BajaNomad - Need front door ideas

Need front door ideas

Santiago - 10-22-2009 at 03:28 PM

I'm stumped on how to build the front door. At least the top must be glass because it's the main view, such as it is, to the water. It will be open most of the time but closed when the north winds blow. It can't open into the room as it will take up too much space. 44" wide and the arch starts at 60" from the floor.
At this point I'm settling in on a double-dutch door. A pair of wood doors on the bottom, kinda like bar doors, and the top pair wood frame with glass that opens out and is held open by a latch to the fascia. Or maybe completely removable?
There will eventually be a covered patio in front.

When I'm not at the cabin, the entire front will be protected by Baja Shutters (plywood).

Anyone have any ideas or have seen similar situations?
Thanks
[img]

[/img]

woody with a view - 10-22-2009 at 04:08 PM

we used to have a door that was split in the middle just above the door knob so you could close the bottom and have the top open. you could make the top removeable if you dont have the room for it to hang. that would be my idea. 4 hinges and viola!

DENNIS - 10-22-2009 at 04:20 PM

Square it off at the top. Put stained glass above and a big-ass one piece door, 2x6 construction, for the entrance.
Think security...then think beauty...then quit thinking and have a beer.

tripledigitken - 10-22-2009 at 04:22 PM

Double wood doors all the way.

Ken

[Edited on 10-22-2009 by tripledigitken]

door.jpg - 47kB

vandenberg - 10-22-2009 at 04:59 PM

I'm with Ken. You will only be looking out a lot that way till the newness wares off.

And BTW your righthand arch needs work. Too pointy at the top.

DENNIS - 10-22-2009 at 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken
Double wood doors all the way.

Ken

Only has 44 inches wide to work with,Ken. Yours looks like about sixty.
A beautiful entry, none the less. Is this here, or there?

vandenberg - 10-22-2009 at 05:22 PM

Could also have a standard door with leaded glass and full glass side panels.

DENNIS - 10-22-2009 at 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vandenberg
glass side panels.

I think they're called "lights." The glazed panels at both sides of a door.

Paula - 10-22-2009 at 06:02 PM

With the 3 windows on either side of the door, I wouldn't use a solid door. Half round glass at the top, and full length french doors, all glass with very simple frames. The 2 narrow panels shouldn't be a problem opening inward. Glass all the way across would make a nice open feel to the living room and patio.

DENNIS - 10-22-2009 at 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paula
With the 3 windows on either side of the door, I wouldn't use a solid door. Half round glass at the top, and full length french doors, all glass with very simple frames. The 2 narrow panels shouldn't be a problem opening inward. Glass all the way across would make a nice open feel to the living room and patio.

It's Mexico. You can't consider beauty until you establish security.
A beautiful, secure door is whatcha want. Build it strong and pretty. So strong that if you lose your key... you will have to go rent a chainsaw to get into your house.

Security ain't pretty but, it works.

Paula - 10-22-2009 at 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Looking at the windows on either side of the door, I would assume that security isn't a big issue here.

Paulina - 10-22-2009 at 08:44 PM

We have french doors in Punta Banda. Usually only one of them is open. If you are using plywood to secure your windows I guess you could do the same to your front door. If someone wanted it, they'll get in regardless.

It's nice to have the doors closed, but still be able to look in the direction of Dennis' house!

edit; added photo

[Edited on 23-10-2009 by Paulina]

DENNIS - 10-22-2009 at 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paulina

It's nice to have the doors closed, but still be able to look in the direction of Dennis' house!

Thanks toots. I can always tell when you're lookin'.

tripledigitken - 10-23-2009 at 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken
Double wood doors all the way.

Ken

Only has 44 inches wide to work with,Ken. Yours looks like about sixty.
A beautiful entry, none the less. Is this here, or there?

At that width (44") a single door would be the ticket. The doors are a catalog shot, stateside I'm sure.

Ken

BajaNuts - 10-23-2009 at 04:02 PM

Half moon glass at the top-

32" door in the middle (can be split top/bottom if you want or think that's necessary)

A tall narrow light/window on either side.

A nice balanced look, but still functioning for what you want. 44" opening seems a little narrow for French doors-

this picture on the Armstrong Door website is the style and layout I was describing...but this one is bigger than what you would get.
http://www.armstrongdoor.com/

[Edited on 10-23-2009 by BajaNuts]

DENNIS - 10-23-2009 at 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaNuts

32" door in the middle (can be split top/bottom if you want or think that's necessary)

That's pretty narrow for a front door. Might not be able to get furnishings through. Wheelchairs have to be considered as well.

oldlady - 10-23-2009 at 04:34 PM

Don't know where you are, but in this area (La Paz) there are a lot of front doors that are a combination of glass and metal. Longlegsinlapaz has one. The are made by various men down here some of whom are wonderfully talented in iron work. I've seen several that have side lights in the design that open to allow air flow.
Some of the desgins are quite beautiful, provide light and view and yet provide security. Perhaps there is someone in your area who does this type of work.

I didn't care too much for the horizontal line that a dutch woudl create when I held a piece of paper across your picture to simulate it. Just didn't seem to flow with the arches.

oladulce - 10-23-2009 at 06:30 PM

A front door that opened out would drive me nuts. If you entered from the one side you'd always have to walk way around the door to go inside. You'd need a mega-kick stand to keep the wind from blowing it closed all the time. If you used the hinges that allow a 180 degree opening the door would still block your windows.

If you tried your dutch door idea, I don't see how you could secure the top part because the windows on either side are so close.

What if you popped out the front entrance like a vestibule (I think that's what it's called). You'd only have to go out 2-4 ft depending if you're going to get a single or double door. Then your door(s) could open inward 90 degrees and rest against the side walls of this entrance. It wouldn't block your view out the windows and the open door wouldn't take up room space.

I think it's funny that my coffee table design books never show fancy tropical homes with any screens or screen doors. They might not be a popular design feature, but personally, I've gotta have screens. What do people who live in those fancy mega-palapas at Punta Mita do about the moths at night after it rains? Can they really "dine alfresco" without bugs in their teeth? How often do they wake up to check their beds for scorpions? Enjoying your patio requires tolerating some critters, but I like a screen barrier between the outside and where we cook , sleep etc.

Santiago - 10-24-2009 at 09:41 AM

Thanks guys.
Oladuce: I have thought of popping the door out to the edge of the eaves - this would give me about 18" of wall space. Screens are important in BOLA. Funny thing - I got a quote on the screens - twice what I paid for the windows - ha. Even if I buy all the material and build them myself still $150 or so.

SS and LL: the iron frame is something I hadn't thought of, even though we use them in up-scale homes in our area. That would give me the smallest possible frame. Will check that.