Fiberglass Door Question

rcayard7

I have a wood exterior door I would like to replace with a fiberglass unit. The door measures 32x93, It's not your usual size so I thought I would just order the door itself and install on existing jambs. The question I have is, can I chisel out the hinge areas like you would do on wood doors. I have no experience working with fiberglass doors.
Thanks Rich

Ron6519

This would not be the way to go. If your're upgrading the door, do the prehung unit. The weatherstripping on a prehung unit is much more effective and neater then some applied aftermarket material.
Depending on the house exterior, you might be able to change the opening to a current standard size instead of ordering a special size at a premium price. Maybe order a door with a transom to take up the extra space on top.
Ron

rcayard7

There in lies the problem, The house is stucco. I don't feel like tearing into that. Besides I can order a (door only) for around 300 dollars. The other option is Home depot for a pre hung and all for 900+. I'm wanting fiberglass because the old wooden door is prone to rain water being blown on it and the bottom rotting out.

Ron6519

Standard Door with transom?
By reducing the height you would be filling in the space not tearing into the stucco.
You could do it your way, the hinges would just be mortised into the fiberglass door to line up with the current frame.
Ron.

rcayard7

Thanks for input Ron, so I could just use a chisel on fiberglass like on a wood door?

Ron6519

On a fiberglass door, it's just the door skins that are fiberglass. The perimeter frame is wood, just like the metal doors. You will be chiseling the wood frame for the hinges and drilling the wood frame for the latch assembly. You will cut through the door skins for the lock. Under the fiberglass skins, there will be a wood lock block.
It's like a fiberglass sandwich, with the fiberglass as the bread, and the wood as the turkey.
Ron

rcayard7

Ok, great! thanks for the use of your Cranium cells wise one.