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Exterior door dilema

7 years ago

We are replacing our exterior front door which has a southern exposure. We want to do a dark navy blue to match our shutters but I am afraid of fading because of the dark color. We will probably be installing a screen door but not sure..depending on the style of the door. Is Fiberglass or steel the best option. Or any other suggestions?

Featured Answer

practigal

7 years ago

Is street noise a concern? I picked the heaviest door that I could find to block the noise...

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Comments (9)

torreykm
7 years ago
If you have no shade or overhang, a steel door can get really hot (depending on your climate). I'd go with fiberglass. If the door is prepped and painted properly, it should be fine.
Beth Werner thanked torreykm
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palimpsest
7 years ago
Make sure painting the fiberglass door a dark color and using a storm door in combination with it does not void the warranty. My sister's fiberglass door warranty was voided if the door was painted dark red. (Apparently some dark colors absorb a lot of heat and buildup between the fiberglass door and the storm door could warp or crack the fiberglass?)
Beth Werner thanked palimpsest
Beth Werner
Original Author
7 years ago
Practigal. We live in the country so noise is not a problem
Beth Werner
Original Author
7 years ago
Torreykm. We live in Minn. so we have a shorter summer but it still can get pretty hot at times. It will be a brand new door so I assume the finish will be up to standards. We have a steel door now and have had no issues with it getting hot. We were told if we got a screen door to make sure it had Low E glass so that the door wouldn't get too hot and to help protect from fading.
Beth Werner
Original Author
7 years ago
Lily'smom. The door comes already painted and if I am going to pay over a thousand dollars for a door I have no intention of repainting it in my lifetime.
Vertise
7 years ago
Check over on the paint forum. They discuss the specifics of this sort of thing from time to time.
User
7 years ago
Hi Beth - unfortunately that's not how painted finishes work. No matter how much you pay for the door, if you want it to look nice you will indeed have to sand/repaint it eventually. I love my screen door too, but it is best if you can find a style that gives venting options. It gets wicked hot between glass and the door in the summer.
Jane
7 years ago
If you have a southern exposure, I would think you will have problems with both a glass storm door and paint.

The door company should advise you on whether or not a storm door would cause problems by trapping heat between the doors. If you have the screen on most of the door, it might be less of an issue.

A neighbor of mine with a southern exposure had a front door that was always peeling paint. For years. When I talked to him about it, he said he kept painting it and the paint would always peel. The answer for him was to get a fiberglass door. It's a light color and I haven't noticed any peeling since he installed it. I don't think he paints it but I don't know if it's non-painted or factory painted. (He does not have a storm door.)

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