Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Almost all doors, whether it is wood, fiberglass, or steel, can be cut out to have a glass insert added. If your door has raised panels on it, the overall width and height of the panels will determine what size insert you need. You can email us a picture of your door or bring one to our showroom and we can usually tell what size insert your door needs. Please see our How to Measure Your Door handout for more details. We can also send one of our installers out to measure your door to confirm dimensions

Many people add glass to their door for the additional light. It can really open up the entryway to your home. It is also one of the very few things you will do to your home that you can enjoy from the outside AND the inside of your home. Many clients only think about the additional street appeal … however you normallly spend most of your time inside your house and a beautiful decorative glass will become a huge focal point for your interior design!

We have over 150 “Standard” designs to choose from. These are pre-manufactured to the standard insert sizes. You cannot change any of the options (glass choices or caming color), however they will be at a lower price point than the custom inserts. We also specialize in making anything custom that you want! You can take a standard design and change the size, caming color, privacy, etc. or we can design something completly unique for you!

We have a very large selection of inserts to choose from. Many of them are very private and will still allow the same amount of light through compared to clear glass.

If you are adding glass to your existing door, you have the choice of purchasing tempered safety glass (standard) or upgrading to hurricane impact glass. While tempered safety glass has been heat-strengthened and is very durable, when something hard hits it at a high speed, it can shatter (similar to the side windows of a car). Hurricane impact glass is a laminated piece of glass with a plastic inter-layer (similar to the front windshield of a car). Hurricane impact glass CAN break, however the inter-layer will keep the glass together which keeps the opening protected. Hurricane impact glass will not only offer hurricane protection but it also can increase security from intruders as well as help reduce sound transmission. The standard tempered glass will usually cost less than hurricane impact glass, however we recommend if you do not opt for hurricane impact glass that you have some type of protection in case of a storm. (We do also offer a easy-to-install shutter system called DoorShield that slides over the door in the event of a storm and does not require any pre-drilling.) 

If we are adding an insert to your door, the installation will usually take about an hour per door (and 1/2 hour for a sidelight). Your doors will be taken off the hinges and cutout right on site. In a very short time your doors will be completely transformed!

Many times a door that may not be aesthetically pleasing will actually be structurally sound for cutting out and adding an insert. With the new glass and a fresh coat of paint, the door may look brand new, without the cost of a new door. On the other hand, there may be good reason to consider replacing your entire door unit. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider a door replacement:

1. Your jambs are rotten or warped.
2. The door does not fit properly or close properly.
3. Your door is older and not to the current hurricane impact codes or energy codes.
4. The door is no longer aesthetically pleasing.

With our standard and custom glass options combined with our many fiberglass and iron door options, we take pride in having the largest selection in SW Florida. Our well-trained installers are very knowledgeable and will advise you on the best option based on your needs.

NO! We believe in a very high standard of quality when it comes to our product and installations. We have very experienced, well trained, installers that work only for Glass Design.