How long does a steel exterior door last?

You can expect a steel exterior door to last 30 to 80+ years, with an average of 50 years. The primary factor that affects lifespan is weather exposure. A door that is under little or no roof overhang will corrode sooner, especially at the bottom third of the door. Salt air exposure near the ocean is also detrimental, while maintaining a protective paint coating and replacing gaskets and weather stripping as necessary will extend life.

    Here’s a bar graph comparing life expectancy of a steel exterior door to other doors in a house.
   Go to our blog post What is the average lifespan of the parts of a house? for rating of other house components. To understand the basis, potential use, and limitations of lifespan ratings, see How accurate are the average life expectancy ratings of home components? Are they actually useful? 

    Also, we recommend How many exit doors are required for a house? and Why is a double cylinder deadbolt lock on an exterior door a safety hazard? and What is the building code for fire resistance for exterior exit doors of a house? and What are the code requirements for safety tempered glass for doors?  

  To learn more about doors and windows, see these other blog posts:

• Is every exterior door of a house required to have a landing outside? 

• What is the raised metal plate on the floor under the garage door?

• Why do I have to hold down the button to close the garage door? 

• Why is the garage door track a white tube? 

• How can I tell if a window or glass door is safety glass?  

• Should a front door swing in or out? 

• How many exit doors are required for a mobile/manufactured home? 

• Can a bedroom door open into the garage?

• What are the building code requirements for a door from the garage to the house?

• What is "low-E" window glass? 

• What does ANSI 297.1 on glass mean?

• Why is a double cylinder deadbolt lock on an exterior door a safety hazard? 

• How can I check my garage door to make sure it is safe?  

• Does a home inspector test all the windows and doors in a home? 

• How difficult is it to change a window to french doors or a sliding glass door?

• How do you determine if a door is left-handed or right-handed?

• Why are window security bars dangerous? 

• What is the tempered label on glass at windows and sliding glass doors called?

• Why is pressure washing double pane windows an expensive mistake? 

• How can I tell if a window or sliding glass door is double or triple pane (insulated) glass?

• Do I need to have two exterior exit doors in my house? 

• When is safety glass required for windows at stairs and stair landings?

   Visit our DOORS AND WINDOWS and LIFE EXPECTANCY pages for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles. 

NOTE: These life expectancies are based on data provided by InterNACHI, NAHB, FannieMae, and our own professional experience. Because of the numerous variables that can affect a lifespan, they should be used as rough guidelines only, and not relied upon as a warranty or guarantee of future performance.