
We haven’t had a front door for the last year. Surprisingly the necessity for a front door has been low on the priority list. Between demolition, building a new staircase, installing a new kitchen, framing new walls, Lisas master closet, new floors, plumbing, electrical, etc. I’ve finally found the time to design and build our front door and entrance. Easier said than done.
Watch our favorite method for exiting our home above.
Lisa has been patiently waiting for the plans and build to reach a conclusion. There is light at the end of the tunnel. The door is built, entry plans are being finalized, the glass is ordered, demolition is in progress, and like the ladder we used before we had a staircase, the window will be a distant memory.
Here’s a few moments from the design/build.

Bottom of door with interior handle.
Exterior Handle
I have the best assistant.
The door is built out of walnut and the handles detail contain brass. The entire door is fabricated using mortise and tenon joints and contains no metal fasteners like screws or nails. I built custom clamps to square and squeeze the door joints together during assembly.
The handle side of the door is a single 16″ wide piece of solid walnut. I bought the piece 6 months ago in anticipation of highlighting the walnut grains as much as possible. The door is almost 8 feet tall by 6 feet wide. I am using an offset floor pivot hinge and a zero threshold floor entry. The door was sanded to a super smooth 1,000grit and finished with Liberon finishing oil and an exterior satin top-coat.
Stay tuned for the final install and full reveal of our front entrance!
-Jeff
Beautiful! Looking forward to the finished piece!
Thanks for taking a look and stay tuned.
Can’t believe it’s the same house!
We love you Shawn!
Can’t wait to see the finished work!
Please keep doing these updates! My husband & I gutted and renovated our 100-year-old house this year and love hearing others’ stories. What other home improvement blogs miss is contained in this post: DETAILS & love of the craft.
Totally dig it & am impressed… especially about the joinery on the door. Super cool & I’d love to hear more 🙂 I made my husband watch the video of you guys jumping out the window & we were cracking up thinking of all of those sacrifices you make without thinking about it. A year later and you realize how nice it is to have interior doors! 😉
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Appreciate it
Jeff, your second cousin here. I found you on Instagram and an very intrigued with your wood work. It’s beautiful. I grew up doing finish work with my father and enjoy working with wood. I would love to take it to the next level and create a custom piece out of hardwood. May pick your brain one day. Keep posting.
Dave Holland.
Hey Dave! Thanks a lot for reaching out. Contact me anytime. Contact info at http://www.bearhorndesign.com