Your front door leaves a huge first impression yet, only 2% of homeowners focus on their entrances when they first move into a property. Instead, they usually turn their attention to the kitchen, bedroom, or bathroom before even considering a front door upgrade.
It’s not just residential properties that could benefit from a front door revamp, either. Businesses could also use a well-designed and inviting entry that reflects the brand’s identity.
So, how do you get that perfect entrance? It all starts with choosing the right material.
In this guide, we’ll discuss the perks and drawbacks of fiberglass, steel, wood, and glass panes to help you pick the best material for front doors. We also have four key factors that you must consider before settling on a material.
Front Door Material Options
Let’s break down your top entry door options one by one.
Fiberglass Front Doors
Fiberglass is a good material for a front door for a number of reasons. It’s weatherproof, easy to maintain (a quick wipe is more than enough for tackling fingerprints and smudges), and energy-efficient.
To build a fiberglass door, a bit of insulating foam is sandwiched between two molded fiberglass skins. For instance, ProVia, one of our manufacturers, uses an energy-efficient polyurethane core that gives the door a U-factor of 0.09 (the lower the value, the better).
Plus, you can now get a realistic wood grain on fiberglass skins. After all, the Nickel Vapor Deposition (NVD) technology used for the best fiberglass entry doors on the market can replicate all the little characteristics of a wood slab.
As a result, your door will be virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. You still won’t have to worry about warping or rotting.
Pros:
- Durable and low-maintenance
- Provides authentic grain texture at an affordable price point
- Comes in a wide range of styles, paint colors, and stains
Cons:
- Can be difficult to install
Best for:
Fiberglass would be ideal for high-traffic entrances. Think schools and businesses.
It’s also a good pick for homeowners who aren’t keen on performing regular maintenance chores (sanding, staining, refinishing, etc.).
Steel Front Doors
Steel doors are secure and durable, especially if they’re one continuous piece of steel. They don’t have to look plain and lifeless. You can get steel doors with a wood-grain texture or embossed skin.
Just keep in mind that not all steel doors are created equal. Some are thicker than others, and you can tell the thickness by the gauge scale. The lowest values indicate a thicker skin.
However, thicker also means heavier, so you might have to compromise here. The 24-gauge (0.02 inches) skin is standard for home entrances. If you go with ProVia’s Legacy lineup, you’ll get 20-gauge steel with 49% more galvannealed steel.
For extra security, Albany steel door systems come with reinforced lockset areas and 90° bends at all the edges.
Pros:
- Foam-filled and energy-efficient
- More robust than fiberglass
- Requires less maintenance compared to traditional wood doors
Cons:
- Won’t rot, but poor finishing could lead to rust after a while
Best for:
Best for businesses and residences with heightened security risks.
Wood Front Doors
Pine, fir, oak, maple, or mahogany—all types of wood exude charm and have a timeless appeal. Add to that the fact that they’re sustainable and work with many architectural styles, and you’ll see why they’re such a popular option in the exterior door market.
That said, wood doors could sag, warp, crack, peel, discolor, and rot when exposed to the elements long enough. You need to find one with durable finishes from the get-go. And even then, the door might need retreatment at some point.
Some homeowners choose to install storm doors over their wood doors to protect them from everyday wear and tear. In that case, it’s wise to go for a storm door with an interchangeable glass/screen panel. This way, you can keep it functional all year long.
Pros:
- Adds a classic feel to the entrance
- Naturally insulates heat
- Easy to customize and repair
Cons:
- Can be expensive (especially if it’s a solid wood piece)
- Requires upkeep
Best for:
A wood entry door would be a good pick if you prefer traditional looks and sustainable materials. It’s also ideal for those who want to maintain the historical integrity of their entrances.
We’d recommend them for entrances that are mostly sheltered from the elements.
Glass-Paned Front Doors
If you’re not a fan of solid doors, glass-paned doors might be a good option to consider. Our manufacturers can shift the fiberglass and steel door configuration around to include several glass panes and/or sidelights.
Clear glass might not be a good fit if you’re concerned with privacy, but you can get decorative or privacy glass instead.
To boost the insulation, look for doors with low-emissivity (Low-E) glass. The glazing surface of Low-E glass has a layer of metal or metallic oxide that’s so thin you can’t see it with your naked eye. But despite being virtually invisible, this layer can cut energy loss by 30–50%
ProVia, for instance, makes the energy-efficiency quad glass system: Two Low-E panes, warm-edge spacers, and an optional decorative core. This system can fit into your fiberglass door or sidelight.
Pros:
- Enhances curb appeal
- Can be customized with decorative and artsy panes to suit your property’s aesthetic
- Brings in natural light
Cons:
- Not as secure as the other door materials
Best for:
It’s a superb choice for homes and businesses that could use more natural light and outdoor views.
What to Consider
Even though they require different levels of maintenance, fiberglass, steel, and wood front doors can easily last a lifetime.
Here are four key factors to consider before you make that sort of commitment:
Installation
The installation process for some door materials can be complex. Even the best fiberglass exterior door can be tricky to install. That’s because the material usually can’t be planed or cut easily.
So, if you want to tackle the installation as a DIY project, you might want to avoid fiberglass.
Budget
Solid wood doors are generally expensive, while engineered wood and steel are more affordable. As for fiberglass, it usually falls in the middle range.
Remember that we offer a few financing options to help you budget for your Chicago-based home improvement project. Plus, most energy-efficient door materials will pay back your investment.
Insulation
Wood isn’t the perfect pick if you want the best energy efficiency level. We recommend going for insulated steel or fiberglass instead. These are the best front doors for insulation.
A 1 ½ inch steel or fiberglass front door can be five times more insulating than a solid wood door of the same size. But that’s assuming that the door doesn’t have any glass panes or windows, of course.
Either way, you’ll want to check the energy performance rating and the U-factor before buying any entry system. For reference, many of the front doors that our manufacturers produce are Energy Star certified.
All the best fiberglass front doors from the Embarq lineup are certified. Even the Legacy steel doors with Low-E decorative glass panes can be Energy Star certified.
A single-paned glass design, on the other hand, isn’t the best front door for insulation purposes. They lose more heat than most of the other options. That’s the case with single-paned windows as well.
Security
Fiberglass can be quite secure, but steel is still the way to go if security is a top priority for you.
It’s glass that can be a bit concerning. Some homeowners worry that someone could break the glass (in the door pane or sidelight), reach in, and unlock the door from the inside.
To reduce the break-in risk with glass-paned front doors, keep the property gated. If possible, use a double-cylinder deadbolt lock. With this type of lock, the knob can never be turned from the inside without inserting an inside key into the slot.
The main drawback with double-keyed deadbolts is that they can make evacuating during a fire or any other emergency tricky. So, if you go for this lock type, make sure everyone in the household knows where the inside key is.
In Short: Best Material for Entry Doors
There are no right and wrong choices here, and there isn’t a single best material for exterior doors. Wood, steel, fiberglass, and glass panes can all be the “best” choice depending on your insulation needs, taste, and budget.
At Evergreen Door & Window, we understand the difference that a front door can make. We work with the best manufacturers on the market to make sure that you can find something that’ll bring out the best in your entrance.
We also have 60+ years of experience on our side. So, all you need to do is tell us more about your dream front door, then sit back and leave the rest to us.
