We've got a Thermatru due to extremes, sunlight. Esp. cold wood isn't as good an insulator as the new insulated FG doors). I stained it a mahogany (Zar oil based, not gel, just paint it on, feather out brush strokes and leave it, don't wipe) in Sept, 2 coats of Sikkens Door and Window clear satin as topcoat. Still have to see how it holds up. We have a 7 ft deep porch but faces west so get strong sun esp. at the bottom. I think it looks like wood from a distance, not so much close up. Just after staining (forgive the tape) - I don't recall if I had topcoated yet. These are the only closeups I have No topcoat, extreme closeup I think that if you have a full glass storm door you will see faster deterioration of the finish (any finish) no matter what the surface, but fiberglas should hold up longer than wood. The key is to keep ahead of it, so you don't get down to the bare surface. Wood can be resurfaced (sanded) as long as it's not too far gone, but if you don't keep up the finish (something with UV inhibitors like the Sikkens) I'm not sure what you can do with the FG since you can't sand it. HTH

I went to the local Precision Entry door dealer this weekend. As far as realism, the factory stained wood grain fiberglass doors looked nicer than the Masonite Oaklite versions and leaps and bounds better than the Feather River product at Home Depot. They did not look as real as end-user stained Therma-Tru doors- but they are obviously marketed to people that for a number of reasons have eliminated the "do-it-yourself" fiberglass staining options. What is interesting is that you can choose a different color or stain for the inside and outside panels of the door. The door is not inexpensive (not a complaint, but an observation- it seems to be a better value than the fractionally cheaper Feather River doors I saw at Home Depot!). I was quoted $1650 for a half-lite fiberglass 32" door with the Lehigh glass (uninstalled and no lock hardware). A similar Therma-Tru was about $1000 or so, but would come unstained. If you factored in hired someone to stain the door, I expect that the cost narrows slightly. The storm doors offered by the parent company of Precision Entry were very nice too. In the end, $1650 is more than I planned to spend for a door that will not be THE "showcase" door, but may just be one of those cost adjustments I need to consider. I'll have to think about it, but again, I was impressed with the Precision Entry offerings.

What is the difference between faux wood and fiberglass/composite/FRP columns? Perhaps you mean wood vs faux wood. Are they interior or exterior; are they load bearing? Here are one manufacturer's options:

Provia, HMI, Homeguard or Albany. TT is the lowest I would ever go on the food chain and Pella and Jeldwen are way below TT (and would never consider TT excellent).