How to Build Doors & Windows

Are you excited to build your first door or window? We have the step-by-step guides to get you started with every kind of door and window. We will get you started with DIY projects, video tutorials, slideshows, and discussion boards, all to help you unleash your creativity while staying grounded in the basics of building.

How to Build Doors and Windows
Step 1: Build your frame
Whether you are building windows or doors, start with a frame. Measure the area the door or window will rest in to determine your dimensions.
Step 2: Add cladding to your frame
Most doors are made from masonite, but you can also use pine. Clad the door with wood panels leaving a block-shaped gap to fit the door handle.
Step 3: Secure your window pane
In the case of building a window, fitting a glass pane into your frame will require beading to support the pane, and putty to secure it.
Step 4: Hang your door
Use screws to secure hinges to the wall and the door. The hinges hold the door in place in its frame, which is built into the wall.
Step 5: Paint your door
Pine and cedar are beautiful if you simply sand and seal the wood with a clear varnish. For a Masonite door, select an oil-based paint.
Top DIY Door & Window Building Projects

You'll find our top door and window projects here. Check them out.

Popular Slideshows for Building Doors & Windows

Check out our slideshows for ideas for your window and door DIY projects.

DIY Door & Window Building Videos

Here is a collection of DIY video tutorials on how to build doors and windows.

Mosaic Stained Glass Windows

I took down the curtains and added two gorgeous DIY mosaic stained glass windows.I know what you want to ask me!"Bryan, did you buy these from a cathedral or pluck them out of my dreams?" Nay, I did not! I made these beauts and you can too!

How to Build DIY Shed Doors in 13 Simple Steps

Your garden shed can be a really important feature of your outdoor space. The perfect spot for storing tools and equipment and keeping your sun loungers and lawn mowers when it’s not so nice outside, it can even double as a small workspace, which means lots of us love having one.But like any wooden structure, sheds are at the mercy of the elements and can commonly experience wear and tear over time. This means that sometimes you’ll need to repair or replace part or all of them, which can prove to be a costly business.Shed doors are particularly liable to ending up damaged. Whether it’s broken hinges, warped wood, or even gaping holes in their exterior, you need to make sure they stay in working order, and one way to do this on a budget is by making new ones yourself.That’s what this tutorial is going to help you do. Easy to build, economical to make, and looking amazing, I’m going to show you how to craft these gorgeous shed doors from scratch in the space of a single weekend.Here’s how it’s done.

Barn Door/Sliding Door Options for Low Ceilings

All of the rooms in my house have 8' or higher ceilings with the exception of one hallway, which is 7' foot(I think they forgot the run HVAC for the two adjoining rooms and had to shorten the ceiling to add it). I had three swinging doors in this tight hallway and felt that it was too many swinging doors. I wanted the main entrance door of the hallway to be a sliding door.I have been wanting to the this project for a long time. But the popular barn door hardware with the wheels on top was not going to work because of the low ceilings. One day I was looking on Amazon and found this Johnson 2610F Wall-Mounted Hardware and it was perfect. 72" Barn door hardware https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Y74R86/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1Suggested Barn door floor guide: (The barn door hardware comes with a cheap plastic one - but I found this much nicer one on Amazon)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CVXDMQ6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1Cost:Barn door hardware - $60.00 AmazonBarn door guide - $13.00 Amazonbarn door handle - $20.00 Amazonnew custom size hollow core door primed at Lowes- $65.003 1x4x8 primed $27.00 - Lowes I had the wood filler, leftover paint, nails and screws on hand.

Constructing Barn Door Cabinet Doors

I have built in bookcases beside my fireplace and wanted to add doors to the bottom section. Using barn door hardware (that I made myself), I knew this would be a easy DIY. You could also do this project to a free standing bookcase.

New Door & Window Building Projects

Looking for the new door and window projects that are trending right now? Enjoy.

Browse Doors & Windows Building Projects
How to Build a Barn Door Yourself
HOW to Add a Window Into a Door and WHY You Should Do It!
DIY Barn Door Tutorial
Pretty Sliding Barn Door. It Slides Behind a Dresser.
Barn Door/Sliding Door Options for Low Ceilings
How to Hang Wood Shutters on Brick
How to Build Board and Batten Shutters
Bedroom Screen Door
Easy DIY Sliding Barn Door With Mirrored Glass
Mosaic Stained Glass Windows
Half Door
How to Make Real Wood Shutters for $30
"Chippendale" Wood Screen Door
Designer Sliding Mirror Bedroom Closet Doors
Build It: Contemporary 4-Panel Barn Door for $50
Add the look of a stained glass window with Faux Stained Glass (FSG) by Made in the Shade...Blinds & More!
How to Destroy Your Fears: Install a Pocket Door
Put Together an Easy Modern Farmhouse Barn Door in Only 8 Steps
Build a Barn Door With a Modern Twist
How to Frame a Doorway for Barn Doors
How to Build DIY Shed Doors in 13 Simple Steps
How to Make a Closet Into a Recess Wall.
Make a Custom Barn Door for Under $50!
How to Build Black Bypass Barndoors for Under $100
DIY Budget Friendly Barn Door Closet - Plywood
DIY Faux Barn Door Room Divider
Industrial Look Barn Door
Wood Shutters
Diy Barn Door
Up Your Home’s Curb Appeal With These Half Hour Cedar Shutters
How to Hide an Ugly Electric Water Tank?
Simple Barn Door Build
Repurposing Doors Into a Sliding Door
Faux Barn Doors
Closet Door Built-In Storage
Barn Door TV Cover
Lattice Cabinet Door
How to Build a Frame Around a Window With A Curtain Box
Super Cheap Closet Doors - DIY
Constructing Barn Door Cabinet Doors
Cathedral Mirror Barn Door Joanna Gaines Inspired
Old Closet Completely Transformed!
Barn Door using a closet track
How to Transform Your Bathroom Window With a Pretty Privacy Screen
How to Make Shutters That Stand Out!
DIY Barn Door
Faux Window Frame With a View
Easy DIY Farmhouse Shutters
DIY MODERN SLIDING BARN DOOR
DIY Sliding Barn Doors Using Glass From Old Patio Doors