Front Door Mistake...

12 years ago

We are nearing the end of building our new home and I'm pretty sure I have made a strategic mistake with the front door. The windows on that side of the house all flood light into a guest bedroom and bathroom but not so much into the main living area. I chose a beautiful fiberglass door that has been stained a dark walnut. There is a transom over the top but no glass in the door or sidelights flanking the door. I think I missed an opportunity to bring light into the main area by opting for solid. It's a 3-panel door with one large panel and 2 smaller ones at the bottom. The the door company says that it is fairly easy to cut out the larger panel and install glass on site. Our builder says that can be done but he worries about any damage to the stained finish as it will not be easily concealed.

So our options are to live with the current door as is, purchase a brand new door with glass or opt to have glass installed in the existing door. I have attached a photo of the door WITH glass in it for reference.

Anyone have any experience or recommendations for us? Thanks in advance...

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (10)

anitaladyrose
12 years ago
If it were me, I would go ahead and put glass in the door. I love natural light! I'm glad you mentioned this. I will be sure to plan windows on either side of the door and a transom. Best of luck
Naf_Naf
12 years ago
Unless you live in the south, the best option is to buy a new door. Think about the benefit, and now is the best time to do it.
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ILoveRed
12 years ago
How much of an investment do you have in the door and how much will they charge to modify the present door?

If it's a fairly inexpensive door..go for it. What do you have to lose? If they ruin it, you may just have to replace the door.

However if it's a 3-5k custom door, I think i would be tempted to live with it.

It depends on how much you are willing to spend/risk to get that light.
suzanne_sl
12 years ago
Much as I would like the light, I would have security concerns. We live in a neighborhood where we often don't lock all the doors, but even here I would have hesitations about a "walk through" front door. Could you add a skylight/solatube?
rubyclaire
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks all - I am waiting on prices but I think it will a few hundred dollars more to replace the door rather than insert glass. Not a huge difference - but would also involve repainting and restaining so that might add a little more. This is by no means an expensive custom door - Therma Tru Fibercraft Mahagony or something like that.

And we do live in the south naf_naf for what that's worth. (Other than the beautiful winter we have had :))

I have thought about the security issues and don't have any real concerns. It's a fairly rural, gated community - not that that is any insurance but minimal risk. Our current home has a large sidelight that makes it pretty easy to get into and I have been comfortable with that for 20 years.
musicgal
12 years ago
If you are gated, glass it up! I would always do solid doors in urban areas now, with a jonny-bar because of home invasions- but, if you are rural, sell that door on ebay or craigslist and light up your world prismatically.
rubyclaire
Original Author
12 years ago
The estimates came in and it is pretty reasonable to install glass in existing door ($400) or replace door ($700). It will take about 4-6 weeks to come in so we will have closed by then. Our contractor thinks we should live with it for a bit once everything is done and see how we feel. I'm pretty sure I won't change my mind, but since it cannot be done before closing, I don't see the harm in waiting a bit.

Thanks for the input - helps me think through the pros and cons!
farmhousegirl
12 years ago
Ha! That door is the exact door we are looking at (with glass)! I would do the glass if you aren't worried about the security. I agree, if you have sidelights, then security is an issue anyway. We are not doing sidelights either and I have gone back and forth with solid or glass...but am going with glass. Good luck.
rubyclaire
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks farmhousegirl - I'd be intersted in knowing which glass you chose. That's my next decision!
annkh_nd
12 years ago
This is OT, but for those of you who don't want glass in a front door for security reasons - do you have bars on your windows?

If someone was going to break into my house, they would more likely go in a bedroom window or the patio door, out of sight of the neighbors, than through the front door where neighbors and anyone driving down the street could see them.