Introduction: Building a Modern Entry Door

By Youtube: Maker Dad DIY
About: I'm a software engineer, and in my free time, I enjoy creating engineering prototypes, woodworking, playing music, and exercising. I'd love to share my knowledge and projects with everyone.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the structure of the door and demonstrate how to build it step by step. I'll also share the CAD design file for those who are interested.

  1. Sketchup CAD model

Supplies

  1. 1x6 boards
  2. 1x4 boards
  3. Miter saw
  4. Table saw
  5. Stain & sealer
  6. Polyurethane
  7. Impact driver
  8. Orbital sander (or just sandpaper)

Step 1: Construct the Main Structures

For inspiration, I took from a similar design I saw on another YouTube video. Here’s how to build this door, which consists of three layers: an inner layer and two outer layers.

1. Inner Layer:

Use 1x6 boards, joining them side by side to create a large panel of the desired size. It's crucial to join them without gaps to prevent air leaks. If you're using boards purchased off the shelf, their edges are typically very straight from factory cutting, so you can simply clamp and glue them together. Otherwise, you can use a jointer or a table saw to join the boards. If you're unsure how to do this, search for 'how to join boards' on YouTube.

You can also use tongue and groove boards, which ensure there are no gaps in between. 

Notice, it’s best to Stain or paint the inner layer at this point, otherwise, it will be more difficult to do so once the entire assembly is complete.

2. Outer Layer:

  1. Cut the boards to the desired size, and paint or stain them as well. construct a boundary frame, 
  2. Cut the boards to the Y-pattern. You have to do some calculations to get the angles right. Or, I’ll show you a method to do it in place, without needing any calculation.

Once the boards for the outer layer are cut to size and painted/stained, sandwich the inner layer with glue and screw. 


Step 2: Construct the "Y" Pattern

The beauty of this door is in its color and pattern. To construct the "Y" pattern, there's a way to figure out the angles to cut "in place" without needing to calculate the angles.

Watch this section of video to understand the method in action.

Step 3: Install the Door Knob

Since this custom door is thicker than a standard door, which typically measures 2 inches thick, you’ll need to make some adjustments to install a standard door knob.

  1. Mockup and Adjustment:
  2. Create a mockup of your custom door and test the door knob installation.
  3. To accommodate the standard door knob, use a router to create a shallow recess in the door where the knob will be installed. Then, use a hole saw to cut the necessary holes.
  4. This step is crucial to ensure a proper fit for the standard door knob on your custom door.
  5. Drilling the Holes:
  6. Obtain the drilling template that came with your door knob. Follow the instructions carefully to drill the holes.
  7. You’ll need a hole saw, a spade drill bit, a screwdriver, a chisel, and a tape measure for this task.
  8. Drill the holes according to the template to ensure a precise installation.

Watch this separate video I made for this step specifically

and that’s it for this guide! You’ve now built and installed an entry door with a custom door knob. If you found this guide helpful, please follow me for more DIY and Maker projects. Thanks!