1. Introduction
Can we be honest? With all the potential Therma-Tru fiberglass doors have to offer, it’s understandable if the options look a little overwhelming at first. We at EcoView are here to help you sort through your choices. In this blog post, we’ve divided the Therma-Tru fiberglass purchasing process into four simple, easy-to-follow parts, so you can make the best decision for your home. If you’re looking for an inside scoop on the Therma-Tru brand and the benefits of fiberglass, check out our Primer on Therma-Tru Posts on the EcoView Blog.
Therma-Tru is more than a brand – it’s a category of its own for fiberglass entry doors. Fiberglass front doors are desired both by homeowners and professional builders alike, and choosing a Therma-Tru door is like choosing the creme de la creme. Since 1962, Therma-Tru has kicked off an industry of its own by bringing consumers precision-made, reliable doors – and the quality has only increased over time. Why does Therma-Tru fiberglass excel at keeping your family safe and comfortable in a beautiful, welcoming home? The answer involves several features: strength, security, efficiency, and style.
2. Step 1: Assess Your Needs and Goals
When shopping for a new door, it’s important to start by getting a sense of what you are looking to get out of (and into) a new entrance to your home. Are you someone who’s experienced a break-in in the past and is especially concerned with security? Do you value a long warranty or want a design you can paint to better fit your home? Are you overwhelmed by the advantages and disadvantages of steel and wood and just looking to come to a trustworthy conclusion about how fiberglass really is? No matter how you prioritize the benefits of fiberglass compared to different ownership styles of door (wood, steel, or aluminum), budget can easily be a primary consideration as well. Consider your goals for updating your door and jot down a few main points for ease of reference. This will help you establish priorities on a system level – that way you can make a decision about overall design versus details with ease.
In this step, you’re going to consider why you might want a Therma-Tru fiberglass door, as well as what features you like. While the benefits of fiberglass are well-documented, you have to ask yourself if they are your top priorities. This might be related to price, appearance, and ongoing maintenance.
3. Step 2: Understand the Benefits of Fiberglass Doors
Fiberglass doors are incredibly easy to maintain. Their non-porous – or smooth – surface makes them easy to clean. A little soap and water will do the trick! Fiberglass doors don’t need to be painted, stained, or refinished as often as their wood and steel counterparts. These doors won’t rust, corrode, or deteriorate over time. Plus, many companies, like Therma-Tru, offer industry-leading warranties for new fiberglass doors. Fiberglass doors can be installed with large pieces of insulated glass to boost the amount of natural light in your homes. Because of the strength of fiberglass, you can order these doors with larger glass. The more light you have flowing into your home, the less you’ll need to rely on traditional light fixtures, which can help your household save energy and money on utility bills. There’s even a chance you’ll find a fiberglass door that showcases intricate designs, much like handcrafted wood doors but at a fraction of the cost.
Fiberglass doors are extremely durable compared to other door materials. They won’t dent, rot, or rust. They’re resistant to the harsh effects of the weather, and they don’t need to be repainted or refinished frequently. Fiberglass doors are also excellent insulators. The structure of these doors is designed to keep homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Therma-Tru fiberglass doors with Energy Star packages are up to 15 times more energy efficient than a traditional wood entry door! With roots in swimming pools and boat hulls, fiberglass is known to stand up to the harsh punishment of wind and rain.
Fiberglass doors have increasingly become a popular choice for homeowners due to their low maintenance and high performance. While the benefits of fiberglass doors are numerous, here are three of the most popular:
4. Step 3: Consider Design and Style Options
Every door style throughout history has been reminiscent of its time. From the mid-century simplicity to the detailed, intricate styling of the Victorian era, doors say a lot about your home style. Classic paneling will tend to be more timeless than a flat slab design. You can get more decorative or highly detailed panel designs for Craftsman- or modern-style homes. An additional consideration is whether or not you want to tie into interior doors! If so, this may influence the selection of your door. Consideration here would be whether you want to opt for a non-panel door so that the interior doors can be matched to this style without designer restrictions.
Selecting a glass style is one of the most memorable parts of the door design process. This adds instant personality to your door and is another element that can put your style on full display. When selecting a glass style, make sure you think about privacy (highly frosted glass or privacy-rated glass) and the visual effect you desire (light and airy or natural focal point).
Did you know Therma-Tru offers the opportunity to work with a professional designer on your project – for free? If you’ve been dreaming about a fabulous fully custom and unique door, but not sure where to start? We can help you get started with a little survey about your home, your personality, and what design elements will click – with a PWD (Professional to Whom Designing is second nature)! Check out their plan options here for a design survey and consultation call.
5. Step 4: Evaluate Energy Efficiency Features
Step 4. Evaluate Energy Efficiency Features. In addition to looks, you’ll also want to identify any features that affect the energy efficiency of the product. Most Therma-Tru fiberglass doors come standard with a polyurethane foam core that provides five times the energy efficiency of a wood door. It is also a renewable resource, which is one way that you can reduce your impact on the environment. Beyond this, you’ll also want to take a closer look at weather stripping. This feature helps eliminate drafts and increases the door system’s energy efficiency. Also look for a low-E glazing that will reflect heat back to its source, helping to reduce utility bills and make your home more comfortable.
Here are the things to look for in fiberglass doors to make the wisest investment on your home. An Entrance System with the Right Features for Your Home: High-quality fiberglass entry doors such as those made by Therma-Tru are now available in some of the most timeless designs available. Find a style complementing the preexisting architectural elements of your home. Homeowners over time have wanted a little less maintenance, so they’ve been choosing cleaner looking wood doors, and this trend has been transferred to the fiberglass door system. This obviously is your preference, but if you are a traditionalist seeking a more defined wood grain look, be prepared to pay a bit more as this is a less popular style.
Just like vinyl windows, insulation, and roofing that just flat out perform better, fiberglass doors rank significantly higher in terms of their ability to keep summer’s heat and winter’s cold outside where it belongs. The great thing about injecting fiberglass with polyurethane foam is that you receive a formidable security edge over standard wood doors that simply can’t match the long-term performance of a secure, reinforced fiberglass door system. Should anything get through the door, at least you’ll be saving utility expenses.
6. Step 5: Set a Budget and Compare Prices
Like cars, the basic structure of a Therma-Tru fiberglass door is the same from dealer to dealer, but price can vary greatly. Because any dealer you choose to buy a Therma-Tru door from is only able to purchase those doors from Therma-Tru and sell them on at the same price, you’re paying more for a varying list of services. Take the two lists you’ve developed and begin calling dealers to get prices on the models you like the most. It should be no surprise that the most tenured dealer in your area quotes the highest price for the same door than the other dealers do. Once you’ve developed a primary list, take door features into account with the price: do the extra services from the most expensive dealer equate to spending an additional few hundred dollars on the door? Do those features actually matter to me? If not, the most prudent course of action would be to go with the later dealer.
After comparing both Therma-Tru fiberglass door collections and assessing their features and benefits, it should be fairly clear which collection best suits your home’s needs. The final step is to set a budget and compare prices. This way, you can get the most for your money, choosing what features matter most and seeing what’s affordable. Most home-improvement stores have a quote generator on their website, or you could call or visit a local dealer to get more information. This is the last step to consider when deciding which door to purchase.
7. Step 6: Seek Professional Guidance if Needed
While choosing a fiberglass door is more involved than picking out a doorknob, it doesn’t have to be daunting. After walking through the considerations above, follow the detailed steps provided earlier in this guide up to this point. Wouldn’t it be nice to know you’re looking at the best possible front or back door for your home, inside and out? And it’s not just that it’ll make you happy every time you pull up to the house, it’s how a great entryway enhances your property value. If you’re building a house, remodeling an exterior, or replacing the door that’s already been installed, know that your decision will have a great impact on your home’s overall value and comfort.
Finding the right entry door can be an overwhelming process due to the variety of materials and styles to choose from. If at any point you need assistance picking out a fiberglass door, we encourage you to seek professional guidance. Door professionals can make helpful suggestions while working within your budget and selecting a door that meets your criteria for energy efficiency, security, and overall design and style. Helpful professionals can include door dealers or retail associates, installers, remodeling contractors, design professionals (architects or interior designers), and independent door installers. Your best option can depend on the complexity of your project and your location.
Looking forward to exploring? Step inside and see what makes us exceptional!
Exploring the Benefits of Therma-Tru Fiberglass Doors for Homeowners
References:
Pumilia, A. A door opening system: from case studies to the design of a hinge system for small series vehicles.” 2020. polito.it
McMurray, K. N. and NCARB, M. B. A. “Behavioral Health Design Guide.” 2022. harmreductionsolutions.com
Anthes, E. “The great indoors: The surprising science of how buildings shape our behavior, health, and happiness.” 2020. [HTML]
Bunnell, B. and Najia, S. “Mechanical Engineering for Makers.” 2020. [HTML]
Parker, C. K. “iTAL-Takeaway without the waste.” Diploma work, 2021. lu.se
Ramstedt, F. “The Interior Design Handbook: Furnish, Decorate, and Style Your Space.” 2020. [HTML]
Mittal, N. “The key of interior design (Illustration of methods and principles).” 2021. [HTML]
No, A. “TRIAD ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS, INC..” 2021. gcsnc.com
Lees-Maffei, G. “Hands at home? Textures, tactility and touch in interior design.” The senses in interior design, 2023. [HTML]
Milligan, B. “An Oral History on Material Culture in Greencastle, Indiana: Investigating the Importance of Movable Objects to Individual, Familial, and Community Relationships.” 2022. depauw.edu
Keywords:
How to choose Therma-Tru fiberglass doors, Therma-Tru door buying guide, Best Therma-Tru fiberglass door styles, Selecting Therma-Tru doors, Therma-Tru door features, Therma-Tru fiberglass door materials, Installation tips for Therma-Tru doors, Therma-Tru door design options, Benefits of Therma-Tru fiberglass doors, Energy efficiency of Therma-Tru doors, Custom Therma-Tru fiberglass doors, Popular Therma-Tru door models, Therma-Tru door security features, Therma-Tru fiberglass door maintenance, Cost of Therma-Tru fiberglass doors.
