I have a solid wood entry door installed by the previous owner of the house. However, it doesn't match the mid-century style of the house and it doesn't have any windows; making the front entryway very dark. I would like to go back to the style of the home without breaking the bank.
I'm interested in a simple flush slab door in solid wood with a few narrow windows (lites). Like the door in the picture. I've looked at a few manufactures that make doors like this but the quotes I've got are all $1400-1700 range. This is quite a bit more than I was hoping to spend.
I was wondering if there is a DIY solution. I'm going to be painting the door so I don't need a beautiful stain grade finish. Can I get a 1 3/4" thick plywood sheet cut to size, install hinges, bore holes for the handles and cut out squares to install the glass lites? If 1 3/4" plywood doesn't exist can I laminate two or three sheets of thinner together with screws and/or glue? The door is under a carport and we live in a relatively mild climate but it will be subjected to some rain/freezing so I wan't something that will survive.
Best Answer
It is of course possible for an individual to make a door that provides a normal level of performance. The probability that a person without knack for or reasonable experience performing finish carpentry is, however, rather low.
To perform to a normal level, a door needs to fit within a tight tolerance and maintain dimensional stability without twisting or warping. Typically, doors which are not manufactured in a factory are fabricated in a professional carpenter's workshop. It's not really a do it yourselfer's project given the standard to that appears in the photograph.
As an alternative, a used doors from local building recyclers are a reasonable option if a person is patient and diligent. Modifying an existing used door is another option that requires less specialized knowledge.