Style with Energy and Cost Savings Fibreglass Doors Often Indistinguishable from Wood
October, 2007

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By Bruce Boyers

Wooden external doors require regular maintenance, especially in climates with extremes of heat, cold or precipitation. Temperature variations cause swelling and shrinking that can affect the way they open and close. Typically, wooden doors are not well insulated. Nor are they cheap.

Depending on conditions, a wooden door may need to be replaced in as little as five years, whereas a fibreglass door systems can last 40 years or longer. Appearance-wise, fibreglass doors are nearly indistinguishable from wooden counterparts, and they will accept a stain of any colour.

"A fibreglass door system provides real insulation, does not expand or contract from the heat and cold, requires no maintenance, and costs half to two-thirds the price of a wooden door," says Len Martindale, owner and general manager of Martindale Window and Door.

Traditional wooden doors must have gaps at top and bottom to allow them to expand and contract. If a wooden door is fitted tightly to the weather stripping, it will be hard to operate in various temperature extremes or in severe dampness. Hence, air enters through gaps in the top and bottom of the door.

The fibreglass models provide and energy saving alternative. When the door is locked, a roller bearing presses the door tighter to the weather stripping at the top and bottom, sealing it.
Fiberglass door systems are secure. When the deadbolt is thrown, latches are deployed not only in the centre, but at the top and bottom of the door as well.

Previously, frame and panel systems in fibreglass doors were somewhat weak. Newer doors, however, are reinforced with laminated strand lumber (LSL) as well as a composite edge. As a result, the door remains straight where older fibreglass models and wood would not hold up. In addition to the sturdier construction, the doors are hung with steel ball-bearing hinges, making the complete package very strong.

New fibreglass systems come pre-hung, so they are as easy to install than their wooden counterparts. Previously, fibreglass doors were often matched to a wooden frame, but newer models are now hung from a fiberglass frame, providing stylistic harmony. Frames can be stained to match the door, and, like the door, the frame is maintenance-free.

Due to the price competitiveness of fiberglass, models with added elements such as window panels are now more in reach for the average consumer. Wooden doors with similar features are typically much more expensive.

Fiberglass systems have also eliminated the need for double-doors for expansive entries. Wood, because it can expand, contract and especially warp, would not support a very wide single door. Since fibreglass systems are so stable, a 42-inch-wide, 8-foot-high with true divided sidelights can create a grand entrance.

"Finer door systems are now within reach for everyone, " Martindale says. A longer lifespan also contributes to overall cost savings.