DIY Wood Double Front Door

Enjoy a grand entrance to your home without the expense! These easy DIY wood double front doors cost less than half of the quoted price and look just as fabulous.

When building a new home, a large porch with a grand front entry door is on many must-have lists. It's a place to spend a relaxing evening and watching children and pets play. A grand entrance for friends and family creates a warm welcome when there is an inviting atmosphere.

Finding something timeless as well as durable can be a challenge. But solid wood double entry doors fit our modern farmhouse style. However, the accompanying price tag is not in most budgets. A DIY wood double front door was a great alternative both affordable and easy.

Front Door Options

There are plenty of options and different styles to consider when picking out a front door. The kind of door you choose should amplify your home's curb appeal. Here are a few ideas to add some curb appeal when you have a traditional front door or older home.

• single doors versus double door
• modern look or traditional designs
• steel doors
• doors with glass panels
• wooden doors
• fiberglass entry doors
• paint color or stain
• dark or light

Easy DIY Wood Front Door that Looks Expensive

A large entryway with a double door design made of solid wood was going to cost over $10,000. Instead of lowering expectations, I found a way to adjust and still get the type of design desired. But without the costly price tag!

Pick an Alternative Material

To create a great first impression with wood double front doors, you have to find a different option to use instead of the solid wood door. We opted to use fiberglass with an oak grain instead of solid oak. This still provides a wonderful look of wood, but cuts down the price.

Fiberglass can be a great option because:

• It withstands the elements better
• Fiberglass won't warp like wood does with temperature and time
• The lightweight prevents door slamming
• More cost friendly

Also consider which direction your front door is facing. The natural elements can cause considerable damage to some materials.

Add in a Transom and Window

In creating a grand entrance, going from standard size American doors to 8 foot doors can cost at least $2000. However, adding in a transom was significantly cheaper around $150. This is an excellent way to bring the appearance of height.

Transom windows are a good option for letting in a larger amount of natural light. There are a wide variety of styles for these windows. And a transom window definitely embellishes a home's curb appeal.

The local building supply store was able to create the transom.

Here is how our exterior double doors looked when they were installed.

Add in Casing

Encase your doors for a clean exterior finish. The door jamb and surround is encased in red oak to similarly match the fiberglass oak doors.

Staining the Door

Fiberglass doors with an oak grain can be stained with a polish. However, you will have to be more patient when trying to match the other wood grains to the fiberglass.

These wooden doors require utilizing a gel stain instead of a typical wood polish stain. I first used Minwax's Aged Oak Gel Stain on the doors. But this made the doors look really green and the wood pulled in red hues.

We changed it up with 2 coats of Minwax's Walnut Gel Stain to the fiber glass doors to add a touch of red. And that seemed to pull in the hues needed to get the right color combination.

The stain looks so great with the painted exterior too.

Complete with Door Hardware

Make it a high priority to pick front door hardware that will be durable and aesthetically pleasing. Putting on the wrong style of hardware can either make or break your overall exterior home design.

Baldwins reserve line was exactly what we needed for our front door hardware. The clean lines and the satin black add a beautiful touch of elegance. The black pop of color was an excellent choice to tie in to the windows too.

Not only did I use this on my front door, but I used this same collection throughout my home.

These easy DIY wood double front doors really make a statement on the exterior of your home. They are so versatile when decorating. It helps to be able to have neutral coloring that can really go with any decor for each season. And if you have the space to go for double doors or single, pick the double doors for a grand entrance!

If redoing your front doors isn't in the budget, try a front door overhaul to add some needed curb appeal to your exterior.