Wood doors have a warmth that nothing else replicates. The grain, the weight, the way they look freshly stained — there's a reason people still want them.

But here's the honest truth: wood is high maintenance. In the East Bay, where we get wet winters and dry, sun-heavy summers, an unprotected wood door will warp, swell, and eventually rot. You're resealing or repainting every year or two if you want it to stay sharp. For some homeowners, that's fine — even enjoyable. For most, it's a chore they didn't sign up for.

Steel doors punch above their weight on security and price. If budget is a real constraint and you want something solid, steel makes sense.

The downside: if a steel door dents — a moving box corner, a careless delivery — that dent isn't going away. You can't sand it out like wood. And in homes closer to the coast or with heavy fog exposure, rust can become an issue over time, especially around the edges and bottom sweep.

We install Therma-Tru fiberglass doors from Orepac on the majority of our remodels, and there's a reason for that — they perform.

Fiberglass can be molded to look exactly like wood grain. Close enough that clients have asked us if we installed a wood door. But unlike wood, it won't warp, swell, or rot. Unlike steel, it won't dent or rust.