Most dog lovers know what it’s like to greet a guest at the door with two excited pups scrambling at their feet, trying to break free. That’s exactly what spurred homeowner Lori Spiak to begin pricing out Dutch doors for her North Tustin, California, home—until she found they cost nearly $3,000 and weren’t even the style she wanted.
How to Make a Dutch Door
Acknowledging that it was a risky move, Lori decided instead to cut her existing wood front door in half, just above its two large lower panels. Before taking it down, she installed a fourth hinge to support what would become the door’s upper portion and added an extra dead bolt. Then she laid the door flat, made a jig using clamps and scrap wood—as she had seen Norm Abram do on TOH TV—and made a straight cut with a circular saw, despite never having used one before.
One important detail when converting a door: the cut creates a gap between the top and bottom halves that needs to be sealed against drafts. On Ask This Old House, Tom Silva addressed this by installing tapered centerpieces—one on the top of the lower section and one on the bottom of the upper section. As he explained, “When you open the top door and you bring it in, it’ll separate the two and create a little bit of a gap. As they close, the gap will become tight, sealing the air.”
Exterior Dutch Door: Before
With both halves of the door rehung, she added a decorative ledge on the exterior and weatherstripping and molding on the interior to conceal the seam. Then she concealed the screw holes and touched up the existing paint. Lori is thrilled that she took the leap.
“I feel much more hospitable now that I don’t have to talk to my neighbors through a crack in the door,” she says. “Most important, the dogs are safe.”
Like many dog owners, Lori knew the daily struggle of greeting guests with two excited pups scrambling at her feet, trying to break free. That frustration is what first sent her shopping for Dutch doors for her North Tustin, California, home—only to discover that off-the-shelf options were expensive and didn’t suit her taste.
Exterior Dutch Door: After
DIY Dutch Door Costs
- Installed a fourth hinge to support what would be the upper portion of the door $5
- Purchased a dead-bolt jig and added a second dead bolt $30
- Crafted a poplar shelf using a router with a 1/2-inch roundover bit and corbels detailed with a 1/4-inch Roman ogee $7
- Attached the shelf using wood screws to conceal the seam on the exterior, then covered the holes with wood plugs $8
- Hid the seam on the interior with weatherstripping and molding $8
- Added a slide latch on the inside to join both halves of the door together $5
Total $63
For More: How to Create a Dutch Door
