Energy Efficient Entry Doors – Wood Vs Fiberglass

By Todd Fratzel on Doors

Wood Vs Fiberglass – Which Will You Choose?

Wood entry doors make a serious statement about the house you live in. With a world quickly replacing all things wood with plastic it’s hard to imagine a world without beautiful wood entry doors. So given the choice between a wood entry door and one made of fiberglass which would you choose? Before you answer that you might want to read on to learn more about this interesting question.

We’re in the process of beginning construction on a high end home that features exposed timber framing and lots of gorgeous natural building products. During the design process the topic of an entry door has come up on several occasions. More specifically the design calls for a real wood door similar to the one shown in the adjacent photo.

My first question to the owner was; “Do you really want a wood door and would you consider a fiberglass door?” At first the answer was; “But of course I want a real wood door!”

My response to him was a simple question.

“What if I told you that you can have an entry door that looks just like those beautiful wood doors with almost no maintenance and 4 or 5 times more energy efficient made from fiberglass. Would you be interested?”

In my opinion there’s zero reason to buy a real wood door today with the options that are available on fiberglass doors. The photos on this page are from a Therma Tru Rustic Collection™ Fiberglass Door. I’ve used Therma Tru fiberglass doors many times and I’m telling you it’s very difficult to tell these doors from real wood doors even when you’re up close and touching them.

According to Therma Tru fiberglass doors are 5 times more energy efficient than wood doors. Fiberglass doors offer many advantages including; they won’t warp, bow, twist, rot or decay. You can paint them or stain them and create an infinite number of custom finishes. And best of all they are typically cheaper than a high quality wood door of similar design.

Which door will you choose? There’s no question in my book, I’m going to choose a fiberglass door every time over a real wood door. If you’re looking for a new entry door head out to a local door showroom and see all the great products. All major door manufacturers offer these type of doors and I’m sure you’ll find a style that fits your home.

About the author

Todd Fratzel

I'm full time builder for a large construction company in New Hampshire. I run their design-build division that specializes in custom homes, commercial design-build projects and sub-divisions. I'm also a licensed civil and structural engineer with extensive experience in civil and structural design and home construction. My hope is that I can share my experience in the home construction, home improvement and home renovation profession with other builders and home owners. I'm also the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Tool Box Buzz. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, suggestions or you'd like to inquire about advertising on this site.

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