Making a Dutch Door From an Old Door
Have on old door waiting for something special? This is it! Come see how to transform it into an amazing Dutch Door.
No old door? See our tutorial on how to build your own a Dutch Barn Door or this one on how to build your own sliding barn door.
Upcycled Door to Dutch Door
written by Karla from It’s The Little Things
Last March I was lucky enough to spot a “Free Stuff” pile just outside of our neighborhood. And in it, was a solid wood, 8 panel door.
I thought it was perfect.
Will thought I was crazy.
But he knew if he didn’t help me load it into the car that I would do whatever it took to get it in there myself. So, reluctantly, he helped me load the door, and it became mine!
You can read all about it, along with my original plan for the door, here:“Look What I Found”. And see all the readers’ opinions on the door here: “Your Opinions On The Door”
So what did we end up doing with it?
Related Reading: 100 Ways to ReUse Old Doors
Well, here she is…
Not only did we cut out the top four panels and replace them with glass, but we turned it into a Dutch Door and I could not be happier with the end result!
The process was a bit tricky. We weren’t entirely sure how well the door would hold up to cutting out panels and sawing it in half, but luckily for us, it was in great condition.
How to Make a Dutch Door from an Old Door
DIY Dutch Door Step 1: Cut away the panels…
Since we wanted glass on top, we carefully removed the middle panels on the top half.
See also: How to Install a Glass Window in a Hollow Core Door
Dutch Door Step 2: Cut the door and new doorknob
We sawed the door in half to create the Dutch Door…
…and also added a new doorknob.
Dutch Door Step 3: Add the Ledge
We added a ledge onto the bottom half of the door. The original door was a few inches shorter than the doors in our house, so we had to fill that gap. Nothing a simple 2×4 couldn’t fix…
Dutch Door Step 5: Add Glass Panels
Originally, we thought we would use plexiglass to create the windows in the top half of the door, but the more we thought about it, we knew that we could find a piece of glass that not only suited our aesthetic, but one that would make the door that much more unique.
We headed to Tacoma and found the coolest glass shop. My only requirements for the glass were that it let every bit of possible light through and that it have texture.
We settled on a piece of glass called “Falling Rain”. You get the picture – a little streaky and bubbly. I decided to flip the glass sideways so that the streaks run from side to side, instead of top to bottom.
The glass fit perfectly and we held it in place with a bead of silicone…
Will cut strips of wood to frame in and secure the glass on the back side of the door…
Note: If you are working with a hollow core door instead of solid wood, read How to Install a Glass Window in a Hollow Core Door
Dutch Door Step 6: Finishing Touches
We stained the ledge on the bottom half to match the glass trim pieces and also re-positioned a small piece of hardware that was on the door when we first picked it up. I have no idea what it was used for, but it’s old and aged and I like it!
We also added a sliding lock on the back of the door to keep the top and bottom together, when wanted.
I was giddy when it was all said and done!
And 8 months later…I still am!
It lets light into our hallway, which was what I had always wanted. What is the point of having a window in a bright, light-filled laundry room if you never, ever see it anyway?
Now, we see the light!
I definitely owe Will a big, huge Thank You for helping me make this happen!
And, for the record, he loves it too. 🙂
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plus 100 Ideas for Old Doors to reuse and upcycle doors!
Originally published 12.28.2010 // Updated 04.18.2020
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