Are you considering changing your door entrance? Are you tired of looking at the door on your home that is in terrible condition due to the effects of the sun? There are many homeowners who are faced with this dilemma all across America. The sun wrecks havoc on the wood door and destroys the wood in a very short time. The best option for the homeowner in this condition is fiberglass. A fiberglass door entrance will give you years of lasting beauty, but is not 100% maintenance free. But a fiberglass door entrance is by far the best option for a homeowner.
There are lots of people who love fiberglass exterior doors because they are durable, are relatively maintenance free and they look will good for many years. In general, Fiberglass exterior doors are durable and will last a long time with very little care, or care that is simple for most homeowners. Any fiberglass door will still require some maintenance from the homeowner from time to time to ensure that they last and to keep their new looking beauty. This care is by far alot easier than dealing with a wood product, making fiberglass the preferred choice in high sun exposure conditions.
EXTERIOR DOORS
Fiberglass doors are definitely attractive, stylish, and durable. There are many designs available to choose from and many manufacturers offer them. Our number one choice is the Jeld-Wen brand, who have the most realistic wood look and the best quality finished product on the market. But with any other brand you may choose you still need to keep them working well, a small amount of maintenance must be kept in mind.
Fiberglass doors can come finished from the factory or are available unfinished for the homeowner to contend with. Remember that when you purchase a door, if it's not already painted the color that you want, you will need to purchase paint and paint them every few years to keep them looking nice. Depending on your budget, Fiberglass doors can either be inexpensive or quite expensive, but they will still need maintaining. Doors finished from the factory will last longer and require less work and may come with a better warranty.
Issues that can affect these Fiberglass doors
Fiberglass doors are not subject to the harmful effects of cracking or rotting as found in wood doors, but still they have some issues that require periodic maintenance to keep the door in perfect shape.
These doors should not be subjected to any physical impacts or other external pressure on the surface of the door. In case such impacts take place, the material of the door can be chipped or scraped because of it and may require refinishing or repainting.
There can be a certain amount of superficial wear caused in these doors by the sun's rays. This needs to be repaired else it creates the appearances of scratches on the fiberglass door. A good prevention or way to prolong the finish is to apply a marine wax each season. Simply use a spray on wax that would be used on a fiberglass boat and the wax will help to protect the unit from the harmful rays of the sun.
Dirt accumulation on the door should be cleaned by using specialized cleaners as available for these doors. If your door was stained and has a poly finish simply use furniture polish to remove the dust and dirt accumulation. Treat the unit just like a piece of furniture.
These are just a few of the basic maintenance activities for the fiberglass exterior door. But these simple procedures are all the homeowner will need to maintain their door entrance for many years after it is installed on the home.
Fiberglass Exterior Door Purchase and Maintenance
The author of this article is Peter Sicoli. Peter owns and operates Somerset Hills Doors a successful custom millwork and door company.
EXTERIOR DOORS