Your Front Door: Wood or Fibreglass?

Your front door is where you welcome people, it’s a first impression, and it can say a lot about your personality.

Aside from personalization (colour, design, window lites, etc.) a front door serves many important purposes. Your front door provides security, privacy, insulation, and is a strong design feature for your home.

Homeowners are faced with many considerations when deciding on a new front door. One of the top decisions to be made is whether to get a wood door, or a fibreglass door. In order to save you time and effort, Bavarian Window Works has examined these two popular options to provide you with the following comparison.

Consider Your Door Location

Every home is different, but there are certain considerations that can influence your door selection, including:

• Where is your door located?
  • Is your front door on the front of your house or is off to one side?
• Is your door raised up from the ground?
  • Is it at ground level, or up a series of steps?

• Is your door protected?
  • Is it covered by a porch or an overhang?

• What sort of climate will your door face?
  • Do you live near water? Does your weather have large temperature fluctuations? Will the door be in direct sun?
• Are you looking to enhance your entryway or keep it the same?
  • Do you want to increase light by adding sidelites or a transom?

The answers to these questions will help you decide which door will be best for your particular location.

Wood Doors

Wood doors are a popular choice among homeowners. Offering a great look, and a warm appearance, wood doors are custom built in all shapes, sizes, and colours.

You can still purchase a traditional, solid wood door; but wood doors don’t have to be thick pieces of solid wood. Wood doors are now typically built with a core of engineered wood and glue to avoid bowing and warping — this means the wood you see is on the outside is generally a veneer. This doesn’t mean that the door is poor quality. In fact it’s the opposite, because with the core and veneer your wood door will wear much better, and for longer.

Pros of choosing a wood door:

• Great choice for older homes where custom sizes are required
• Offer great flexibility in design- colour, finish, panels, number of windows, etc.
• Easily updated with a coat of paint or stain (and scratches can be repaired)
• Wood provides a warm and rich look

Cons of choosing a wood door:

• The elements (rain, wind, sun) will take a toll on the wood
• May require painting or staining or touch-ups every few years
• Insulation value (R-value) is not as high as other options
• Requires appropriate height on the sill to avoid snow/rain from causing rot
• More expensive than fibreglass

Fibreglass Doors

Fibreglass doors are are an increasingly popular choice among homeowners because they are tough and typically maintenance-free. These doors are generally constructed with a solid beam of engineered wood on the inside to create weight and stability, similar to a wood door. Fibreglass doors are also highly engineered and can offer the look of a real wood door by using a woodgrain finish.

Pros of choosing a fibreglass door:

• Engineered to withstand the elements
• Require virtually no maintenance
• Offer greater insulation (R-value) up to 4x that of wood
• Highly durable for long-term enjoyment
• Less expensive than wood

Cons of choosing a fibreglass door:

• Hard, if not impossible, to custom size
• More costly than a steel door

There are lots of considerations and many brands on the market. At Bavarian, we carry a wide selection of wood and fibreglass options including Thermatru, Lepage, Marvin, and Ostaco.

Check us out online, and visit us in store, at Bavarian Window Works . Our expert staff will help you find the perfect door for your home.