D.I.Y Time: How to create french doors

French doors: before and after

We have some nice double doors to the front balcony but they were old and needed a makeover. I've always loved french doors because they simply look so stylish and elegant, so we decided to give our old door a new french door look. First thing we did was clean up the glass and gave the door frames a couple coats of paint. Then we decide on how many panels we wanted. We were initially going for 8 per door (we also have 2 panels on either side of the double doors) but thought that was going a bit too many and would close the doors in, so we settled for 6 panels (2 column down x 3 rows across).

Before: The double french doors

Next we visited the local hardware store and purchase 9 decorative timber floor beading strips. These are the stuff used on floors to cover the gaps between the flooring and the walls, but they were perfect for our french doors. We had quite a few choices in timber, designs and price range, so we had a fun time choosing our favourite that fit into our budget. We ended up buying these pine ones with rounded edges and a smaller rounded bit on the top (sorry that's the best I can describe them, you might just be able to see the details in the photos). The beadings were 2-3 meters long, so after giving them a few coats of paint, they were cut to size.

The painted timber beading strips

We used a strong all purpose adhesive to stick the strips to the glass panels. This was done on either side for both doors and side panels. Finally, all there was to do was to wait over night for the glue to dry and then the edges were cleaned up (gently scrapped with a knife). That's it, our new french doors finished!

After: Elegant french doors complete with panels

French doors - up close & personal