Fiberglass Doors Don't Sacrifice Style for SubstanceFashion Forward

Michael Rosati sells a wide variety of options for fiberglass doors. Popular choices include nine-panel styles with lites, wood-look finishes, and custom art-glass inserts. But the owner of Columbus, Ohio-based Rosati Windows says one glass design sells particularly well in his hometown: the Ohio State block 'O.'

"We sell just a ton of those," he says.

Of course, not all clients want a door emblazoned with their alma mater's logo, but many are upgrading their entry systems with other features that suit their tastes. And fiberglass door manufacturers are capitalizing on that fact with choices galore.

"We're in the fashion business," says Marcel Chehade, national sales manager for Plastpro. "One of the things we get into is making sure we have products that fit all types of styles of décor."

Proven Performance
Many companies are turning their focus to design options because pros and homeowners recognize the performance attributes of fiberglass doors—despite them being more expensive than steel and most standard woods. Wood-look fiberglass doors won't warp, split, or rot like the real thing, and because of their foam core, they're about five to seven times more energy efficient than wood doors, manufacturers say. And while painted smooth fiberglass doors are more expensive than steel units, which have a similar appearance, fiberglass can't be dented on the jobsite.

"Even production builders are using fiberglass instead of steel," says Bill Reinhart, president of APCO Window and Door, a distributor and contractor in Cincinnati. He says one of his big builder clients is installing fiberglass doors across the board, even on homes priced as low as $190,000. "We're still doing some steel doors, but fiberglass is taking more of the market share every year," at a rate of about 5 percent to 10 percent per year among his clientele, he says.

Although studies differ on the exact market share of fiberglass, fiberglass door manufacturers agree that it is the fastest-growing entry door category. Kevin Pine, product marketing manager for doors at Jeld-Wen, predicts fiberglass will take over steel entry doors to become the largest category, citing studies that contend it could happen by 2009 or 2012. "Production builders have been first to adopt it because they can get the same designs for a price that is well worth the lack of callbacks and service issues," he says.

Enhanced Entries
While production builders might limit options to a basic six-panel door and simple art-glass upgrade, many homeowners will pay extra for premium designs if given the choice. "People are picking out nicer, more expensive doors," Reinhart says.

In the Columbus area, for example, a mid-range fiberglass door costs from $1,500 to $1,800 including installation, says dealer Rosati, and with sidelites and glass, the price could go as high as $3,500. But he's seen clients spend up to $5,000 or more for a fancy entry.

Many of these consumers are purchasing doors that match the style of their homes. "We're seeing increased demand for 'other' designs," beyond the traditional six-panel, four-panel, and flush doors, says Dale Mayfield, vice president of marketing at Masonite. Fiberglass doors now offer many more panel configurations, so homeowners are choosing two-panel square or eight-panel parliament styles, he adds. "Having door products that can sync up with the architectural look of the home is much more important today," he says.