Mid century modern front doors can really improve your mid century home’s curb appeal — and we’ve found 14 places where you can find them. My list includes doors made of wood, fiberglass, and steel. And, I spotlight three DIY options to consider, too.
Reminder: As with other products, remember to check with professionals regarding state and local building codes and other such requirements before you order.
4 companies with mid modern front doors made from wood:
1. Simpson Doors
We first spotlighted Simpson Doors when reader Doug tipped us to their midcentury Early American (aka “Cool-onial”) style doors. Several months later, reader Mitch saw that the company also had 9 mid century modern front door styles tucked in their catalog. All of the mid century door styles Simpson Doors offers are made of wood in the USA and can be custom ordered in a variety of sizes, wood species and glass styles. The company also offers many helpful tools such as their door test drive tool and glass taste test and per a comment from reader Kristine this Contemporary Flush door design tool.
2. Frank Lumber — The Door Store:
Frank Lumber has been in business in the Pacific Northwest since 1948 — and they stock eight models of solid birch wood doors, with many available options for customization in different wood species, glass and sizes. The doors themselves are made just up the road in Marysville, Washington, by Kylemont Custom Wood Doors, their partner company. Frank Lumber also prides themselves in giving expert customer service and advice for your door project — however if you are too far away to visit the shop in person, they will ship doors.
3. Rogue Valley Door makes mid century modern front doors:
Rogue Valley Doors offers three styles of handcrafted, made in the USA mid century modern front doors from domestically manufactured components. According to reader Virginia, who tipped us off to this company, prices for Rogue Valley Doors are comparable to other companies we’ve featured — such as Frank Lumber and Simpson Doors.
4. Mai Doors fancy wood mid century door designs
Mai Doors, based in Wylie, Texas, says, “Since 1981, MAI has been making doors of the finest quality Mahogany, Andean Walnut, and Knotty Alder.”
4 companies that make mid century entry doors from fiberglass:
1. Therma-Tru Pulse fiberglass mid century modern front doors:
It was big news a few years ago when we discovered that the very first mass-market door manufacturer — Therma-Tru — had introduced a new line of midcentury modern style front entry doors. The doors are part of their “Pulse” line — which comes in a variety of styles with lite variations — and are available in oak grained fiberglass, smooth (paintable fiberglass) and steel.
Getting a new door of any brand installed can be easy, or not so easy. We wrote about reader Barbra’s super easy experience with her new Therma-Tru midcentury modern front door installation, but also heard the long saga from reader Scott, who initially found it difficult to find someone to install a Therma-Tru door for him.
2. GlassCraft Door Company
Marcia discovered another source for midcentury style fiberglass entry doors. She writes:
I’ve got another manufacturer who has mid century modern front doors: GlassCraft Door Company in Houston, TX. The dealer in Temple where I found these quoted me about $1600 for the 6’8″ Beverly door on p 123 of their catalog, about $300 less than their online price list, so maybe the dealer gets a discount? That’s prehung, with brickmold & hinges, and unfinished, with choice of glass. Doesn’t include installation or handle sets. There are 8 factory finishes available (all wood tones), and 4 glass options. They show 377 dealers across the US. Not cheap, but maybe a good option for some folks.
3. Escon Doors — fiberglass mid century modern doors
Escon Doors jumped on the mid century modern design revival in 2016. It offers 16 different designs, with the door lights varying in number, size, and direction. Like the Therma-Trus, Escon’s midcentury doors also are in fiberglass, which some homeowners prefer for climate reasons. And, they come with matching sidelight options — kind of cool!
4. Builder’s Choice mid century modern fiberglass front doors
You can order three different styles of mid century modern front doors in fiberglass through Home Depot’s website. The doors are made by Builder’s Choice and are available pre-finished in a handful of colors — including candy-apple red and skylark blue. Depending on the chosen features, these doors retail for between $599-$959.
5. MMI fiberglass doors
Mid century doors in steel:
1. Home Depot steel mid century doors by MMI — four designs:
It’s been my experience over 12 years that hotlinks to product on Home Depot and other large stores change a lot. So if this link doesn’t work, use their search box to get to mid century style steel doors from MMI. I see four designs — swinging right or left — in a prepainted lollipop rainbow of colors.
3 ways to DIY your own mid century front door with Door Lite Kits:
1. Make It Midcentury door light kits:
Make It Midcentury is the newest player in the market for door lite kits, and they have an expansive, super stylish set of offerings. Indeed, I count 69 — yes, 69! — different exterior door lite styles. If you are an individualist who wants a front door with next to zero chance of looking like anyone else’s in the neighborhood, this company and its options are for you!
2. ODL door lites
Emily tipped us to this company, but it took me a while to figure the company out. It makes door lites. Check the materials they are framed in — I think it’s fiberglass, but check. See the diagrams above — find a retailer, and you can order the door lights and install them yourself or have a contractor do it.
- Go to “Spotlights” collection for the mid century modern sized door lights.
- ODL main website, including where to find retailers
3. Make your own, affordable midcentury door lite kits
Inventive reader Sarah — owner of the fabulous Gilbert Spindel designed round house — shared the steps she used to make her own mid century modern front doors using a plain wood slab door and her local glass shop. For just $30 — she did her own carpentry — Sarah was able to make the door above, a perfect complement to her 1964 home. Note: Get with your local building inspections department to ensure the glass and other materials you are using meet building codes. See more info below on what Therma-Tru told us about safety glass.
- Read our coverage on how you can make your own DIY mid century front doors
Find vintage mid century modern front doors:
1. Search out vintage mid century front doors:
And of course: You can always seek out vintage, salvage midcentury front doors. I see them at my ReStore quite often, and as I recall, they typically cost $40 or less. Thing is, ya gotta get the fit right, and I am not an expert on issues related to current life safety codes — that is, do old doors meet today’s building codes, fire codes, etc.; on this, get with your own properly licensed professionals to assess what you are dealing with so that you can make informed decisions. For example, see the info below from Therma-Tru about today’s requirements for safety glass.
— Safety glass and the “blaze” issue, —
Note: Glass on new doors lites may have a “blaze”:
We also want to add this learning: When Scott bought his Therma-Tru door, he discovered that each pane of glass on the door had a watermark that he found distracting. We asked the helpful team at Therma-Tru about this, and they explained:
….By federal law, safety glass must be used in doorlites and sidelites, no matter who the door manufacturer may be. This same law requires that each individual piece of glass must be clearly marked with a visible code number. This is generally called “the blaze” within our industry and is required as a federal safety regulation. Most manufacturers also choose to put their company name on each glass panel.
While this coding is not required on most windows, it is required on every individual piece of glass within a door and/or sidelite. When the glass is larger or has a decorative design, the blaze is not very visible. However, when the glass pieces are smaller and/or completely clear, the blaze does tend to stand out a bit, as Scott has experienced.
We understand that Scott has replaced our glass, and we’d like to suggest that he make certain that the auto glass installed meets the federal safety regulations, both to comply with the laws and for his family’s safety. He can check on this with the person who supplied the glass, or look for the code numbers on each pane of glass.
Finally, we want to thank Scott for his feedback. We are committed to providing the best product possible and appreciate his comments as we continue to look for ways to improve our products.
So note, dear readers: It sound like, no matter where you buy a new door like this — no matter who the manufacturer — you’re going to get a watermark “blaze” on each pane of glass… although the manufacturer’s logo may or may not also be on there, depending on their practice.
It’s great to see the growing number of options for front doors. Cuz, as they say, you only get one chance to make a good first impression!
Pheebee says
Has anyone ever seen a door with four lites in the shape of a sunburst in the upper corner? We have one and I’m curious about it… I’d add a picture if I knew how.
Chuck says
HELP!…? 🙁 I come back to this site every year or so and try to figure things out. — I’m in the twin cities – Minnesota — I want a prehung flush slab door with a single sidelight – fir or oak… I’ll stain it. (36″ door, 18″ sidelite – total is about 60″ x 84″ rough opening.) — I want to add a sidelite kit myself. I want “quality” without spending a million dollars. I’ll do the labor. — WHERE do I go to order something like that????? I don’t see anything online. – Thanks
pam kueber says
Ya got all our ideas in the story above. Alternatively: Start going to your ReStore Habitat for Humanity every week to see what comes up.
Chuck Heller says
But – isn’t there anywhere to order a new door that fits that bill? – prehung blank/flush door – built to size?
pam kueber says
I don’t recall from all the stories – you need to go through them and then directly to the manufacturers’ sites to check, as all the product lines change over time.
Susan E Halla says
Chuck – if you check any of the kits on our website, there is a link to a page that lists all the major places to buy the flush exterior doors. HTH!
Darra says
Hi there !
I’ve been looking to replace my BACK kitchen door ! all of our doors in our house have glass on top AND bottom with a separator in between. The kitchen door however has a window on top that opens! and the previous owner removed the glass in the bottom and replaced it with ugly wood and a LARGE dog door ! I’ve been trying to find something that will match the rest of the doors in our house, but I’m having a really tough time.
pam kueber says
Do you have a Dutch Door? Can you post a photo somewhere to show what you are talking about?
Darra says
It’s not a ” Dutch ” door meaning it doesn’t split open in half. But all of our door have two ” lights ” one full one on the top one full one one the bottom. So basically all of our exterior door are glass. With the exception of the back kitchen door in which the top half is a full window which can actually be opened ( slid down ) and on the bottom the previous owner replaced the glass with cheap wood and put a large dog door. I am sure that this door actually used to match all of our other doors, but I’m not having any luck finding anything even close. I’m happy to post a picture… how can I do that ?
Darra
pam kueber says
Is it like this? I think readers added comments about where you may be able to find replacements – https://retrorenovation.com/2016/11/30/susans-vintage-wood-doors-sliding-six-pane-windows/
Barbara says
I have the first door in the Franks Doors section and I love it so much! It’s a huge, heavy, thick door (the installer claimed that it would stop a zombie invasion, lol) and the glass is in the “rain” style–nice and heavy and no one can see inside, but it lets lots of light into my dark hallway. We painted our door a cheery yellow and it makes me happy every time I see it.
Laura Lynch says
i need 5 doors. i love the website but cannot find the price page
pam kueber says
Laura, you need to contact the companies listed. We do not sell anything here.
David says
Here in Cincinnati, both Lowes and Home Depot stock interior slab doors that are exactly like the original ones in our 1958 ranch home. You can search either store’s site. Here’s and example from Lowes http://www.lowes.com/pd_743390-77999-743390.0___?productId=999927756&pl=1&Ntt=interior+slab+doors
Christa says
This is great info for exterior doors. I’ve been trying for a year to find replacement slab sliding doors for my closets. The original mahogany panel doors were replaced by the previous owner with mirror bypass doors. 🙁 I want to find mahogany, or at least plain slab doors that I can paint. I need seven matching panels, so haven’t had luck at the salvage shops. It seems like they don’t make plain slab doors anymore — everything has a window or louvres or some other detail. If anyone knows where to find plain old slab closet doors please share. thanks!
Heidi Swank says
We purchased interior slab doors, louvered doors, bypass doors, and bifold doors locally in Las Vegas from a company called Avanti Door Group. They might be worth a call to see who their supplier is. The doors aren’t too expensive but not cheap either. They are gorgeous!
Karen says
Just saw this, but I am removing some plain hollow core slab doors, closets (3) and probably 5 other doors, from a 60’s ranch in the next month.
Chad says
I considered making flush doors by buying 1 3/8″ thick ApplePly. If I remember right, it was something like 80 bucks for a 4×8 sheet.
Jamie Roberts says
We recently discovered another source for midcentury doors and I wanted to share it with you! It’s a company called Barnes Master Crafted (www.barnesmastercrafted.com) located in Eugene, Oregon. We just purchased one of their amazing mahogany reeded-glass doors for our 1965 ranch home and it is absolutely stunning. The owner’s name is Larry Barnes and he is a super nice guy. All of his doors are handmade. What a find!!!
Hypollyta says
I was wondering if you’d found any MCM doors that are windstorm/impact NOA rated? I found one ThermaTru – the Linea, that is but at $1,300 that’s killing my budget. Just curious!
Thanks!
pam kueber says
Hypo, all our research is in this story.
Mary Elizabeth says
Good move, David! I especially liked the part of your story in which you decided against rousing the inhabitants at 7 AM. 🙂 You could have (if there was no dog guarding the premises) tacked a note to the old door with your phone number. Enjoy your new door, and let us know when it is up at your house.