Dutch Door DIY
I had always wanted a dutch door into my kitchen. We recently purchased a 132 year old grand lady and it had the perfect place that a dutch door would work in. We also had an extra door since I was removing my butler's pantry door to replace with an antique one. We made sure the door would work in the spot I wanted it for and my husband did the rest for me.
This is the perfect look I was going for. A simple day project and a very inexpensive one. Especially if you already have an extra door laying around. Which we actually did. I was removing the butlers pantry door to replace it with an antique door.
After measuring and making sure it was the right fit, we cut it in half. Sanded it down and cleaned it off. My husband had found an antique shelf (walnut) that he found at the local antiques store for hardly anything. That's what we used for the ledge.
We just made sure the door would be able to close with ease and that it wouldn't extend out too much. So after a few cuttings, measuring and making sure it fit, it was installed onto the top of the door panel.
We anchored it in place by screwing it in and attaching some small wood pieces on the overhang for support.
Now we're just in search of a cute antique door knob that will tie off the old look we want.
This walnut shelf piece worked perfectly for this project and it helps give it some great character while helping to support extra dishes if my hands are full.
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I think I would add some stained wood trim under the shelf to cover the small amount of the top half of the door, that remains. But, it’s a very clever project you’ve done!
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Could you not, given the quality of this home, afford an actual, manufactured Dutch door, reserving the DIY aspect to setting the four hinges into the frame designed for three (and latch into frame also otherwise designed)?
Asked, because this project both destroyed a perfectly usable, viable solid wood door—a potential blessing as a donation to a Habitat/other charity home—and because in design and appearance, this finished work is (frankly) awful.
This is not a judgment of the DIY effort, but of its aim. Because this kind of of modification likely cannot be done in any way to give a proper finished look: bisecting a door not designed to be a Dutch door results in unsightly bisected panels, or an asymmetrically bisected center rail likewise disruptive to design.
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I do like this a lot. What about a glass knob? I think Lowe's and Home Depot carry them (new), but not in the regular door knob section.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-Chrome-Glass-Door-Knob-with-Spindle-E-2328/100310175
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/beauty-glass-door-knobs
Where did you find that shelf? I love walnut
I have a knob off of a 1930s girls home here in Tallahassee Fl. I may have to locate it and send you a picture. It’s the simple style with square rod in the middle and the handle screws onto the rod. It’s a true knob has weight like they used to. We have a good bit of history between here and St. Augustine.