Does anyone have experience with any quality exterior door source?  These would be thermally broken steel framed, insulated doors that would look good in residential?  They need to have expandable jambs so they fit well with very thick walls like ICF construction, double stud, rigid foam sheeted, etc.

Maybe something with steel jambs that can be wood wrapped to finish?

No experience on steel jamb doors, huh?

Maybe something with thermal breaks?

Why do they have to be steel jambs?

Security.

Posted By ICFHybrid on 27 Dec 2013 01:39 AM
Security.

Do you have any windows where these doors are being installed?

I had similar thoughts about selecting doors but found no readily available options.  Then I realized that there is a window less than 6' from my exterior doors.  If someone wants inside and the door doesn't open easily, then they can just come through the window.  So, I just went with standard wood jamb doors. 

No. Not one big enough to get through. Same reason.

ICF - mostly, is the door that is the weak link. You can use a wood frame with larger striker plates that can be screwed through into the concrete. Also you can get wrap around reinforcements for the door where the dead bolt sits.

http://www.boltbuddy.com/

http://kickproof.com/

You can get commercial steel doors that are filled with insulation (fire rated) but you still have the conductivity around the edges.

Another way is an open wrought iron decorative door installed in front of a regular insulated door. If your house is at all Spanish looking this would be great.

Just saw some great looking and built security doors at a show in NOLA last week. The brand was "Padilla" made in Spain I believe and distributed by Tamlyn here in the US.

Where can I learn about good doors for ICF homes with insulation + security? Thanks.

The brand was "Padilla" made in Spain I believe and distributed by Tamlyn here in the US.

Looks promising. Unfortunately, too late for me. I gave up and used commercial steel. There are some with thermal breaks, but I couldn't get enough information on them in time.

Seems like there would be a business opportunity specializing in solutions for homes with thick walls.

Posted By ICFHybrid on 10 Nov 2014 09:13 PM


Seems like there would be a business opportunity specializing in solutions for homes with thick walls.

True, but I guess there is so much variability in the thickness that it makes standardizing the dimensions almost impossible.

Try your local Building Supply house. Mine will make prehung doors with extra heavy jams. If you have a different wall thickness, the will build it with the Jams to whatever width you want. Add the metal Jam supports if you keed extra kick resistance, but most doors can be bashed open with a sledge hammer anyway. Cheers, Eric

there is so much variability in the thickness that it makes standardizing the dimensions almost impossible.

The obvious solution would be to have products in which the depth could be varied. There would be a thermal break solution in there somewhere, too.

If windows can be innies, middies or outies, why must doors have full jambs?

Posted By FBBP on 11 Nov 2014 08:23 PM
If windows can be innies, middies or outies, why must doors have full jambs?

They don't have to, but it just makes the installation a lot easier, as well as the connection to exterior finish and interior drywall.