DIY Dutch Door

This DIY Dutch Door Build was SO fun and honestly one of the most functional DIYs I’ve done!

But why cut my door in half .. why not just close it, right?

The door helps keep my son safe from the basement stairs while still allowing the heat from our pellet stove to rise & warm the rest of the house!

Materials:

Interior Door
Hardboard
Wood Blocks
1×2
1×4
Brad Nails
Wood Filler
220-grit sanding pads
Hinges
Dutch Door Hardware

Tools:

Circular Saw
Brad Nailer
Jigsaw
Router
Table Saw
Palm Sander
Chisel

Step One: Cut Door in Half

To get started, I used a circular saw to cut my 6-panel interior door in half. I also cut 1 ½ inches off of the top of the door to accommodate for the shelf & additional support I planned to add to the center of the door (see Step 4 – seriously read Step 4 before getting started!!).

TIP: When cutting a hollow door, I recommend taping on the line you plan to cut first. Applying painter’s tape along the cutting line on both sides is highly recommended to prevent splintering and chipping of the door’s surface as the saw blade passes through, ensuring a cleaner cut; essentially acting as a protective barrier against tear-out.

Step Two: Add Support Blocks

Using scrap wood, I added blocks into the door. I used my brad nailer to nail them into place. These blocks helped with the rigidity of the door & gave me something to nail my shelf in!

Step Three: Make the Shelf

I used a 1×4 for my shelf. I first used my miter saw to cut it to size. Then I used a jigsaw to round the front corners. Finally, I used a router to route the edge and give the shelf a more finished look!

Step Four: Attach Shelf, Supporting Board & Hardboard

I attached the shelf to the bottom half of the door using my brad nailer. I nailed it into the sides of the door & the support blocks I added in Step 2.

For the top half of the door, here is where I would do things differently. First, I will walk you through what I did and then walk you through what I would do if I could do it again!

I used a 1×2 for the bottom of the top half of the door & a piece of hardboard for the top of the top half. I used a table saw to cut both the 1×2 and the hardboard to size.

I attached the 1×2 with my brad nailer, again nailing into the sides of the door & the support blocks I added in Step 2. For the hardboard, I used wood glue to glue it onto the door.

WHAT I WISH I DID: If I could do it again, I would use hardboard for both. The 1×2 added to the rigidity of the door, but ultimately, I don’t feel it was necessary. Additionally, the hardboard looked seamless whereas the 1×2 is clearly a different material from the door. If you chose to use hardboard for both the top & bottom of the top half of the door, make sure you account for this in Step 1 when cutting off the top half of the door, as less will need to be cut.

Step Five: Fill & Paint

Next, I used wood filler to fill the gaps between the shelf, the 1×2 & the door. I also filled all of my nail holes. I sanded the wood filler and painted the entire door.

Paint Color: Even Better Beige – Behr

Step Six: Adjust Hinges

With two door halves, we need 2 hinges per door. We kept the bottom hinge the same but had to adjust for the top 3. We used a chisel to chisel out where our new hinges would go on the door & the door frame.

Step Seven: Hang Door & Install Hardware

With the new hinges in place, we hung the door and installed our new hardware. This included a latch to secure the top half of the door to the bottom half. We used a chisel to inset the bottom portion of the latch into the shelf.

I am still so in love with this DIY. It was really a must do for us and is so much better than having a baby gate at the top of the stairs. While it did seem to make some people on the internet pretty made – we love it! We did install the doorknob on backwards so that we can lock the door from the basement side once Louis is able to open doors! Additionally, as Louis gets older, I know I will appreciate being able to hear him playing in the basement when I am upstairs. Overall, I’m giving this DIY an 11/10!