Front doors · Process
From first call to finished door
How long does a custom front door take?
What are the steps?
Eight steps, and nothing is cut until you have approved a drawing of your door.
| Step | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Photos and rough sizes | You send photos of the entry, the rough width and height, which way the door faces and how deep the overhang is. | You |
| 2. Ballpark range | Sam replies with questions and a ballpark range, so you know whether a custom door fits your budget before anyone visits. | Sam |
| 3. Site measure | Sam measures the opening, checks the frame and sill, and notes the sun and shelter at the entry. | Sam |
| 4. Scale drawing and fixed price | You get a scale drawing of your door, with panels, rails, glass and hardware in proportion, and a written price for what is drawn. | Sam, with your changes |
| 5. Deposit | You approve the drawing and pay the deposit, and the door goes into the build schedule. | You |
| 6. Build | Parts are cut on the CNC router from the approved design, then the door is assembled and fitted. | Sam |
| 7. Finish | The door is finished on every face and edge before it sees weather. | Sam |
| 8. Delivery or installation | The door is delivered or installed, depending on what was agreed. | Sam or your installer |
What should I send first?
Five things give a useful ballpark, before anyone visits:
- The rough width and height of the door or the opening
- A photo of the entry from the street, and one up close
- Which way the door faces (south and west faces get the most sun)
- How far the porch roof or overhang projects, and how high it is
- Whether you want to keep the existing frame or replace the whole unit
Our guide to measuring for a front door shows how to take each number.
What does the scale drawing show?
Your door at your opening's size, with the panels, rails, glass and hardware in proportion and the overall dimensions marked. It is the point where the design gets settled: proportions, panel layout and hardware positions are easy to change on a drawing and expensive to change in wood.
What can delay a custom door?
- Design changes after approval. A change to the drawing after the deposit can mean new parts and a new place in the schedule.
- Lumber. Some species are harder to get in wide, clear boards; the Wood Database notes that black walnut board widths “can sometimes be narrow” (Wood Database).
- Glass. Insulated or decorative glass is often made to order.
- Cold weather. Some finishes cannot go on in the cold: Simpson says water-borne clear finishes “cannot be applied below 50º F” (Simpson).
- The opening. Adding sidelights or a transom, or fixing a rotten sill, can mean framing work before the door goes in.
How long do other door makers take?
For context only, not as our schedule: RealCraft, a door manufacturer, lists 10 to 12 weeks for entry doors from the signed shop drawing, plus 1.5 weeks for sidelights or transoms (RealCraft). Cofer Brothers, a building supply dealer near Atlanta that orders custom doors, says custom doors take 4 to 16 weeks (Cofer Brothers).
Questions
Door process questions
What do I need to send first?
A photo of the entry from the street and one up close, the rough width and height of the door or opening, which way the door faces and how deep any porch roof or overhang is. That is enough for a ballpark range.
What will I decide along the way?
The design and panel layout, the wood, any glass, sidelights or transom, the hardware, the finish color, and whether you want the door alone or a complete unit with its frame. The scale drawing pulls those decisions together before anything is cut.
How long do custom front doors take to make?
It varies by maker and door. RealCraft, a door manufacturer, lists 10 to 12 weeks for entry doors from the signed shop drawing, plus 1.5 weeks for sidelights or transoms, and Cofer Brothers, a building supply dealer, says custom doors take 4 to 16 weeks (both checked November 2026).
What can delay a custom door?
Design changes after the drawing is approved, special glass, hard-to-find lumber such as wide boards in some species, cold weather for finishes that cannot be applied below 50°F, and an opening that needs framing work before the door can go in.
Sources
- RealCraft: Lead Times (checked November 2026)
- Cofer Brothers: How Long Does It Take to Get Custom Doors and Windows? (checked November 2026)
- Simpson Door Company: Care & Finishing (checked November 2026)
- The Wood Database: Black Walnut (checked November 2026)
Spindle Woodworks
Ready to start with photos?
Send rough sizes and a photo of your entry. Sam replies with next steps and a ballpark range.