct heat and cold, which means your house is hotter in the summer, colder in the winter. This drives up energy costs, and in fact, some steel doors with a direct sun exposure may get hot enough to cause skin burns! Steel doors also get dented easily, making them look old and ugly before their usefulness is up. Steel doors also rust, sometimes from the inside out. When this happens, replacement is imminent.
• FIBERGLASS DOORS
  Fiberglass is generally assumed by the industry to be the best choice for a door material if low maintenance and cost of ownership is important. Fiberglass has the advantage of providing lower energy costs due to the fact they do not conduct heat and cold well. This means the heating and air conditioning stays inside the house where you want it, does not transfer to the outside of the house where you do not want it.
  Fiberglass can be stained or painted. If staining, a textured fiberglass door slab should be specified. If painting, you may select between a textured door slab, and a smooth skin door slab. Should you choose to stain your textured fiberglass door, please consider a professional finisher who is experienced in staining fiberglass. This is not the time to try a do-it-yourself project if it's your first-time staining fiberglass!
  Be aware there are differences in quality of fiberglass door slabs. Some fiberglass doors, such as Johnson, Veemco, Stanley and some others offer fiberglass door slabs with wood around the four outer edges (sides, top and bottom). These doors WILL rot out along the edges, and termites have even been found in some. Always look for a fiberglass door slab, such as PlastPro, which has fiberglass on all six (6) sides of the door slab.
  ​DoorVida is a proud PlastPro vendor. For more information on PlastPro products, visit here: www.plastproinc.com.