My old door made me snore and sneer. Not only was it a boring brown (to match the trim of my house), it was also beat up (photo 1). Its paint was peeling, and the 1/4-in. oak-panel veneer was cracking.
At first, I wanted to replace the door with a fiberglass model that would need far less maintenance than wood. But the cost was far more: My round-top door would require a custom replacement that could run $4,000.
This required serious thought. (Funny how thoughtful and creative we get when we’re short on money.) Except for the veneer, the rest of the door was in good shape. I figured I could replace and refinish the veneer, a project that wouldn’t be difficult and would save almost $4,000.
But then my creativity kicked in. I remembered seeing a beautiful door that was dressed up
with thin oak strips running lengthwise. So with materials I bought at a home center for about $200, I gave my dilapidated 80-year-old door a distinctive new look. All it took was lengths of oak
door-stop molding and trim pieces nailed on top of new veneer. Here’s how I did it.
Click here to view the Grand Old Entry pdf, complete with photos and step-by-step instructions on how to refurbish your front door.