Enjoy a grand entrance without the expense! This easy double front door idea cost less than half of the quoted price and looks 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. Creating our own DIY wood double front door for our new home was a great alternative both affordable and easy.
DIY Double Front Door Ideas
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 traditional front doors or older homes.
- single doors versus double door
- French doors
- modern look or traditional designs
- steel doors
- doors with glass panels
- solid wood door
- fiberglass entry doors
- paint color or stain
- dark or light
How to Create an Easy DIY Wood Front Door that Looks Expensive
Larger entryways like the one we were considering with a double door design was going to cost over $10,000. Instead of lowering expectations, I found a way to adjust and still get the type of grand entry doors desired. But without the costly price tag!
Pick an Alternative Material
To create a great first impression with double doors, you have to find a different option to use instead of a wooden front door. Because I wanted the wood look for my exterior double doors, we opted to use fiberglass with an oak grain instead of solid oak. This still provides a wonderful look of wood, but is a great way to cut down on 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 exterior door is facing. The natural elements can cause considerable damage to some materials.
Add in a Transom and Window
In creating a grand entrance for our double front doors, 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 a popular choice 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. If you really want to change things up, you can opt for decorative glass or a contemporary design in the large glass panels.
The local building supply store was able to create the transom. Here is how our exterior double doors looked when they were installed.
Front Double Door Ideas: 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 solid fiberglass doors.
Staining the Door
Fiberglass doors with an oak grain can be stained with a polish. However, you have to be patient when trying to match the other wood grains to the fiberglass, because this can be a trial and error process.
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 wood tones 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 for your contemporary front doors. 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 to the overall style. 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.
Add Some Accessories
Don't forget about adding a few accessories to really make your exterior wood doors sparkle. Here are a few suggestions to make the front look of your home pop:
- Use welcome mats or layered rugs in front of your door
- Door wreaths are always popular
- A fun chandelier or light fixture will draw attention to your front doors
- Greenery
- Bench or seating
- Keep the area clean of cobwebs and dirt
These easy DIY wood double front doors really make a statement on the exterior of your home. They are so versatile when decorating, especially with our double front door wreaths too. 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 a single entry door, pick the double doors for a grand, wider entrance!
If redoing your front doors isn't in your price range, try a front door overhaul to add some needed curb appeal to your exterior.
Happy DIYing!
Brooke
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