Question 1

How much does a custom wood front door cost in Colorado?

Accepted Answer

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, sidelights, hardware, finishing and installation (HomeGuide, checked November 2026). See what a custom wood front door costs.

Question 2

What do sidelights, a transom or double doors add?

Accepted Answer

HomeGuide puts sidelights at $500 to $1,500 or more per side, including labor, and a transom at $200 to $1,000 or more before installation (HomeGuide). Double doors mean two leaves, a sealed meeting edge and heavier hardware. More in the cost guide.

Question 3

What does a carved or fluted custom door cost?

Accepted Answer

Published figures are thin. HomeGuide puts custom pivot doors, and doors with custom carving and sidelights, at $4,800 to $10,000 (HomeGuide). The depth and area of the pattern, the wood and the size move the price most.

Question 4

Why are quotes for the same door so far apart?

Accepted Answer

Because they often cover different work: the door alone or a complete unit with its frame, finished or raw, with or without hardware, glass and installation. Ask every maker to quote the same list. The cost guide has the list.

Question 5

Are wood front doors a bad idea in Colorado?

Accepted Answer

Not under cover. A wood door under an adequate overhang, finished on all six sides and kept up, does well here. In full sun with no overhang it needs refinishing often, and Sun Mountain recommends a non-wood door for openings with high exposure to direct sunlight or moisture (Sun Mountain).

Question 6

What is the best wood for a front door here?

Accepted Answer

Genuine mahogany, sapele and white oak are the strongest all-round choices for an exposed entry, and Douglas fir is the value choice. Quartersawn stock moves less. See the best wood for a front door in Colorado.

Question 7

Why do wood doors warp or crack?

Accepted Answer

Wood swells and shrinks with moisture, and Front Range air is dry: the USDA puts outdoor wood in Denver at 8.0% to 10.5% moisture content through the year (USDA). Dark colors in strong sun make it worse. Construction that controls movement, stable wood and a finish on every face and edge are what prevent it. See custom wood front doors.

Question 8

Solid wood or fiberglass?

Accepted Answer

Wood is repairable, can be made to any size and takes a real wood finish; fiberglass needs less upkeep in full sun. For a sheltered entry or an odd-size opening, custom wood makes sense. For a fully exposed south or west entry with no overhang, a non-wood door is the lower-maintenance choice.

Question 9

What size is a standard front door?

Accepted Answer

36 inches wide by 80 inches tall and 1-3/4 inches thick; Pella's range for entry doors runs from 71 to 96 inches tall. See how to measure for a new front door.

Question 10

What is the smallest a front door can be?

Accepted Answer

For the required exit door of a house, at least 32 inches of clear width with the door open 90 degrees and 78 inches of clear height, under the 2024 International Residential Code, section R318.2 (ICC). Longmont and Boulder both enforce the 2024 code.

Question 11

Can you replace only the door and keep my frame?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if the frame is sound, square and the size you want to keep: that is a slab replacement. If the jamb is soft, the sill leaks or you want a different size, replace the whole unit. See how to measure.

Question 12

How thick should a front door be, and do I need a multipoint lock?

Accepted Answer

1-3/4 inches is the typical exterior thickness, and some makers build 2-1/4 inch doors. For tall or wide doors, Sun Mountain's warranty "strongly suggests multi-point locking hardware to protect against warp" (Sun Mountain).

Question 13

Do I need a permit to replace a front door?

Accepted Answer

Ask your building department before you order. Door replacement is not on the permit-exempt lists in Longmont or Boulder, and neither city's permit page settles a like-for-like door swap in plain words. Details and phone numbers: Longmont and Boulder.

Question 14

Does a wood door meet wildfire rules?

Accepted Answer

In mapped wildfire areas, the state code and Boulder's code allow exterior doors of noncombustible construction, solid core wood at least 1-3/4 inches thick, or 20-minute rated construction. Whether a particular door qualifies is the code official's call. See the rules for Longmont and Boulder.

Question 15

My house is a landmark. Can I replace the front door?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with approval first. Longmont requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for door replacement on a Local Landmark, and Boulder requires a Landmark Alteration Certificate for historic doors on landmarks and in historic districts. See Longmont and Boulder.

Question 16

Will I see my door before it is built?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every door is drawn to scale for its opening before anything is cut. See how a custom front door gets built.

Question 17

How long does a custom front door take?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the door and the maker. For context, RealCraft, a door manufacturer, lists 10 to 12 weeks for entry doors from the signed shop drawing (checked November 2026). See how a custom front door gets built.

Question 18

How much overhang does a wood door need?

Accepted Answer

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). A porch roof 10 feet above the sill should project at least 5 feet.

Question 19

How often will I refinish a south- or west-facing door?

Accepted Answer

Possibly every year in full sun, and far less under a deep porch. Look the finish over every spring and fall and recoat when it dulls or shows fine cracks. See how to care for a wood front door.

Question 20

What do door warranties usually require?

Accepted Answer

Shelter and a complete finish. TruStile's Reserve warranty requires an overhang projecting at least half the distance from the foot of the door to the overhang, and excludes bow, twist or warp in dark-colored doors with high sun exposure (TruStile). Simpson voids its warranty if all six sides are not coated (Simpson).

Question 21

Does altitude matter for a door with glass?

Accepted Answer

It can. TruStile's high-altitude warranty supplement says glass without capillary tubes in products outside its guidelines is not warranted above 5,000 feet (TruStile). Ask how the glass is built for your elevation.

Custom front door questions

Cost