Custom wood front doors in Boulder

What front doors suit Boulder houses?

Boulder's housing runs from early homes in and around its historic districts to the postwar houses built as the city grew. Boulder has ten local historic districts, Mapleton Hill among them, designated in 1982 (City of Boulder), and more than 225 individual landmarks, though fewer than 3% of the city's properties are designated (City of Boulder).

A survey commissioned by the city describes Boulder growing from 12,958 residents in 1940 to 72,000 by 1972, with new homes built as Ranch, Split-Level and Bi-Level houses in subdivisions such as Martin Acres and Table Mesa. The same survey found that replacement windows and doors were the most common minor alteration on Split-Level, Bi-Level and Semi-Custom Ranch houses (City of Boulder postwar survey, 2010).

• In a historic district or on a landmark, the door is reviewed by the city, and the design has to suit the house. A scale drawing is the natural way to show it.
• On a postwar house, a new front door is one of the most common changes. A flush or plank door with a long pull, or a door with small offset lites, suits the low lines of a ranch or split-level.

Which rules apply to a front door in Boulder?

Three sets of rules can apply, and the city decides each one. This is a summary of what the city publishes, not a ruling on your house.

What does the wildfire code say about doors?

Boulder uses three classes of ignition-resistant construction, depending on fire hazard severity (City of Boulder). In Class 1 and Class 2, the model code says “Exterior doors shall be approved noncombustible construction, solid core wood not less than 1 3/4 inches thick (45 mm), or have a fire protection rating of not less than 20 minutes”, and windows within doors must be tempered glass, multilayered glazed panels, glass block or 20-minute rated (2024 IWUIC, sections 504 and 505). Class 3 has no door section, and Boulder's local amendments do not change the door wording. Whether a particular door meets the rule is the code official's decision.

The city's Wildfire Ready guidance, which is advice rather than code, also recommends “at least 6 inches of vertical noncombustible material at the bottom of exterior walls, doors, and posts” (City of Boulder).

What does landmark review involve for a door?

The city encourages repairing historic doors rather than replacing them, and its review grid marks historic doors on the front of a house for repair, with replacement allowed for non-historic ones (City of Boulder). It warns that “incompatible replacement of windows or doors on a historic building can seriously detract from its architectural character” (City of Boulder). The application needs elevations and the worksheet, there is no fee, approval is valid for one year, and the city says the process takes 2 to 4 weeks (City of Boulder). Check your address on the city's landmarks and historic districts map.

What if my address is outside city limits?

In unincorporated Boulder County the county's rules apply instead. Since July 1, 2026, its R390.4.10 says “Exterior doors and garage doors shall be approved noncombustible construction, metal clad, solid core wood not less than 1-3/4 inches in thickness, or have a fire protection rating of not less than 20 minutes”, and the county applies its wildfire section to “all new buildings, additions, alterations, and repairs”, with listed exceptions (Boulder County Building Code Amendments, 2026).

How much does the sun matter at a Boulder entry?

A lot. Front Range air is dry and south and west faces get strong sun, so which way the door faces and how much roof is over it decide the wood, the finish and the upkeep. Simpson Door Company calls an overhang adequate when it projects at least half the distance from the bottom of the door to the underside of the overhang (Simpson). See how to care for a wood front door.

What does a door cost, and how long does it take?

Cost guides put a basic custom exterior door at about $1,500 to $5,000 and a hand-built one at $5,000 to $20,000, before glass, hardware, finishing and installation. See what a custom wood front door costs and how a custom front door gets built. On a landmark, allow for the city's review before the build starts.

How does a Boulder project start?

1. Check your address on the city's landmarks map and WUI map.
2. Send a photo of the entry, rough sizes, which way the door faces and how deep the overhang is.
3. On a landmark or in a historic district, apply for a Landmark Alteration Certificate with the drawing of your door before ordering.
4. Ask the city whether the job needs a building permit and, in the WUI area, which class applies.

Get a door quote and Sam will reply with next steps and a ballpark range.

Also in Boulder: cabinets

We build custom kitchen cabinets, vanities and built-ins for Boulder homes too. See custom cabinets in Boulder.