Now the nation''s leading producer of steel doors, Therma-Tru helped build the market for that product category. The effectiveness of that pioneering effort is reflected in the market share steel currently holds. For the past two decades company has focused its commitment to quality fiberglass and innovation on doors, the fastest-growing segment within the exterior door category. We were interested in differentiating ourselves from the rest of the market -- that''s the only way to be profitable in the long term recalling hiscompany''s motivation for pursuing fiberglass. Therma-Tru recruited a ream of engineers and assigned them the mission of developing a new product that would put perform both wood and steel. The team blended fiberglass and resins to invent a sheet-molding compound, as well as the tooling to transform those supplies into a door skin. After extensive laboratory and field testing, the fiberglass industry''s first door hit the market: the Fiber-Classic.

Smooth-Star: Despite the popularity of steel doors, builders have never been happy with the problems inherent in this material - most notably, rusting and denting, along with necessitate. Therma-Tru responded in with Smooth-Star, a door that incorporated the smooth fiberglass look of painted steel while eliminating dents, dings and rust. We call Smooth-Star the Steel Beater, not only because it''s competitively priced with steel doors, but also because it looks better, feels better and performs better. Plus, its 20-year limited warranty is twice that of most steel products. Clearly the Best Value It took steel the better part of three decades to overtake wood as the material of choice for residential entry doors. Interior Therma-Tru door expects door to eclipse steel much faster. We have seen fiberglass products readily accepted by home builders across the nation, says Oleshansky. Wood and steel doors simply cannot compete with the beauty, energy efficiency, durability, low maintenance and variety offered by today''s doors that are produced from fiberglass.

The door can be painted or stained, and is available in 3- by 6-foot and 3- by 8-foot models. The eight-foot door business is growing by leaps and bounds, and many people are replacing single doors with double doors. We are meeting that market with these doors. explained. The doors are constructed from a wood master, from which the grain is taken, and detailed onto the fiberglass surface with adhesives. These doors have fooled wooden door people. Steel and fiberglass manufacturer goes a step farther with grain patterns for staining For a couple of years, Therma-Tru, a leading manufacturer of systems non-wood residential entry door, had been looking for home a product that would appeal to homeowners who favor the look designs of wood doors. Therma-Tru home offered several steel and fiberglass models with grain patterns that could be stained by a contractor or D1Yer. But at the point of sale, potential buyers were staring at an unfinished steel/fiberglass surface. Last spring the company came to market with a model that it believes will challenge the traditional wood entry door. Therma-Tru introduced the pre-finished Classic Craft six-panel entry door, marking the first time in its 30-plus year history that the company offered a pre-stained fiberglass model.