4specs.com    4specs.com Home Page

Residential Exterior Door Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

4specs Discussion Forum » Archive - Specifications Discussions #3 » Residential Exterior Door « Previous Next »

Author Message
Jo Drummond
Senior Member
Username: jo_drummond_fcsi

Post Number: 21
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 11:48 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

What brands do you recommend for a residential door from the garage to the exterior, south exposure, east coast of Florida. Existing door is a steel door with vision lite with 'tween glass Venetian blind. Existing frame is wood, but it would be preferable to have a flush steel door, hollow metal steel frame, with a half-vision lite, unless that doesn't work in Florida. Venetian blind would be good. I'm a Californian, don't know much about Florida exposure problems.
Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rliebing

Post Number: 842
Registered: 02-2003
Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 12:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Don't know if you are there, but Miami-Dade County, FL has a very strong program of product approval, based on hurricane requirements. That may be both a resource for you and also an advisory on what extra may be necessary. I think there is a web site for the county to see their product approvals.
Richard L Matteo, AIA, CSI, CCS
Senior Member
Username: rlmat

Post Number: 275
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 01:38 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Jo,
Florida is a lot wetter and more humid than SoCal. You might try Weathershield for entrance doors - they have a line of fiberglass that look just like wood - I saw them in a showroom in Scottsdale, AZ

Ralph's suggestion is very good.
John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP
Senior Member
Username: bunzick

Post Number: 900
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 02:20 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

You need to determine whether the door is in a hurricane zone, as Ralph suggests, to know whether the door must meet the large missile test. It is not required in all locations in Florida. Also, if tested storm shutters are installed, the door does not need to meet the test.

I think one of the more important durability issues in south Florida is the same is southern California, and that is UV exposure and solar heating. In the past, some manufacturers had problems with the plastic glazing trim, but that has supposedly been addressed. They say dark color paints work okay now, but I'd be reluctant, still. Did a project in Houston with dark paint, with storm doors (which aggravate the problem), and have not heard of problems.

Residential builders commonly use the set-up systems such as supplied by Benchmark and Weathershield. They can be fiberglass or steel, and perform similarly. Both have metal frames over which wood or other trim is applied. The manufacturers of these system actually make door "slabs" which they ship to large distributors who hang them on frames, add hardware and install a threshold. I have no reason to suggest that these system should not be used in your application.
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 552
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 12:43 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

For Dade, Broward, & Palm Beach all exterior doors for new construction must be tested and approved with a current product approval:
Miami Dade County Product Approvals:
http://www.miamidade.gov/buildingcode/pc-search_app.asp?class_id=1&class_desc=High%20velocity%20winds
elsewhere in Florida:
Florida Product Approvals:
http://floridabuilding.org/pr/pr_app_srch.aspx
PS - current building code is 2004 FBC, 2007 FBC starts October 1.

I think the door you want used to be called a Miami Slide, a wood or aluminum exterior flush door with a center upward sliding window. I have not been able to find those doors in years, my former residence in Miami had one, which I wound up replacing after Hurrican Andrew and by buying it from Home Depot - so if this is a replacement door, check with the Home depot in that part of Florida and see what they have available for that application.
John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP
Senior Member
Username: bunzick

Post Number: 902
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 08:24 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

To Jerome's list, add Monroe County (the Keys).
Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP
Senior Member
Username: lazarcitec

Post Number: 553
Registered: 05-2003
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 08:33 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Actually Jo your best bet is to call the building dept in the municipality, there are other building departments in the state that will only accept Miami-Dade County Product Approvals...the bottom line is the CBO of each municipality makes the final decision on what is acceptable or required.

Remember that on Oct 1, 2007 the code changes again and so may the rules.
Jo Drummond
Senior Member
Username: jo_drummond_fcsi

Post Number: 22
Registered: 06-2007
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 12:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Thanks everyone. This is for my sister, who lives in Brevard County, in Malabar, scene of the recent fires. Fortunately she is not affected. We'll check the codes there.

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration