Best Material For Exterior Front Door

Steel followed by fiberglass are the primary materials used for entry doors in the residential market according to the 2015 2016 study of the u s.

Best material for exterior front door.

The number of styles and options leave much to your personal taste but you can narrow down the material choices for exterior doors into four main categories. But there are other options when it comes to the front door and wood is not the most common material. Barring constant exposure to extreme weather a fiberglass door won t require esthetic maintenance for over a decade. But it s the surface material that most affects appearance durability security and price.

Best materials for front doors perhaps the most important decision is what your door is made of. Most combine several materials. Which one is best depends on your specific needs and. A solid core wood veneer door is a less expensive alternative to solid wood.

The newest material for entry doors is fiberglass and it s fast becoming the most popular. We ve found that most entry doors perform well overall. High end wood doors have panels up to 1 3 8 thick compared with just 3 4 thick panels on economy models. And unlike wood fiberglass doesn t rot.

A solid core door is less prone to warping and ups the insulation value of the door. Unlike steel fiberglass isn t prone to rust. Wood doors will require periodic maintenance in the form of repainting or refinishing. As a rule wood doors with intricate moldings thicker and wider stiles and rails and thicker panels are usually the best quality.

A combination of several materials is sometimes used but the three basic material choices for exterior doors are wood steel and fiberglass. Some door materials are more durable and provide more insulation while others stand out for their aesthetic appeal. Like any type of wood door thicker panels stiles and rails are best for strength and durability. For example many fiberglass and steel doors have wood frames.

Market for windows doors and skylights from the american architectural manufacturers association aama. Wood fiberglass steel and glass. But the materials they re made of fiberglass steel and wood each have strengths and weaknesses. Fiberglass is a lightweight strong material that can withstand a lot of tough treatment.

This is a subjective question fiberglass steel and wood are the most common for entry doors but your best option is primarily about your personal preferences.