We just had a custom ordered Therma Tru delivered last week - it's a disaster! The lumberyard has sent them our complaint and pictures, so we're just waiting.

We already have one Therma Tru door and it has been great, but there has been a change in the distributor ownership, so that could be the problem now.

Will probably go through Bayer Built instead.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2588272/problems-with-thermatru-entry-door#24543249

For $12k we have been quoted by one of the preferred vendors I would rather do a large front porch over the door, buy the composite jamb with ball bearing hinges and enjoy a "cheapy" mahogany door.

Provia, Albany, & Homeguard are the preferred Fiberglass Door brands. Therma Tru is an ok door.

Add HMI to my list above. Would not accept an edit for some reason.

Unfortunately, no HMI dealer near us. Not sure about Homeguard, but their website is not user friendly.

We have a Therma Tru fiberglass front door and have been happy with it. We had a wood door in our last home and wanted something different as well as something that could stand up to our large dog and the potential for scratches. It's held up great, opens and closes very smoothly, no air leakage that we can detect. It's our first fiberglass front door we've ever had so I can't compare it to any other other brands in our own personal experience.

gthigpen, it's encouraging to hear that. Do you know who (or where) your Therma Tru distributor is?

We had almost the exact same Thermatru door installed earlier this year (we had our contractor paint it) and I have no complaints. It's a solid choice.

@kariyava Did you install the 42" one? I couldn't figure out if 42" is a standard Thermatru or special order size from their website. Did you consider other brands before making a decision?

Mary Elizabeth - We are in Dallas and we used The Energy Shop in Carrollton, TX. I was happy with their prices and customer service.

I did not. When I click on the link you posted above, it looks like the door you are looking at comes in two sizes: 3'x8' and 3.5'x8', so I would assume those are their standard sizes.

FYI - 42" wide doors can be more cumbersome to operate.

@Mark Bischak, Architect Can you share your thoughts on why 42" is harder to operate. We can still frame to 36" width but want to know pros and cons. Just thought it would be easier to move bigger items in and out of the 42" width door.

To answer your other question, I did not seriously consider other doors. The other fiberglass doors that are highly recommended are significantly more expensive, and I did not think that the additional cost was justified.

Oh, and definitely order through a reputable windows/doors shop, to ensure good installation and better selection (they can order from Thermatru's entire catalog). Don't buy Thermatru through Lowes or any other big box store -- they only sell a small subset of what Thermatru offers.

The extra 6" of radius, over a 36" door, may effect the opener's body position depending on the person's size and the doors position and relationship with adjacent walls. The person opening the door may have to back up further to avoid the door swinging open.

@Mark Bischak, Architect Thanks Mark. Since I'm petite, then 42" door may be a little hard to operate. I probably need to go see a 42" door in person to get a feel for it.

Also keep in mind how many times you will be moving bigger items in and out versus how many times you will be just walking in and out. Most everything fits through a 36" wide door.

I had a client that had the same concern as you, double french doors to the exterior from the dining area solved the concern.

42” wide 8 ft tall. Mahogany Wood. I don’t think we paid much more for this door than a fiberglass door with sidelights. I wanted a door that visitors couldn’t see through. I had my builder put in a peephole. So far so good.

https://residential.masonite.com/product-overview/exterior-doors/wood-door-collections/torrefied-wood-doors/

Look at Simpson doors. My daughter put one in with her recent remodel. It’s beautiful.

https://www.simpsondoor.com

Our builder told us there was a "significant" price different in the 6'8" door and 8' door from Therma tru. We are looking at the Classic Craft American Style Collection. Does anyone know if that is accurate?

Define significant in his and your opinion? Typically about 75% more if I remember correctly.

Those Masonite doors you linked to @ILoveRed are beautiful—as is yours. And I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who appreciates privacy—and a peep hole!—at the front door.

Lol, I actually love the option of not answering the door at all if I don’t want to and if visitors can’t see me then I can ignore them! So, even though I like sidelights and more glass I ruled them out for more privacy.

I love your sense of humor Mark.

Thanks Sammy!