Fiberglass Doors vs Steel Doors

If you're like many Texas homeowners, you may find yourself overwhelmed when shopping for new exterior doors for your home. 

These days, it seems like there's an endless array of colors, styles, sizes and materials to choose from, and it can be hard to figure out which one best suits your needs. So let's take a closer look at both fiberglass doors and steel doors, weigh up the pros and cons, and figure out which ones are best for your home.

What Are Fiberglass Doors?

Fiberglass doors are made from sheets of fiberglass that is placed into a mold in layers along with resin. This fiberglass shell is usually sandwiched around an insulating foam core, and then the door is sanded if necessary to remove any rough edges, and then finished with a top coat to protect the door and give a smooth finish. 

Because fiberglass doors are molded, they can be made in a huge array of shapes and sizes, and they can also be textured to look like wood grain and other materials. The resin and coatings used to produce fiberglass doors can also be colored in an almost endless array of colors, so they can be made to suit nearly any taste, style, and design aesthetic.

What Are Steel Doors? 

As the name suggests, steel doors are doors that are made with the primary component being steel, but there are different types of steel doors. Some are made from solid steel (and are very heavy and expensive!), while others use a steel skin on an insulated core. 

Since steel is such a strong material, it's no big surprise that the biggest selling point for steel doors is their strength and durability, however, like any other steel or iron, they are susceptible to rusting if not protected properly from the elements. 

Steel doors can be made in a variety of styles including pressed steel, which can have raised areas, steel doors with windows and glass panels and flat paneld doors, so there really are a lot of options available. 

Most steel doors are zinc coated using either a galvanizing or galvannealing process. Then, they are primed, and finally, they will be applied with colored paint. There are many different grades and finish options for steel doors, all of which will affect the price, but generally, better and more expensive coating options will give you a more durable door. 

Comparing Fiberglass and Steel Doors

Both fiberglass and steel doors can be a great choice for Texan homes, but they do offer very different pros and cons. 

Durability and Longevity

Fiberglass doors are lightweight and offer better resistance to dents and cracks. Since they aren't made from ferrous metal, they also won't rust like steel doors can. 

Steel doors are incredibly strong, but if they are dented, the damage will stay visible until the door is repaired or replaced, so they're not as forgiving. 

Energy Efficiency

Both fiberglass and steel doors can offer excellent insulation properties, although fiberglass usually performs slightly better. Regardless of which option you choose, the hot climate in Texas does mean that you always want to choose an ENERGY STAR rated door, which will offer the best possible insulation results.

Appearance and Customization

When it comes to looks, fiberglass has an edge over steel, simply because it can be molded in so many different designs and options. It also offers wood grain options and is usually aviaable in more colors. So it does work with more design and architectural styles. 

Steel doors tend to be available in fewer styles and design options, but they do work incredibly well with sleek, modern design styles, and there are lots of different color options on the market.

Maintenance Requirements

Fiberglass doors are about as close as you're going to get to maintenance-free doors. They don't rust or warp, usually wipe clean with a damp cloth, and are usually made with UV-resistant finishes. However, if you live in a marine environment, you will still have to maintain the hardware of your fiberglass doors. 

Steel doors require very little maintnance structurally, but the paint on these doors can chip or crack, which could leave your doors vulnerable to rust. So you may find yourself stripping and repainting them from time to time to preserve the finish.

Security and Strength

Fiberglass is a popular material for things like boats, surfboards and doors because it is incredibly strong for it's weight. But while steel is heavier, it's also stronger, so if security and strength is a critical factor for you, steel doors might be the right choice for you. 

Cost and Affordability

When you're buying doors, the old saying "You get what you pay for" always applies. Cheaper doors of any material are likely to have more issues sooner than more expensive doors, so it's always a good idea to buy the best quality you can afford regardless of the material or style of door. 

However, when you're comparing similar doors side by side and dollar for dollar, fiberglass doors are usually a litle more expensive than steel doors. 

On the other hand, steel doors require more maintenance over their lifetime, so while they might cost less to install, you might spend more over time.

Special Considerations for Texas Homeowners

Choosing the right doors is not a one size fits all situation, and the climate and geography you live in is a big factor. Here are some important Texas specific things to consider. 

Weather Resistance in Texas’s Climate

The two biggest climate extremes Texan homeowners have to worry about are heat and humidity, and that may impact which doors you choose for the exterior of your home. 

On the one hand, fiberglass is not as affected by heat and does not expand and contract much if at all. That also means that there's very little chance your fiberglass doors will ever warp. 

Fiberglass is also not porous, so unlike wood, humidity does not affect them much at all. 

Steel, on the other hand, is an excellent conductor of heat. That means that if your steel doors are in direct sunlight, they could get uncomfortably or even dangerously hot, especially if they are painted dark colors. 

Humidity and moisture can also cause steel doors to corrode if there's any damage to the paint or other protective coatings, so you will need to be diligent about maintenance.

Energy Efficiency for Hot Summers

While both fiberglass and steel doors can work well in Texas, fiberglass does edge steel out when it comes to superior thermal performance. However, while some of that is because of the fiberglass itself, a lot has to do with the insulated core of your doors. 

When you're shopping for any kind of exterior door in Texas, you should always look for the option that offers the best insulation and thermal properties you can afford, and if you have to choose which factors to  focus on, that should be near the top of your list. 

Durability Against Storms and Wind

Texas doesn't have as much bad weather as some places, but there's no denying that it does see occasional strong storms. That means that weather resistance is another important factor when deciding between steel and fiberglass doors. 

Steel doors are naturally more resistant to very high winds and blowing debris, but they will show more damage than a fiberglass door after the storm has moved on. So as long as your door is in one piece after any store, a fiberglass door is more likely to be in better shape. 

Modern doors are tested for a variety of weather conditions though, so when you're shopping for new exterior doors for your home, all you need to do is ask the salesperson which doors are best able to hold their own in your area. 

Local Style Preferences in Texas

Texan home style ranges from classic old school southern to sleek and modern or even the ever popular ranch style. 

Since steel doors tend to be simpler, they usually work better for modern designs or, if you choose a pressed steel design, for classic southern-style homes. 

Because fiberglass doors can be embossed and patterned to look like wood and other materials, they are often used on more rustic, ranch-style homes. But whether you prefer French doors, solid doors, doors with windows, or something else, you're almost certain to find something you like in either steel or fiberglass.

Which Door Is Right for Your Texas Home?

When choosing the right door for your home, make a list of the things that matter most to you in order of importance. After you make your list, be sure to keep it with you when you go door shopping so you can ask the sales person to provide you with options that meet those criteria. 

Once you've chosen the perfect doors, don't forget to hire a good contractor to install them. Even the best doors can be ruined if they're not installed correctly, and you don't want to waste your investment by skimping on professional installation.