Craftsman Entry Door

Of all the architectural styles to choose from for your home, the look that arose from the Arts & Crafts movement is one of the most enduring. The entryways of these homes were often adorned with the no-nonsense elegance of what’s known as the Craftsman style. The well-proportioned parts that make up the door you see here are a perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. You know — less is more.

But you can’t live on understated looks alone. A lot of thought and planning has gone into making this solid-wood door. So outfitting it for a graceful life in the outdoors, as well as indoors, is the next concern.

You have to keep in mind the stress and temperature trauma that this elegant barrier has to go through when guarding your home from the elements. Equipping the light openings with insulated glass is a wise decision. As for a wood that would be worthy — white oak seemed to be the clear choice. It doesn’t have to be quarter-sawn, but take your time selecting the material. What you see here is a standard 36" x 80"example of an entry door. If that size works for you, then lets get building.

Making the STILES & RAILS

The bones of an entry door, like most cabinet doors, are comprised of stiles and rails, as you see above. Here though, the scale is much larger. So different factors are in play, starting with wood selection.

As I mentioned up front, white oak is the wood of choice for this project. When shopping for the wood