Where to find better quality pre-hung entry doors?

[Marty Tippin]

I replaced two entry doors in our house when we moved in 4 years ago and, not knowing any better, installed pre-hung metal doors from one of the Big Box stores (I believe they were Jeld-Wen brand). In the time since they were installed, the jambs on both doors have rotted to the point that I can almost push a finger through the jamb. (Yes, I painted them shortly after installation and caulked according to the instructions). So now I need to replace the doors again and obviously, I'm not intending to go back for 2 more of the same shoddy doors...

Where does one find decent quality pre-hung entry doors these days? Local millwork shops? Lumber yards? Can the Big Box special-order doors that are better quality? Is there a national brand

I'm not inclined (primarily due to time constraints) to build my own jambs.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Jambs shouldn't rot unless they are getting very wet, and staying wet.
I'd be concerned about where the water is coming from.

Both big box stores and lumberyards can special order, but usually only from the brands they deal with.

[Mel Fulks]

The metal doors should still be ok. I would re use them . Get some fir to make new frame and treat the bottoms with copper naphthalate ,do the sill ,too. Make your own rehung units ,it's not like you can't make em as good as they did!

[George Skinner]

Get "Therma-Tru" doors with the rot resistant frames. They have 6" to8" of composite material for the bottom ends of the jamb sides. Have never had a problem with one. I am a remodeling contractor and that is the only type of exterior doors I will use.

[Marty Tippin]

Get "Therma-Tru" doors with the rot resistant frames. They have 6" to8" of composite material for the bottom ends of the jamb sides. Have never had a problem with one. I am a remodeling contractor and that is the only type of exterior doors I will use.

Looks like Lowe's carries a line of Therma-Tru doors, but I'm guessing they're the typical quality-sacrificed-to-hit-a-price-point junk that litters the big boxes.

Do you buy yours from a local dealer?

[Jim Dwight]

I would be tempted to make jambs too but if I did, I would use southern yellow pine. In our last house, we had to repair the finger jointed jambs but it was spotty and always a particular species of softwood. If they would just use pine, the jambs would hold up a lot better. I had to use a contractor who just used an epoxy kit to repair the rot.

I put a Masonite brand full view steel door in our current house. I did not pay a lot of attention to the jambs (the tear out didn't go well) but they are thick. The weatherstripping also seems to be high quality. I'm pretty pleased with the door but I just put it in. The jamb I removed was rotted on one corner even though the door is under a porch roof. The threshold under the jamb was also rotted in the same place so I replaced that with pressure treated. I'm hoping that plus careful caulking with good urethane caulk will let this hold up.

[Martin Wasner]

Jambs shouldn't rot unless they are getting very wet, and staying wet.

Gerry nailed it. You've got a problem larger than just the jamb getting wet. Something isn't flashed correctly and you're letting water in that shouldn't be.

[Phillip Mitchell]

+1. A door jamb will only rot in that amount of time if it's staying wet, which probably means the rough opening wasn't prepared properly, the door wasn't flashed properly, silicone wasn't applied properly, or perhaps some combo of all of that. I would try and isolate the water problem before thinking too much about new jambs.

[Rick Fisher]

I am actually in that business, we own a pre-hanger shop.. There is no way those Jambs would rot out in 2 years unless you have a water problem or installation problem.

The doors sold at the box stores are cheap. If you want nicer stuff, you will probably need to go to a door shop, but I think your rot problem is gonna repeat..

[Jim Andrew]

When I was in the construction business, several times I built my own exterior jambs. Put caulk between sill and jamb, and the top and sides, and caulk before you install the trim. Also, caulk behind the trim when you install the door. If there are any cracks left between trim and siding caulk them as well. I would build my jambs from cedar or white oak, matching the house of course, to get as much life as possible. Also use a piece of flashing on top of door frame. behind the siding.

[Phillip Mitchell]

Seems like a no-brainer, but I'll throw it out there anyway. It's also crucial to have whatever house wrap you have installed above to be properly lapped and taped on top of your flashing above the door. This is what helps the flashing do its job and kick the water out away from the jamb.

[lowell holmes]

I replaced the exterior jambs in our house with quarter sawn white oak. They have not deteriorated at all. They are 5 years old.

[mreza Salav]

as others have said, the jamb shouldn't rot unless you have serious water problem. You can make a jamb yourself and re-use the door but before that find out the root cause of the problem as others have said.

[Wes Ramsey]

I agree with the others - if it gets wet and stays wet this will happen. I've had 2 door over concrete pads with no gutters and the splash gets them wet and they stay wet because they're in the shade. My shop door is in pretty bad shape for that reason - shaded, constant rain splash and no gutter.

[Mel Fulks]

Our front door stoop actually sloped toward the door, several times during hard rain water started running into house in the middle of night. Got up threw all the dirty laundry ...and some clean ,down to soak up the water and went back to bed.
Eventually we put in new stoop slab and mahogany sill running entire stoop width, good flashing etc. Complete fix to some of these door things can be expensive.