Interestingly enough, front door replacement is the fastest, best and easiest way to automatically increase the value of your home. However, choosing the right type and material is key in this fast equity fix. For your home, the front door is it’s face. Maybe even it’s smile, more specifically. It is one of the first things that you or your guests will notice when driving up to you house. That’s why choosing the perfect front door replacement is so important to the curb appeal of your house! Not only that, but it must be able to withstand rain, snow, sleet, hail and scorching sun. It may seem like an easy feat, but for many front doors, it’s too much to ask. In this article, we will go over your front door replacement options and what the pros and cons might be for each style and material – typically fiberglass, steel, and wood. Most combine several materials; for example, many fiberglass and steel doors have wood frames. But it’s the surface material that most affects appearance, durability, security, and price.
Front Door Replacement Materials:
Steel doors are probably the most popular options for front door replacement, for several reasons. The first is that they are the least expensive. However, premium models can cost nearly as much as a solid wood door. Steel doors are durable, more secure than wood, and will never warp, twist or crack. They hold up well in the elements. Generally, the interior features a steel or wooden inner frame filled with insulating foam, resulting in a door that provides as much as five times the R-value of an ordinary wood door. However, for all their durability, steel doors are vulnerable to dents, and if the painted skin is breached by a scratch or severe dent, it can rust. It’s also not a good idea to combine a steel door with a storm door; heat build-up between the doors can cause the surface to peel.
Steel and fiberglass doors typically have more insulating value than wood doors. Models that are Energy Star-qualified must be independently tested and certified, and often boast tighter-fitting frames, energy-efficient cores, and, for models with glass, double- or triple-panel insulating glass to reduce heat transfer. But you may not save as much as you think, since doors are a small part of the surface area of a house and typically don’t allow significant amounts of warm air to escape. What’s more, heat is generally lost through air leaks around the door, not through the door itself.
Wood doors are the most common option in front door replacement. Versatility and beauty are where this material really shines. There are hundreds of varieties of natural-finish stock and custom wood doors, which come in oak, cherry, walnut, mahogany, maple, fir, and pine. You’ll also find paint-grade doors in several softwood varieties, such as pine and western hemlock. Many stock wood doors are a sandwich of wood-veneer skins over an engineered-wood core. This configuration minimizes the expansion and contraction that cause warping. At about $200 or so to start, they’re a low-cost alternative to solid-wood doors. Look for tough, furniture-grade veneers at least 1/16 inch thick; anything thinner damages too easily. When shopping for prefinished wood doors, look for durable stains and clear finishes, such as polyurethane. High-gloss sheen offer the best protection for painted doors. Whichever finish you choose, apply it to the top and bottom edges. This helps prevent a wood door from absorbing moisture and swelling. Also look for careful detailing. As a rule, the more intricate the carvings and moldings, and the thicker and wider the stiles and rails, the better the door. The same goes for panel thickness. At Builders Surplus, we have a HUGE selection of solid wood doors that can be pre-hung for you. Aluminum doorsare relatively new to the market and share many of the same advantages as aluminum siding, like a baked-on enamel finish that never needs repainting and won’t rust. There are literally dozens of styles and colors available, including wood finishes. You can also combine an aluminum door with a storm door without fear of the hazards of heat build-up. The main drawback of this type of front door replacement is that, like steel, aluminum can dent, and since they are usually built to order, aluminum doors are more expensive than steel. Fiberglass doors are much more resistant to damage than steel or aluminum and can be made to mimic genuine wood. However, they come free of the drawbacks. These doors can be painted or stained any way you choose; in fact, they should be repainted every five years or so, making them slightly higher-maintenance than steel. Beneath their molded surface is a framework of wooden stiles and rails, including wood edges for the lock set. Voids in the framework are filled with polyurethane-foam insulation. Fiberglass-composite doors carry long warranties and are smart choices for humid climates. As far as styles are concerned, there are hundreds to choose from, but the main variations will be in windows or engravings. You can find rectangular doors, arched rounded doors, single or double doors. Obviously, the more light that you would like, the more windows you should choose, but too many windows can be somewhat of a privacy issue. You can find window panels to go on each side of your door that offer a nice alternative. You can also find a door that has a separate top and bottom piece. This acts almost as a window. You can have the bottom closed and the top open for some fresh air! At Builders Surplus in Louisville or Newport, our front door replacement options are endless! We offer virtually every style and material that you could be looking for. Our selection is far to large to put on the website, so come on in and take look around! Our sales associates will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
So many people think that sliding barn doors only work with the rustic look. That they’re something that would come out of say, a barn. But that simply is not the case! As a company that sells doors and sliding barn door hardware, we’ve seen a ton of combinations! We’re here to show you that sliding barn doors come in many shapes and sizes, in every style that’s out there! No matter what your flavor is, you can incorporate this hot trend into your home with ease.
Spectrum of Style with Sliding Barn Doors
Rustic:
This one is what most people expect from sliding barn doors. The rustic look works very well with an unfinished knotted pine door or reclaimed wood put together. We love the rustic look, and the unfinished doors work perfectly because you can stain them however you like to get the look just right for your home. Pair it with black hardware for the best look.
French Country:
To get the french country look with your sliding barn doors, opt for a painted finish. Half glass achieves this look very well, as shown below. French country is about simplicity, fresh, clean colors, and natural materials, like wood. Black hardware would also work best with this style of sliding barn door.
Contemporary:
Contemporary style is all about pushing the boundaries. Mixing materials and media in your decor is what it’s all about. Because of that, you can get a little bit funkier in your door choice! I love this rough, live edge wood slab that they used in the door below. It is definitely a statement piece. You can opt for chrome or black hardware for a contemporary sliding barn door.
Traditional:
Traditional sliding barn doors can be more simple. A full view french door will work perfectly for a traditional look. You can paint it, stain it, or leave it natural, the choice is up to you! Chrome or black hardware would be appropriate for a traditional sliding barn door.
Modern:
Modern sliding barn doors need to be sleek. The white five panel door below is a perfect choice, complimented by chrome sliding barn door hardware. You can also go with a glass door with no grids. This is a very clean look, with crisp lines and a minimalistic vibe.
Eclectic:
Eclectic style is one of my favorites. You can use unique doors, fun patterns or bright colors (or possibly even a combination of the three!) and create a space that is perfectly you. Eclectic style always seems to brighten my day. For eclectic sliding barn doors, I would recommend painting your doors bright colors, or finding something very unexpected to use in place of a door! Black or chrome hardware can be used to pull off the eclectic look with sliding barn doors.
Old World:
This style has to be my favorite. It is so reminiscent of centuries past that it just makes me nostalgic for petticoats and powdered wigs. Maybe Italian sculptors. It probably depends on the door. Look for the oldest door possible, with as much architectural detail as you can find. Clean the dirt off, but don’t worry about the rust or freshening up the paint. That’s where the charm lies! Black hardware is probably the best choice for old world sliding barn doors.
What’s your favorite style of sliding barn door? Would you ever put them in your house? Let us know in the comments below!
Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We are the leading provider of Ledge Stone, wall tile and backsplash tile in Louisville, Newport, and Cincinnati. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation!
Today, we’re going to dig a little deeper about an interior design feature that is oftentimes overlooked. But I’m here to tell you, it shouldn’t be. Now, you may be scratching your temple, asking me, “why or how?” The answer is nearly quite obvious when you think about in a different perspective. So here it is. Are you ready? Okay. Picture the place you live in at the moment. The living room, dining area, bathrooms, even closets. Now, picture it again, but this time without any interior doors. Weird, right? Something is obviously wrong with that visual. Everything is eerily open, and your mind wants/needs to put something there for a multitude of reasons.
One of the main job of any door is that it gives people that necessary sense of privacy. After all, it’s your home, and you should live comfortably in the space you’ve created for you and yours. With that said, and the image of a doorless house held tight in the confines of your mind, wouldn’t you want to fill that space with something that just doesn’t act as a barrier, but that visually compliments your interior design in its entirety? Yes! You’ve seen it for yourself, the importance of an interior door. So in turn, their design should reflect the significance. And, boy, let me tell you. These transitional elements can do wonders for the look and feel of a home. It’s a simple upgrade that absolutely should not go overlooked.
Traditional Interior Doors
Pictured above is a standard, six-panel interior door. This is the more traditional approach, most commonly found in newly-built homes. Builders install these doors due to its standard look, and the mere fact that they are the most common type of interior door around. Now, I’m not knocking this design at all! There’s a legitimate reason for its simple design. It’s solid core, for example, is mainly for sound control. But I’m here to tell you that thinking outside of the box (in this case 6 of them) can make for one heck of an upgrade, one you surely won’t regret. All for the same price of a standard door. So, you must ask yourself why pay for an ordinary something when, for the same price, you can plant that exclamation point and make a statement! So let’s look at some other designs and see what best suits you and your home, shall we?
Rustic Interior Doors
Rustic interior doors are so suitable for the country-style home. I mean, look at them. I think it’s the aged look that really sets this style apart from the others, and it’s wondrous what a stain color can do to knotty pine wood. My favorite of these three above, is most likely the last one here. It’s that Old Hickory stain accompanied by the crisp-white casing and door trim that reveals that look of The Old World. Mesmerizing. Affordability: Like I said, this look is all about the kind of wood your door is made of. Good thing for you, it’s not expensive at all! You can get a Knotty Pine Interior Door from us right now for only $99.99. That, along with a pint of stain, and there you have it! The look of the Old, in all of its glorified elegance.
Modern Interior Doors
Talk about pure sophistication. Modern interior doors ooze of elaborate design. This interior door style epitomizes the statement I made before about a door being able to meet an entire room’s design. Take a good look at the picture above and the material of the trim. Metal. Another modern design element that just ties the door and the room together. Brilliant. Complexly brilliant. Also, just because a door doesn’t look ultra-modern, doesn’t mean you can’t exemplify that look. The first two pictures epitomize that statement. Affordability: Classic white paint with a modern design is an easy and extremely inexpensive look to pull off. You can knock an entire floor out with some Surplus Doors and a couple gallons of paint. Make your weekend project simple, in effort and in savings.
I urge you to go against the grain when it comes to interior design. Don’t settle for things to “just be okay,” and instead dare to defy the norm and accentuate your house the way you want to! As I’ve explained, something that is usually glanced at has the potential to become a beautiful element throughout your entire house. If you were pleased with some of the designs you saw here, please feel free to take a look at what we have at Builders Surplus! You can do so here.
Builders Surplus is a full service renovation company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, kitchen design, bathroom remodel, building materials, and home improvement. Interior Design and measurements come as a free service to our clients. We sell building materials ranging in every price point, from unfinished kitchen cabinets to top of the line Wellborn cabinets. In addition to interior design, we also offer installation services. If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. We love sharing our knowledge with clients & potential home renovators. We write about interior design, home decor, decorating ideas, and home improvement. We hope you’ll check back in for our next article! Happy Renovation! Written by: Chris Chamberlain
*If you do not see the youtube video directly below, refresh your browser to view.
DIY Rustic Door Shelf Tutorial
Hi everybody! Today we are going to do a really awesome how-to. I’m going to teach you how to take an old door and turn it into a leaning door shelf. This is a project that most of you can do on your own, but if you aren’t comfortable with using a circular saw, find someone who is familiar with it that can help you out on that step. The rustic and vintage styles are very popular right now. This is mainly because of the sense of warmth and comfort that these pieces bring to our homes. The feeling of history that comes with a piece like this is absolutely priceless. Up-cycling is another great trend that no only helps to save money, but helps our environment as well. Let’s get started!
The door I used for our door shelf comes out of out of our surplus selection. The great thing about our surplus doors is that you never know what you’re gonna find! We’ve got some really great interior and exterior doors out there and I happened to come across this beauty. It is an old 5 panel, solid wood door with an imperfect finish on it. It is perfect for this project, so I’m excited to share it with you!
Tools You’ll Need for Your Door Shelf:
Here are the tools that we’re going to need today. We have a circular saw, we’ve got some small screws, 2 picture hanging kits, some decorative chain, a nice decorative door knob that I got from Hobby Lobby, some clamps, a straight edge, and a level. We also need our safety glasses and ear plugs for when we’re using the circular saw. Safety First! You will also need a drill, a hammer and a chisel.
5 Panel Wood Door
Circular Saw
Safety Glasses & Ear Plugs
Clamps
Straight Edge
Level
2 Picture Hanging Kits (You Can Use Eye Hooks As Well, If So You Will Need 10)
Decorative Chain
Decorative Door Knob
Drill
Hammer
Chisel
Small Screws
Step 1:
Decide Where To Put Your Door Shelf and Take Measurements
First, you are going to take a look at your door and determine where you want it to be in your home and how far you’ll want it to lean. Because you will be using the panels of the door as shelves, you need to realize that the top 2 shelves will need to be cut, or they will hit the wall, making it impossible for them to lay flat. You will need to measure the space from the wall to the door on the top 2 panels (maybe 3 depending on how your shelf is leaning). For me, my top shelf was 3″ from the wall, and my second shelf was 6″ from the wall. The rest of my panels were fine at the size that they were.
Step 2:
Cut 3 Sides of Each Panel in the “Lip” Area With Circular Saw
The next step in our Door Shelf project is to cut out these panels on the back side of the door. Once you have decided which side you would like to be facing out in your home, find a table and flip the door with the back side facing up. This is where you are going to need your circular saw. Again, if you are not familiar with a circular saw, find someone who is to help you out. Make sure you are wearing your eye and ear wear when using the circular saw. We are then going to measure from the blade to the edge of the saw. For me, that is 5 3/4″. I will then place the saw on the spot that I’ll be cutting, and will take a measuring tape and measure 5 3/4″ from my cutting area. I then mark that spot with a straight edge and 2 clamps. This area is called “the fence”. This will ensure that I get a straight cut, as the circular saw will move along “the fence” while I’m making my cuts.
Panel doors such as this will have a “lip” area around the panels. This is to hold the panels in place, as they are not glued or secured in. They simply sit in slots inside on the wooden “lip” surrounding the panel area. Because of this, we will only need to cut out 3 sides of the panel, because once your 3 sides are gone, you will be able to pop and slide the panels out. Be very careful when cutting, but if you happen to go a little too far on your cuts, it is not the end of the world. The beauty of projects like these are that the imperfections make them beautiful. You will cut the bottom lip and the left and right side of each panel “lip” on all 5 door panels.
Step 3:
Chisel Out The “Lips” and Pop Out The Panels
Now that your 3 lip sides are cut, you will need to chisel them out completely to make sure your panel can come out as easily as possible. Take your chisel and place the flat side up against the door, not the panel area. Take your hammer and get it down to the bottom of the “lip” wood, and then pry any remaining pieces out. After you’ve done the sides, make sure you get in the corners and tap those out as well. Repeat that process for the remaining panels.
Step 4:
Drill Holes for Your Chain & Pre-Drill Screw Holes For Your Door Shelf
*In my project, I had one panel break in half that mysteriously was the perfect size for my top 2 panels (step 1) of my door shelf, 3″ and 6″. Because of this, I did not have to cut any panels to fit the measurements in step 1. I doubt you will have the same luck, so you will need to take your saw and cut one of your panels to fit those measurements, using the same procedures in step 2. We are now going to drill our holes to secure the shelves. First, you’re going to take a 3/8 bit and drill holes in the top left and right corner of each panel. On the opposite side of your panel, take a 1/8 bit and drill a hole about 1/2 inch from the edge of the panel in the center. Your final holes should be in a triangle shape on your panel.
Step 5:
Connecting your panels to your door
Your door should still be face down on a table, which is how it should remain. Take your first panel with the side with your single 1/8 hole in the center, and place it in on the ledge, straight up, on your door. You should then take a screw and LIGHTLY drill it into the center hole you predrilled to secure it to the door. This screw should NOT be tight. This is because our self is leaning. If you screw it in tightly at a 90 degree angle, your shelves will not be level to the floor. After you have lightly screwed your shelf in place, you will need to get out your decorative chain. Take one end of the chain and thread it through the first hole, going from the top of the shelf to the bottom, then across the bottom and up through the hole on the other side. Take your chain up to the corner of the opened panel area so estimate how much chain you will need for each shelf. You will not know exactly where to secure the chain, because again the door shelf is leaning. Cut your chain based on the amount you assume you will need. You will then take you mirror hooks (or eye hooks). Drill in your left mirror hook and connect the chain to the loop. You will go ahead and screw in the right mirror hook, but do not connect your chain to it. You will need to adjust these chains when your shelf is straight up. Repeat this step on all remaining panels.
Step 6:
Connecting Your Chain & Finishing Your Shelf
After all of your shelves are lightly secured and have chain threaded & mirror hooks attached, you will carefully stand your shelf up and lean it as it will be in your home. Now that you can see where you need your selves to sit in order to be level, take the side of your chain that you did not connect, and connect it in the appropriate place to your remaining mirror hook. Repeat for the remaining panels.
Step 7:
Adding Decorative Accents
The decorative accent I chose to use for my door shelf was a vintage style door knob. It had 2 holes in it already, so I simply drilled it to the spot where a door knob would be, one screw in the top and one in the bottom. You now have a beautiful, original, rustic or vintage piece that will work wonderfully as a shelf! This is a great conversation piece and the pride that you have in building it will shine through in the finished product. You will want to make sure you test each shelf before placing really heavy items on it, but it is a strong shelf and will work for virtually anything you want to put on it.
My Finished Rustic Door Shelf
That’s all for our how-to on building a rustic, leaning door shelf! I hope you enjoyed it, and please check back soon for other great how-to projects. If you have any how-to video requests, please comment below and we’ll be happy to add them to our list! Have a wonderful day and I wish you luck in building your iwb door shelf! Builders Surplus is a full service remodeling company with locations in Louisville, Kentucky, and Newport, Kentucky, which also serves Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in interior design, which comes as a free service to our clients. We sell building supplies ranging from unused surplus, to first quality in stock, to high end custom order and everything in between. We also provide measurement and full installation services. Our core products consist of kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities (single vanities and double vanities), interior doors, exterior doors, sinks, faucets, granite countertops, quartz countertops, laminate countertops, windows, and more! If you have any questions or would like to set up a free design consultation with one of our interior designers, we would encourage you to do so. Happy Remodeling! Written By: Allie Bloyd
Sliding barn doors and rustic doors are all the rage right now. And why wouldn’t they be? The rustic or farmhouse style is nostalgic and beautiful in it’s simplicity. It makes you feel warm and cozy inside. I think its something about the smell of fresh cut wood that does it for me. When I first saw sliding barn doors, I knew that I had to have some. I was looking for months for the perfect sliding barn door to put in my house, but some of the prices were way too high for my millennial renovation budget. I have come to be a hardcore DIYer, finding great pieces for a steal and putting in a little sweat equity to make it into exactly what I want.
Easy, Cheap Sliding Rustic Doors
When these gorgeous rustic doors came in at work, I knew I had found the perfect door for my project! This door is the perfect shape, has the beautiful knots that I love so much, and is unfinished, meaning it’s ready to stain or paint it any color that I please! The next step was to find some inexpensive sliding barn door hardware and learn how to install it. I searched for some time and found so many ways to do it. I could buy $350 hardware, build my own imitation $350 hardware (and by I, I mean my talented husband), install them on galvanized pipes (the look wasn’t exactly what I wanted), or be the spend thrift I choose to be and find the $350 hardware for about $100, shown here. This was the look I was going for, and because the knotted pine door itself is so inexpensive (Around $150, depending on the size), I was able to swing it. Now that I had found my hardware and had my gorgeous rustic doors, I could decide to paint them or stain them. I am a sucker for a good stain, so the decision was fairly easy for me. Rustic doors are special in that they don’t usually need paint to be pretty, and as someone who likes the distressed look, a darker stain worked well for me. The stain I used was a mixture of Minwax Dark Walnut and Rustoleum Summer Oak, two of my favorite stains. The dark walnut gives it the deep rich color I was looking for, and the summer oak gives it just the right amount of warmth. I used about 3/4 Walnut, 1/4 Summer oak. For every 2 cups of stain, I add 1 cup of paint thinner. This allows the stain to be more build able and helps you achieve the perfect color you’re looking for. Lastly, I had to install the hardware. I followed this tutorial and it worked out perfectly!
Hardware for Sliding Barn Doors is pretty easy to install.
Before the instructions, there are just a few things to keep in mind before beginning. 1. The door itself should be 1-2″ wider on the side of each opening. 2. Making sure the track is level is extremely important. 3. Are the holes pre-drilled? If not, you need to make sure to locate the studs and drill through the track.
TRACK To start, the track should be twice the width of the door. If your door is 36″, than the track should be 72″, 1. The track will be hung above the door opening, depending on the sliding barn door hardware style and the individual opening, the distance will vary. We recommend 1/4-1/2″ of a gap between the top of the door and the bottom of the track. 2. If the holes are not pre-drilled, locate the position of the studs and mark them on the track. If the track was ordered pre-drilled, you can skip the next step. 3. With a 3/8″ drill bit, drill into the track at the marked locations, making sure to include holes on both ends of the track for the stops. 4. With the holes drilled, hold the track up at the determined height, and place the 1 1/2″ spacer between the track and the wall. A lag bolt will then enter the track, go through the spacer, and enter into the wall. Note: it may be helpful to leave some slack in tightening until all bolts are into the wall. Once all are loosely hung, you may go back and tighten them all the way. *NOTE: The spacers keep the track of the wall at an even length TRACK STOPS 1. The stops are to be placed on each ends of the track. However, they can be placed anywhere along the track if you are trying to stop the door at a different location than the tracks end. 2. Included in your hardware set are 1 3/4″ tap bolts, use those to attach the stop to the track. (You may also use a lag and spacer if the hole location lines up with a stud or you are going into backing.) DOOR The standard set of hardware works with doors of 1 1/4″-2 1/4″ thickness. 1. Stand the door up under the track to find the best location for the straps. The top mount styles won’t require markings on the door, but any style that has straps will require markings. Mark off where the holes in the straps will go. 2. Drill through the door at the markings, a 3/8″ pilot bit works well. 3. Attach the straps before placing the hardware on the rail. Once the straps are securely tightened you are ready to place the hardware on the rail
I am so in love with my new sliding barn doors made out of these gorgeous knotted pine rustic doors. They were so easy to work with, I would recommend them to anyone and everyone. These interior doors can be used in modern space, rustic spaces, and in traditional spaces. We also offer them in 8, 10 or 15 lite french doors, which are gorgeous as well. They are extremely versatile and will morph to fit the needs of your home. For more information on our knotted pine rustic doors, or about building sliding barn doors, feel free to reach out to us! Please like, share or tweet this article, and subscribe to our newsletter to receive more awesome remodeling tips, tricks & special discounts! Happy Remodeling!