Doors and Windows - New entry door

Hubby and I are thinking about replacing our steel entry door. Our home is 16 years old, and the front door is a cheap steel door. We live in North Dakota, so insulating value and weather resistance are critical. The foyer is not huge, nor is there a window, so we do want a door with a window (there isn't really room for a sidelight). We also use a storm/screen door.

What's the best material for an entry door? Steel? Fiberglass? Wood? I'm not opposed to paying more for the right product.

Thanks in advance!

Doors aren't very energy efficient due to their thickness. They are usually only 1 3/4" thick, which when you think about it, is pretty thin compared to your walls. So you're not going to see fantastic R-values no matter what you get. Metal doors obviously conduct heat and cold more than wood or fiberglass. Theoretically, metal doors have wooden stiles and rails (around the edges of the door) which act as a thermal break between the two metal sides of the door, but in actuality, cold wicks around the edge of the door anyway.

Wood has an R-value of approximately R-1.2 per inch. So if you had a solid wood door that was 2" thick, it would be about R-2.5. Not very good. Most steel and fiberglass doors (even cheap ones) are filled with XPS foam which is about R-7 per inch, giving a foam filled door the insulation value = to R-10. If you factor in the fact that the steel skin conducts cold around to the other side, the fiberglass door will actually feel warmer to the touch than a steel door would.

If you choose to have a window in your door, it will lower the R-value of the door, making it less efficient. It's not realistic to give windows an R-value, because their resistance to heat loss is terrible, and it depends on many factors- they type of glass, type of spacer, and especially the difference between the temperature inside and out. But you should realize that the window- no matter what type you choose- will make the door less efficient. So if you just want a little more light, you might choose a door with a small half-circle grid or something. The smaller the window the warmer the entire door will seem.

So in answer to your question, I'd suggest going with the fiberglass door. The only problem they seem to have is that when the door is in direct sunlight and the door has been stained and varnished, the sun bakes the stain right off.... especially when a full view storm door is installed and there is no vent panel. It gets pretty hot between those 2 doors. So if you plan on having a painter apply the finish to your new door you might ask him for a warantee, or at least find out how long he'll stand behind the finish.

Thanks! I'm leaning toward fiberglass - we have had a fiberglass patio door for a few years, and have been happy with it.

Is there a brand or two that you recommend?

No, I hesitate to recommend specific brands because there are so many: Masonite (Stanley), Therma-Tru, Pella, Anderson, Jeld-wen, Weather Shield, etc, etc, etc. After you see 1000 doors they all look the same. Remember to order a door that is the proper wall thickness, and note that depending on how the door will be installed, you may want a door that comes with its own brickmould, or you might want a door with a nailing fin.

Additionally, what I said about a foam filled door being R-10 might be a little misleading. XPS foam is R-7 per inch, but whether or not your door would actually be R-10 depends on what the manufacturer states it to be. As I mentioned, a window would decrease the efficiency of ANY door.