General Product FAQs

Unlike wood doors, fiberglass won't dent, crack, split or splinter. Unlike steel doors, fiberglass won't dent, rust or warp. Fiberglass also resists shrinking and swelling with temperature changes, allowing the finish to last three times longer than on a wood door. And the solid polyurethane foam core offers five times greater insulation value than wood doors.

Therma-Tru is the market leader and innovator in fiberglass door technology. Our fiberglass doors are more durable and energy-efficient than wood or steel doors, and are backed by the best full-system warranties in the industry.

Visit Lowe's and see a sales associate in the millwork department to customize your door.

Visit our Replacement Parts page to determine which parts are available online or exclusively at Lowe’s.  You can also visit your local Lowe’s and see a sales associate for replacement parts.

No. The glass styles are unique to each brand and cannot be interchanged.

Find out in this dimensions data pdf.

Download our Installation instructions PDF.

Our multi-point locking systems are all covered by our standard limited lifetime warranty.

They are available in Polished Brass, Brushed Chrome and Matte Black.

Yes, the outdoor temperature is extremely important. The temperature should be between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity under 95%.

If you prime or clear topcoat all unfinished wood components, you can wait about two weeks until the weather is more accommodating.

No.

No, this is not recommended or necessary to sand for the topcoat to adhere.

No. Quick dry paints often have fast evaporating solvents like acetone and some slower evaporating solvents.  The typical result is blistered paint.

We see this when Therma-Tru stains have been applied very heavily.  There are UV inhibitors in the stain, which will migrate through the topcoat when there is a lot of stain on the door. Wash it off with detergent and water. It may come back one or two more times, but will eventually cease. To prevent this effect in the future, use less stain. Most doors do not require heavy stain coats to achieve dark colors.

Benchmark by Therma-Tru smooth collection doors come ready to paint.  After cleaning, paint the door using a high quality exterior grade acrylic latex paint.  Be watchful of paints with major ingredients like "vinyl polymers" or "polyvinyl acetate" or that are labeled "interior/exterior" in many cases they do not adhere well to Smooth-Star. 

Super-Paint should be used cautiously.  Our laboratory results show that the application is sensitive to environment conditions such as temperature, humidity, etc., during the painting process.

Yes, visit Lowe's and see a sales associate in the millwork department to customize your door.

Call 1-877-99-STAIN

No. The weatherstripping can be pulled out of the jambs, so it can be closed and locked during the drying period. Weatherstripping can be pushed back into the jambs after topcoat has dried.

Our stain kit includes everything you need to finish the inside and outside of a complete double door unit, an 8’ door unit, or a single door with two sidelites.  It contains stain, topcoat, several brushes, rags, gloves, mineral spirits, stir sticks and two skin samples.

Using a clean, dry rag, clean the entire surface of the door with a mild soap and water.  Rinse soap off thoroughly and allow to dry completely.

Wood Grained Doors.

We recommend the Therma-Tru stain kit.  However if you wish to use a different kit, we recommend an oil based stain with a water based top coat.  Be sure to finish all exposed sides, edges and ends of the door.

These doors should be primed and painted with a high quality acrylic, alkyd or oil-based exterior house paint. Primer and paint should be produced by the same manufacturer and be made to work together. Paint all exposed sides, edges and ends of the door.

No. Priming is not necessary or recommended unless you are painting your door. For best adhesion, we recommend priming the door with an alkyd-based or acrylic-based primer before painting.

Yes. Door edges, wood frames, doorlite frames, brickmould, decorative panels, jambs and mullions are all door components that can be stained.

You could purchase a can of wood sealer or wood conditioner and apply it to the jambs to limit the penetration of the stain. The stain is a heavily pigmented stain and could stain the jambs darker if you do not apply a sealer or conditioner first.

 If you just want to lighten the stain a little, then use your brush with mineral spirits on the tips and lightly brush the stain and wipe the excess onto a clean rag.

Yes.  We recommend applying the stain in thin, successive coats to achieve the desired color.

No, because it already contains some wax and silicone in the formulation. Water will bead up on it and run off.

When you notice the topcoat beginning to fade, lose its gloss, or feel rough to the touch, then clean the door with mild soap and water, rinse and let it dry completely. Reapply one very thin coat of the topcoat to all surfaces of the door.

No, it is not necessary to prime the door, but if your door has a doorlite in it, then the molding around the glass should be primed with an acrylic primer. Wipe the frame with a clean cloth first, then prime and paint.

Clean the area first with mineral spirits or an all-purpose cleaner. Then, use a small artist brush or cotton swab to apply stain to the nicks or scratches. Carefully wipe or brush off excess stain, let dry and apply a thin coat of the topcoat over the repaired area. Also, there are a variety of “touch-up markers” or repair pencils that repair scratches or nicks in finishes on fine wood furniture.

To strip our fiberglass doors of paints, stains or topcoats, use a methylene chloride-based stripper. We recommend Savogran® SuperStrip®, Savogran® Kutzit®, or Dad’s Easy Spray® Paint, Stain & Varnish Remover.  Do not leave stripper on the door any longer than 2-3 minutes. You may use a nylon bristle brush to remove any stubborn residue. Wipe the door clean then thoroughly wash the door with a mild soap and water.  Make sure the door is completely dry before refinishing.

Fiberglass doors manufactured by Therma-Tru are made from a fiberglass material that you can safely use the recommended strippers on. Follow our finishing instructions for stripping.

No. Stripping materials have to be purchased separately.

Please see https://www.thermatru.com/customer-support/installation-instructions/ for a video on step by step instructions.

You can find a printable of our warranty here.