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.
In the Southwest, arches and elliptical-topped doors are popular, for instance, because they complement Spanish-style homes, says Plastpro's Chehade.
The advent of Craftsman-style doors from several manufacturers is one reason some clients switched to fiberglass, says dealer Reinhart. In the past, Craftsman-style doors were "a problem area where we had to use wood," he says, because fiberglass door manufacturers did not offer Craftsman styles.
Custom Design
Homeowners can further spruce up their grand entrances with grain, color, and accessories. Once only available in oak-grain or smooth styles, modern wood-look doors now imitate even fine grains like mahogany. As many pros know, fiberglass doors can be difficult to stain, but several manufacturers recently introduced factory stain options—and the 15 percent price premium is worth it, Reinhart says.
Design-savvy clients continue to crave fiberglass doors with beautiful glass lites, so manufacturers are offering decorative caming in finishes like brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, and wrought iron. Also available are accessories including dentil shelves, popular on Craftsman-style doors, or clavos and straps for an Old World feel.
Fiberglass door makers say consumers can expect better performance, such as impact-rated products, and even more design choices as manufacturers aim to surpass steel on the entryway. And, like fashion designers, they'll continue to introduce new styles that might look perfect on your next project. -- BUILDING PRODUCTS
A fiberglass door panel eliminates a lot of homeowner maintenance. But if you're not installing a low-maintenance door frame as well, you're only reducing—instead of virtually eliminating—maintenance issues for your clients. "Why have a primed wood frame on the door that you'd have to paint and maintain?" asks Jeff Kibler, Peachtree brand manager.
To address that problem, some manufacturers offer low-maintenance, composite frame packages that resist moisture and rot. The part of the door most susceptible to wicking moisture and rot is the door frame legs, which often go straight into the concrete, says Masonite's Dale Mayfield. "To have that part being a composite is probably the most critical part of the door," he says.
Using aluminum cladding and a snap-in brickmold for the frame is another way to reduce maintenance. APCO Window and Door's Bill Reinhart says he specs an aluminum-clad jamb on almost every home with a two-story foyer without a porch. It adds about 10 percent to the cost, but otherwise, with no coverage and a wood jamb, "your door jamb's going to rot," he says.
| Masonite. The Belleville fiberglass entry door series is offered with a smooth or textured wood-grain surface. The door includes an ornate, high-definition panel profile. It is compatible with the company's extensive line of specialty glass and is available with traditional and unique panel configurations. Belleville Textured features the manufacturer's new authentic hardwood texture in oak. 800-663-3667. www.masonite.com. |  |
 | Jeld-Wen. The company's Premium fiberglass doors with Pur-fiber technology incorporate long-fiber injection (LFI) technology with polyurethane, which the manufacturer says is a new resin for fiberglass doors; most others use polyester, it says. The LFI technology makes the door stronger and adds more structural integrity, allowing for higher design pressure ratings, the maker adds. The doors are available in 30 styles plus sidelites. 800-877-9482. www.jeld-wen.com. |
| Milgard. The Mahogany collection combines the rich look of exotic hardwood with the durability and energy efficiency of fiberglass, according to the manufacturer. Offered in eight styles in cherry and chocolate finishes, the doors have textured wood-grain detailing that is carried through to the door's edges, providing an authentic, natural look, the maker says. 800-645-4273. www.milgard.com. |  |
 | Kolbe. The manufacturer offers a wide variety of fiberglass entry doors with a wood-grain or smooth-skin appearance. The doors can be finished with an extensive color selection or a custom color. Wood-grain doors can be finished in five different stains. Panel styles vary from a traditional six-panel to a modern Craftsman, with many options in between. 800-955-8177. www.kolbe-kolbe.com |
| Taylor. Timberline CE doors are offered in smooth (pictured) or wood-grain styles. Full-length composite stiles provide complete waterproofing for the door's insulation, and high-strength engineered composite top and bottom rails prevent moisture from seeping into the door, the maker says. Wood-grain doors come with a limited lifetime warranty, and smooth doors come with a limited 25-year warranty. 800-248-3600. www.taylordoor.com. |  |
 | Fibertec. The manufacturer's 200 series fiberglass entrance doors are Energy Star-certified, with a solid polyurethane core that provides insulating properties six times better than wood, according to the firm. Door skins are made of high-impact compression-molded fiberglass. Panel embossment provides an authentic wood look that can be painted or stained, the maker adds. 888-232-4956. www.fibertec.com. |
| ProVia. The manufacturer, which changed its name from Precision Entry in January, offers the Heritage fiberglass entry door with a variable-depth wood-grain texture and high-definition panel profiles. The doors also include true square-edge design, internal blocking at the lock area, a rot-resistant bottom rail, and heavy-duty ball-bearing hinges. The doors are available with a variety of sidelites and transoms. 800-669-4711. www.proviadoor.com. |  |
 | Plastpro. A new line of fiberglass entry doors includes built-in mini-blinds. Sealed between tempered glass, the pre-installed mini-blinds can be tilted as well as raised completely up or down to provide as much or as little light and privacy as the user desires. The entry doors are available in a variety of sizes, and in paintable smooth-skin or stainable oak-grain finishes. 800-779-0561. www.plastproinc.com. |
| Paragon. The manufacturer's fiberglass entry doors include Hydroshield technology, which consists of high-impact skins, full-length composite stiles, and composite top and bottom rails to protect doors against water infiltration on all sides and to prevent water damage such as warping, delamination, corrosion, rotting, and the buildup of mold and mildew, according to the manufacturer. 800-781-2100. www.paragondoor.com. |  |
 | Peachtree. The manufacturer's new fiberglass entry door collections—Mahogany, Rustic, and Oak & Smooth—offer a wide range of styles. Each system is available with the maker's continuous head, sill, and frame system and a choice of finishes for the door panel and the exterior frame. A textured fiberglass door from the Oak collection with Symphony decorative glass is pictured. 800-732-2499. www.peachtreedoor.com. |
| Therma-Tru. Five new decorative glass designs include Camino, Augustine, and Bella for the company's Classic-Craft product line, and Blackstone and Salinas for the Fiber-Classic and Smooth-Star lines. The manufacturer also expanded its Sedona and Wellesley decorative glass options to include its Fiber-Classic door line. Bella (pictured) is a graceful, European-inspired design with delicate accents, the maker says. 800-537-8827. www.thermatru.com. |  |
 | Pella. The Francesca decorative glass collection includes rich copper caming and is available on the company's Mahogany fiberglass entry doors, adding stylish detail and ease of maintenance to a traditional Old World look, according to the manufacturer. Craftsman-style and rustic fiberglass entry doors also are available. Decorative accents, such as clavos or a speakeasy grille on a rustic style door, are optional. 888-847-3552. www.pella.com. |