We put in Jeld-Wen doors throughout our house when we did a big reno about three years ago. Honestly, I was kind of nervous because you always hear mixed stuff about door brands, but so far—knock on wood—they’ve held up better than I expected. The finish on the front door still looks good even after a couple rough winters (we’re in the Midwest, so it gets nasty). I did have to adjust one of the hinges last fall because it started squeaking, but that was a five-minute fix.
I know some folks complain about drafts or hardware issues, but for us, it’s been pretty smooth sailing. Not perfect, but I’d probably buy them again if I had to do it over. Anyone else actually happy with their Jeld-Wen stuff? Or am I just lucky this time around?
I’ve put in a fair number of Jeld-Wen doors for clients, and honestly, your experience lines up with what I see most of the time. The finish tends to hold up decently—especially if you stay on top of any little dings or scratches before winter sets in. Sometimes the weatherstripping could be better, but it’s usually an easy fix if you notice a draft early. Hardware is a mixed bag, but nothing catastrophic. I always tell folks: even the pricier brands need a tweak here and there after a couple seasons.
That matches up with what I’ve seen. I put in a Jeld-Wen for a mudroom entry a couple winters back—finish still looks good, but I had to swap out the original strike plate after it started sticking last fall. Weatherstripping was a bit thin, too, so I just replaced it with a heavier-duty strip from the hardware store. Not a big deal, but yeah, they’re not totally maintenance-free. Even the higher-end doors I’ve installed usually need some kind of adjustment after a year or two, especially with our freeze-thaw cycles.
That lines up with what I’ve run into, especially in areas that see a lot of temp swings. Even well-installed doors just seem to need a bit of tweaking after a couple seasons—strike plates, weatherstripping, sometimes even hinges. I wouldn’t call it a flaw in the product so much as just reality with wood and composite materials in this climate. Honestly, I’ve had similar minor issues with Therma-Tru and Masonite too. Nothing’s truly maintenance-free, but sounds like you handled it the right way.
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the little tweaks over time. Our back door needed the weatherstripping replaced after the first winter—nothing major, just one of those things you don’t think about until you feel a draft. Still, overall, they’ve held up better than some of the older doors we had before. I guess Midwest weather just puts everything to the test eventually.
That’s interesting about the weatherstripping—funny how those little details only get your attention when the wind finds its way in. I’ve got a 1960s split-level and swapped out the original back entry with a Jeld-Wen about eight years ago. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical at first, given how much the climate here swings from humid summers to those bitter, dry winters. The old door would swell and stick every spring, then shrink up and leak cold air by January.
With the Jeld-Wen, I’ve noticed it’s definitely more stable dimensionally. The frame hasn’t warped, and it still closes flush even after all these freeze-thaw cycles. But I did have to replace the sweep at the bottom after a couple of years—it started to tear where it meets the threshold. Not a huge deal, but I was surprised since I expected it to last longer. Maybe that’s just par for the course with modern materials? The finish has held up better than I expected, though. No peeling or fading, which is more than I can say for my neighbor’s door (not Jeld-Wen) that started bubbling after one winter.
One thing that’s been on my mind: insulation value. I know these doors are supposed to be pretty efficient, but when we had that polar vortex a few years back, I could still feel a faint chill near the bottom corners. Not sure if that’s just inevitable with any exterior door or if there’s something I could tweak further. Maybe adding a storm door would help, but I’m not wild about the look.
All in all, it’s been an upgrade over what we had before, but I wouldn’t call it maintenance-free—more like “less hassle.” Midwest weather really does expose every minor flaw eventually... sometimes feels like you’re just playing whack-a-mole with drafts and leaks.
I hear you on the “less hassle” bit—definitely not maintenance-free, but at least it’s not the constant battle it used to be. I put in a Jeld-Wen fiberglass door on my 1978 ranch about six years ago, mostly because the old wood one had turned into a sponge every spring and was rotting out at the bottom. I was hoping for something that wouldn’t warp or swell, and so far, it’s held up better than I expected. The finish is still decent, just a little fading on the south-facing side, but nothing major.
Funny you mention the sweep tearing—mine did the same after maybe three winters. I chalked it up to all the salt and grit that gets tracked in, but maybe it’s just a weak spot in the design. Replacing it wasn’t hard, just annoying since I thought it’d last longer too.
About the insulation: I get a little cold air sneaking in at the corners when it’s really brutal outside, like single digits or below. I tried adjusting the threshold and even added one of those adhesive foam strips for a while. Helped a bit, but didn’t totally get rid of the draft. I’ve thought about a storm door, but honestly, I’m with you—the look just doesn’t do it for me, and I don’t want another thing to clean.
One thing I did notice: when I swapped out the old door, the rough opening was a bit out of square (thanks, 1970s framing). I shimmed as best I could, but I wonder if that’s part of why there’s still a little air movement down there. Maybe it’s just one of those things you can’t fully fix unless you rebuild half the wall.
Midwest weather really does put everything to the test. Sometimes I feel like I’m chasing leaks and drafts from one season to the next, just like you said. At least with this door, it’s not every year... more like every few years. That counts as progress, right?
I get the appeal of ditching storm doors, but honestly, they’re underrated for energy savings. Even if you don’t love the look, a decent low-profile storm door can cut drafts way more than foam strips or threshold tweaks—especially with older, out-of-square frames. It’s not just about blocking wind; the extra air gap acts like insulation. I was skeptical too, but after putting one on my 60s split-level, my entryway stopped feeling like a freezer in January. Not saying it’s perfect, but it made a bigger difference than I expected. Sometimes function beats form, at least in Midwest winters.
Can’t argue with Midwest winters—drafts find every crack. I’ve put in a bunch of storm doors for clients with older homes, and it’s wild how much warmer the entry gets. Ever notice any condensation issues between the main door and storm? Sometimes that’s the only headache I see.
Ever notice any condensation issues between the main door and storm? Sometimes that’s the only headache I see.
That’s a solid point—I’ve definitely seen condensation crop up, especially when folks keep their interior humidity high in winter. Sometimes it’s just a little fog, but I’ve had one client with actual puddles between the doors. Usually comes down to how tight the storm door seals and if there’s any venting. Still, I’ll take a bit of glass fog over those icy drafts any day... older houses are just full of surprises.