If security and durability are your top priorities, a steel door might be your best choice. A steel door is far stronger than either fiberglass or wood. In addition, it won't crack, warp or come apart. Although residential steel doors can be dented, repairs may be made with an auto-body repair kit.
A steel door isn't as industrial as it sounds. Most steel doors have surfaces of heavy-gauge galvanized steel that has been embossed with a wood-grain pattern. Some types are given a wood-fiber coating that allows them to be stained. High-end doors may even have real-wood veneer laminated to their surfaces.
Conventional steel doors are factory primed with a baked-on polyester finish; they generally require periodic repainting. Some are given a vinyl coating for greater weather resistance. All have an inner frame that may be made of wood or--for greater strength--steel. The cavities within the frame are filled with high-density foam insulation. Weather Shield's insulated steel door with hardwood veneer facings has an insulation value of about R-8.
Steel doors are less expensive than fiberglass and wood. As with fiberglass doors, the price can run nearly as high as a wood entry system when you add amenities such as sidelites and high quality hardware. |
