Good looks and value — what’s not to love? Not only does replacing your front entry door kick up your curb appeal, it’s a solid investment with a decent payback. According to the “2015 Remodeling Impact Report” from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, a new steel entry door has a national median cost of $2,000, and you’ll recover 75% of that investment if you decide to sell your house.Your payback will be more than just financial, too. Homeowners polled for the “Report” returned a healthy Joy Score of 9.6 — a rating based on those who said they were happy or satisfied with their remodeling, with 10 being the highest rating and 1 the lowest.Related: Best Remodeling Projects for the MoneyWhat’s more, if you choose an energy-efficient exterior door, you may trim up to 10% off your energy bills. (With utility bills averaging $2,200 annually, that’s a savings of as much as $220.)But how do you know which door is right for you? Make your decision by comparing the three main materials available for exterior doors: steel, fiberglass, and wood.

If you’re looking to save money, a steel door may be a good choice, particularly if you have the skills to hang it yourself. garage door repair royal palm beach flA simple, unadorned steel door can sell for as little as $150 (not including hardware, lock set, paint, or labor) and typically runs as much as $400 at big-box retailers. price of genie garage door openerSteel offers the strongest barrier against intruders, although its advantage over fiberglass and wood in this area is slight.electric garage doors melbourneStill, the attractive cost of a steel door comes with an important caveat: Its typical life span under duress is shorter than both fiberglass and wood. garage doors salem mo

A steel door exposed to salt air or heavy rains may last only five to seven years. garage door threshold heightDespite steel’s reputation for toughness, it actually didn’t perform well in “Consumer Report’s” testing against wood and fiberglass for normal wear and tear.car window repair ocala flWith heavy use, it may dent, and the damage can be difficult and expensive to repair. car window repair tucker gaIf your door will be heavily exposed to traffic or the elements, you may be better off choosing a different material.Fiberglass doors come in an immense variety of styles, many of which accurately mimic the look of real wood. And if limited upkeep is your ideal, fiberglass may be your best bet.Fiberglass doesn’t expand or contract appreciably as the weather changes.

Therefore, in a reasonably protected location, a fiberglass entry door can go for years without needing a paint or stain touch-up and can last 15 to 20 years. Although it feels light to the touch, fiberglass has a very stout coating that’s difficult for an intruder to breach; and its foam core offers considerable insulation.Fiberglass generally falls between steel and wood in price; models sold at big-box stores range from about $150 to $600.Wood is considered the go-to choice for high-end projects; its luxe look and substantial weight can’t be flawlessly duplicated by fiberglass or steel — though high-end fiberglass products are getting close. If your home calls for a stunning entry statement with a handcrafted touch, wood may be the best material for you.Wood is usually the most expensive choice of the three — roughly $500 to $2,000, excluding custom jobs — and requires the most maintenance, although it’s easier to repair scratches on a wood door than dents in steel or fiberglass.

Wood doors should be repainted or refinished every year or two to prevent splitting and warping.If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of your door as well as its energy efficiency, you can purchase a solid wood door certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which assures you that the wood was sustainably grown and harvested.Tracing the environmental impact of a particular door — from manufacturing process to shipping distance to how much recycled/recyclable content it contains — is quite complicated and probably beyond the ken of the average homeowner, notes LEED-certified green designer Victoria Schomer. But FSC-certified wood and an Energy Star rating are an excellent start.A final note on choosing a door based on energy efficiency: Because efficiency depends on a number of factors besides the material a door is made of — including its framework and whether it has windows — look for the Energy Star label to help you compare doors. The Marvin Family of Brands is one company with three brands that is dedicated to creating products that make the places where we live and work more meaningful.

Every Marvin window and door is made to order, one at a time. With craftsman-quality construction and customization options, it is truly made just for you. New Construction • Remodel • Replacement Integrity windows and doors are made with a revolutionary fiberglass material called Ultrex® that outlasts and outperforms the competition on nearly every measurable scale. Infinity fiberglass replacement windows and patio doors offer discerning homeowners a traditional design, low maintenance, and high quality installation through exclusive retailers. Building and keeping relationships is as important to us as the unwavering quality of our product. And we go above and beyond to provide the best personal service possible. Our company is built on a deep heritage of innovation that runs from our family all the way to the craftsmen at our facilities. We set high standards for ourselves so we can be sure that every single product we make for you is built to last, using only the highest-quality materials.