Fiberglass vs Steel Entry Doors - What Is The Right Choice For Your Home?

Whether your door has seen better days and has you thinking about a new entry door installation on your Cleveland home, or you’re simply trying to boost curb appeal, a new entry door is a great first step to beautifying your home’s exterior. But when you start looking into options, you could easily be overwhelmed with the various materials and their respective pros and cons. While we can’t get into all the possible door options you might encounter, here we’ll work through the reasons why a fiberglass or steel entry door may work better for your home. 

Fiberglass vs Steel Entry Doors   

More often than not, homeowners aren’t looking for the maintenance and long-term care that a wooden door requires. Through the process of elimination they often narrow their options down to either a new fiberglass or steel entry door installation. But before we can get into what makes either type best for a given situation, we need to define some terms.

Fiberglass: Crafted using molten glass and reinforcing polymers. The resulting substance is then compression-molded into the shape and dimensions of your door and fitted around a polyurethane or a polystyrene core.

Steel: The outer shell of steel is created using melted iron through a process called smelting. The steel skin of the door can range anywhere from 16 to 26 gauge in thickness, and surrounds a polyurethane or a polystyrene core that acts as a thermal barrier.

Both materials are durable, but they will require some care to stay looking their best. That said, steel entry doors tend to be able to put up with a bit more rigorous use than fiberglass. On the other hand, fiberglass doors are often more energy efficient than steel doors, as they are very resistant to damage from weather-related causes. Both styles of doors allow for easy entry door replacement and installation. Whichever type of entry door you choose, a professional Cleveland home improvement team will ensure that it’s hung properly and installed correctly.

So, which type of entry door is best for your home? Fiberglass or steel? The answer is, as with so many decisions in life, it depends.

Consider Your Unique Circumstances

Whether a steel or fiberglass entry door installation is best for your Cleveland home is a determination that has to take your needs and non-negotiables into account. Ask yourself the following questions when trying to decide on the best style of door:

• Is my entry door in direct sunlight?
• Does wind generally come from the direction of my entry door?
• Is the weather in my area harsh and prone to extremes?
• Do I have an existing storm door?
• Do I have home security concerns?
• Is cost a major factor?
• Do I prefer the ability to customize a new entry door?

Questions like these will help you determine your most important considerations when selecting a new entry door. If you’re thinking about winterizing your home, both steel and fiberglass are good options to conserve energy when it comes to heating your home during the cold season.

Why You Might Choose a Fiberglass Entry Door

If you like to customize every purchase for your home, then your entry door should be customizable too. Fiberglass entry doors can be molded to create countless different finishes, textures, and designs. You can choose from a variety of colors, as well, to ensure that every shade on your home’s exterior is in harmony.

Another reason you may want to pick a fiberglass entry door is to minimize maintenance. Fiberglass doors are highly resistant to scratching, denting, and expanding due to moisture and heat. Fiberglass cannot corrode or rust, and is also strong enough to put up with everyday impact, wear and tear. 

Another tick in the fiberglass column is fiberglass’ resistance to thermal transfer. Thanks to its superior insulative properties, any heat loss or gain is minimized, helping to improve indoor climate control and cut down on energy costs. Fiberglass doors are also resistant to insects, fire, and won’t warp, rot, or shrink. If you'd like to have a door that looks great from day one and stays that way for years to come, fiberglass may be your best bet.

Why a Steel Entry Door Might Be Best

Steel doors are classic for a reason: they offer elegance paired with heightened security. A thick-gauge steel skin makes it very difficult for intruders to easily broach an entry door. This innate strength can also protect a home’s interior from extreme outdoor temperatures. Steel is also fire resistant and so easy to maintain. Paint goes on effortlessly, allowing a homeowner to quickly change the color scheme of a porch or entryway. Steel doors may not be able to mimic real wood grain as well as a fiberglass entry door, but what they lack in customizability they make up for in their affordability and versatility, blending seamlessly with many styles of homes.

As long as a steel door is properly maintained, and care is taken not to excessively scratch or dent its surface, it can outlive a fiberglass door. Corrosion-resistant coatings help to prevent rust and other weather-related damage. On top of all these perks, steel doors are also typically lower in cost than most fiberglass entry doors.

When It’s Time for Door Replacement, Call the Cleveland Home Improvement Experts

Whether you like the customizability of fiberglass or the enhanced security of steel, when it comes time for a new entry door installation, you’ll want to work with a certified professional. Cleveland’s own Fairview Home Improvement is here to help. We offer high-quality Polaris® fiberglass and steel entry doors to suit every taste. Countless options are available to make your new entry door one-of-a-kind, truly unique to your home. Contact us today to learn more about our storm and entry doors–get started on your next home improvement project!