Is your old front door just not doing it for you anymore? When it comes time to get something better, consider one of Aluplex’s fiberglass doors. Fiberglass doors are great for home aesthetic. So, let’s take a moment to look at the benefits of fiberglass door designs and what styles they come in.

What Are Fiberglass Doors?

Fiberglass doors are a lot more than they seem. These doors are made of a frame, polycarbonate insulation filling, and a fiberglass skin. The fiberglass skin is the outer layer of the door – the part that you can see. You might be wondering if fiberglass is actually made of glass. In fact, it is! However, it doesn’t look like glass. Fiberglass doors are made to look like all kinds of materials – like wood or metal.

Fiberglass doors take a visual that everyone loves and makes it more durable. Wooden doors are prone to damage. They can chip, dent, split, and take damage in a number of other ways. Steel doors are the other standard for front doors. Those can rust, dent, scratch, and generally aren’t very welcoming. Fiberglass takes the best qualities of both – appearance and strength – and polishes out the things that make both weak or unappealing.

Flexible Design

A fiberglass door is great for any home because they’re made by such a flexible design. You can buy a fiberglass door in virtually any color you want. You can choose a style that looks like natural wood. Or, if you would rather it look painted, you can have that as well. There are also sleek designs that fit more modern homes. No matter what kind of design your house calls for, Aluplex can offer you a fiberglass door that fits perfectly. 

Windowed Door

One of the most popular styles of fiberglass door are those with a window at the top. Peep holes are functional, but they don’t look very nice and can be hard to see through. Instead of squinting into a hole, you can simply look through the window. Windowed doors can have curtains or shades put over them as well to improve privacy.

Windows in fiberglass doors can come in any shape or size. Arched windows are traditional, but there are also modern door windows, such as those that are more rectangular. In either case, your window pane can be divided into wedges or blocks to add flair. 

Doors with Sidelights

You know those windows people often have beside their doors that make their entryway feel nicer? Those are called sidelights and we have plenty of fiberglass door options available that include them. Sidelights open up an entry area by providing more visibility and letting in light from outside. If you like the accessibility and beauty of sidelights, order your new fiberglass door with one, or even two, sidelights.

If you have questions about our fiberglass door designs or other products, call us at Aluplex today. Our excellent staff can help clear up any confusion or concerns you may have and assist with your order.

If you’ve got a broken front door, you’re probably in a hurry to figure out how to fix it. After all, the front door, or even the back door, are both vital to home security and insulation. Fortunately, you can fix a broken door with these three steps.

1. Buy Supplies

It’s easy to put the cart in front of the horse and want to remove the door right away to fix it. However, if you need to replace broken parts, you’ll want to make sure you have them first. Otherwise, you’ll end up letting in the summer heat, bugs, and the eyes of your curious neighbors. So, the first step is always to stock up on what you need. 

If you’ve got broken hardware, such as a hinge, lock, or door handle, head to your local hardware store. Bringing measurements and pictures with you can help an employee direct you to the right replacements.

If the body of your door is broken, you’ll want to buy a new one entirely. Trying to repair a broken door, especially a fiberglass or foam-injected one, is not really possible for a layman. It’s better to replace it entirely. If, however, you’ve got a solid wooden door, you might be able to repair it temporarily with some strong wood glue and some sanding. Just remember, this kind of door is already substandard as it is. Relying on a door with a new weak point where you repaired it is a recipe for disaster. 

2. Remove Your Door

When you have the supplies you need to fix a broken door, it’s time to remove your door. If you’re simply replacing a knob or lock, this part isn’t necessary and can be skipped. 

Removing a door is easier than you might think. You’ll simply need to remove the pin from each hinge. Some hinge pins have a screw on the bottom and some don’t. After removing any screws in place at the bottom of the pin, simply line up a screwdriver with the bottom of the pin and tap the handle with a hammer. The narrow end of the screwdriver will push the pin out of the top of the hinge’s knuckles. If your screwdriver has a plastic handle, we recommend holding a folded cloth over the end to avoid damaging it with your hammer.

The entire door removal process is best done with two people. One person will need to hold the door in place while the other removes the hinges. Trying to do this alone is both dangerous and nearly impossible. With each hinge removal, the door will bear down more on the remaining hinge, tightening its grip on the pin. When the last hinge is free, it’s liable to fall and could cause serious injury. Please work in a team for door removal.

3. Replace What’s Broken

Last, but not least, it’s time to replace the broken part of your door. Replacing a lock or knob is easy to do without removing the door. Simply unscrew what’s broken and follow the instructions on the part you bought to replace it.

Replacing a broken hinge requires a bit of screwing and unscrewing. Lay your door down on the ground and begin unscrewing the half of broken hinge that’s still attached to it. Then, do the same for the half in the door frame. Ensuring your new hinge is positioned in the right direction, screw your new hinge into the side of the door. 

With the new hinge completely assembled, begin reconnecting the previous hinges with their pins, ensuring the loose half of the new hinge is in place before affixing the others. When the other hinges have been reconnected, the loose half of your new hinge will hang in place by the door frame, making screwing it into the proper place easy as pie.

Replacing a broken door with a new one requires much the same steps as replacing a hinge. However, you’ll attach all three hinges to the new door before having your partner hold it in place. You can then screw the hinges into the door frame, using the old screw holes for guidance.