Steel Entrance door -- plastic moulding/glass retainer

[SQLit]

I seriously doubt that you will find the molding anywhere but the manufacture. I do not remember steel doors on residential 30 years ago. My guess the doors are of a much later manufacture.

I bought some steel French doors from Lowes. Same basic construction as you describe. I decided since I did not want to cut the block wall for the doggie door. I would take out one of the vent windows next to the door, the width was perfect. I located the manufacture and asked if they would custom build a side light for me... NO was the answer. I asked if they would sell me a side light window.. "HELL NO was the answer. We are in the business to make door sets we do not sell parts and pieces". I asked to speak to the management. They hung up on me.

Good luck, might be time to consider a front door replacement.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Our house has double steel entrance doors with large areas of glass. What I thought was simply a wooden trim moulding around the glass and was cracked turns out to be some kind of hard plastic that is held in place by screws through a similar moulding on the inside of the door. Together these mouldings hold the glass in place.

I have no idea who made the doors. Is this moulding likely to be some standard item that I can buy somewhere and cut to length, or do I have to track down the door manufacturer (if still in business)? The house is about 30 years old, and I assume that the doors are original.

Perce

[William.Deans]

Greetings,

Have you considered removing the trim and somehow using glue to fix the crack? There are glues which are stronger than the original moulding if you use them correctly.

Hope this helps, William

[Colbyt]

They might be original. They were being made and sold then. I actually recall seeing them on a house built about 1970.

Today the glass sizes are standardized on 32 and 36" doors. You might be able to use a molding from another door but I tend to agree with SQLit it will most likely be easier and just about as cheap to change out the doors. Parts if you can find them will most likely be about 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of new prehung doors. The weather striping is also better on the more modern version.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

On 09/05/05 06:23 pm ameijers tossed the following ingredients into the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

OK, I found the name: they are "Pease" doors, the company is still in business, and they do sell replacement rims (as they call them). However, they recommend replacing the whole glass/rim assembly, and they are not cheap: $199 each for plain glass, whereas ours are somewhat fancier.

Although the glazing does seem to have leaked (moisture sometimes evident between the layers), I think that as an interim measure I will follow the other guy's suggestion and just try gluing the old (t)rims back together -- and use a good caulking compound when I put everything together again.

Perce

[ameijers]

In most cases, they actually hold the glass in the door, not just hold it in place. If it is a name-brand door, any glass shop or Real Lumberyard (not a big-box) should be able to order a replacement. If you can remove the whole window assembly and carry it in, that would be easiest. Just tape a piece of cardboard over the hole. As to brand of door- look on hinges, look for foil sticker on bottom of door, look on threshold rub strip. Some are labeled, some are not.

aem sends....