# replacing a front door (& jamb?)



## Wuzzat? (Jan 22, 2010)

A south facing front door with a storm door pretty well bakes the door's finish, and the fit changes with rainy weather.
I'd like to replace this wood door with other than wood, but how workable are steel and fiberglass?
Any comments are welcome.


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## GregC (Jan 24, 2010)

Hello, Steel and or fiberglass are the way to go these days. Fiberglass is more expensive, they were originally designed for east/west coast area. Salt in the air would rust steel doors. Wood doors in cold or hot climate expand and contract too much. Depends on where you live, both steel and fiberglass are fine. All paint-able, Most stain-able and if done properly you can make a fiberglass door look like wood. I guess it all depends on what you are looking for. I live in WI and I have install hundred of steel or fiberglass doors. In the past 15 years I have not had any major or serious problems with any of my customers and their doors. Attached is a before/after of a wood to fiberglass replacement. Hope this helps. GregC


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 24, 2010)

GregC said:


> Depends on where you live, both steel and fiberglass are fine. All paint-able, Most stain-able and if done properly you can make a fiberglass door look like wood.


Thanks.  
How best to trim steel/fiberglass doors to fit an existing opening 
and how best to mount lock h/w and hinges?


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## GregC (Jan 24, 2010)

Hello,
It is best to purchase a complete "pre-hung" door system. This is the "slab"(door panel) already attached to the frame. It take a little more time and effort to change the whole door & frame but it will provide you with the best over all job & performance. It is hard to find a "slab" and to get it to fit just right to an existing frame. A whole new "pre-hung" door with fit proper, and you can get the already predrilled for all hardware. Remove all interior trim, exterior trim or brick molding , remove whole door frame with door and install new. Re-insulate, install new trim inside and out and you are good to go!  Hope this helps.  GregC


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 24, 2010)

GregC said:


> It is best to purchase a complete "pre-hung" door system.


Yes, I may go that way [when the weather lightens up].
How many kilobucks am I reasonably lookin' at, for a conventional six-panel door?  
Thanks.


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## GregC (Jan 24, 2010)

Hello, Well, you can actually pick one up at Menard's, Lowe's Home depot relatively cheap. A standard 3'-0" steel fro about $150-200, If you choose a Fiberglas, plan on about $500 and up. If you are looking to have a "Wood Style" appearance, fiberglass is the way to go. You can get them wood grain finish, then you can stain or paint to your liking. Steel doors, only really look best if painted. The Gel Staining on a steel door, no matter how good you do it, still looks so fake and ugly. Trust me I have spent the last decade staining/painting windows and doors and I could show you some awesome photos of what i have done.  GregC


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## GregC (Jan 24, 2010)

Hello Again, Now, of course if you have too much money to spend like this customer of mine, you can spring for a $6500 Pella Steel Door with sidelights and transom above. This was unbelievable what they spent on a door.
Beautiful door, The Best in quality, but still overpriced! GregC


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 24, 2010)

My door has sidelites that go partway down.  I'd like to keep them but that may not be possible.

I think what I'll do is cruise the neighborhood [which has a dozen or so houses similar to mine, all built around '64] and see what the neighbors have done so far as upgrading and replacing.  

If I can find a few that look reasonable to my better half I can ask about what material and problems/benefits.  I guess if the heat loss is minimal I can do away with the storm door.

We did get patio doors installed [french doors by Anderson].  The installers used the installation instructions for a hand towel and there were h/w problems.  And, of course, the removable grill pops out when it feels like it.


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## GregC (Jan 26, 2010)

Hello, If you have an entry system (door & sidelites) remove and replace the whole thing. You are much better off.(these are called 1/2 lites or 3/4 lites) This is a 3 piece system, attached together to make one.(door plus 2 side lites)
 You can buy these anywhere, Menard, Home Depot, Lowe's etc. yes this can add up a bit in cost, but it is so much easier and will last much longer. hope this helps.  GregC


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## Wuzzat? (Jan 26, 2010)

GregC said:


> remove and replace the whole thing. You are much better off.(these are called 1/2 lites or 3/4 lites) This is a 3 piece system, attached together to make one.(door plus 2 side lites)


Yes, this is definitely a late spring - summer project.


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## GregC (Jan 26, 2010)

Hope this helped. But really, it would be the proper way of replacing it. I have seen others try to fix or repair and it ends up doing all over again. It S*cks i know, but I think you will be happy after doing it all.  Good Luck, GregC


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## cerebalp (Feb 2, 2010)

When you go to buy a new door, make sure it has a composite sill, an adjustable threshold, and I would suggest steel over fiberglass because it is more efficient. Most steel doors come with a magnetic weatherstripping which makes it seal tighter. Also there is more insulation inside of a steel door since the steel skin is thinner than the fiberglass skin. I would also make sure it has a polyurethane instead of polystyrene. Since the polyurethane is more dense and fills the whole core your door will be more efficient and less prone to rust caused by condensation. Plus if you do it this year you can get a tax credit on most entry doors which is 30% of the cost of the door. The only upside to fiberglass is it dent resistant and won't rust.


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## Doorguy4ya (Feb 10, 2010)

Try www.nationaldiscountdoor.com

they have lots of good deals on steel clad pre hung doors. Lowes and Home Depot can also special order just about any type of sidelite set up you wish. 

also, since you are in a very cold climate state I would reccommend a good storm door to keep the sun light and the extreme cold out. Youre RO (Rough Opening) is all you need to take with when ordering a new door. 

Go with decent hardware/locksets that have finishes for holding up to cold weather, such as Hickory Hardware or Schlage.


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