In the 16 years we have lived in our home, one of the best upgrades we have ever made, is our DIY carriage door update. Without the added accessories, our garage doors are very boring. Nothing whatsoever to draw the eye.
But a few years back, I added a few things to our garage door to make it look more like a carriage door. Wow! What a statement this simple change made!
While we could have gone out and bought a new garage door. (In our case, actually 2 doors). There really wasn’t a need for that. Our garage doors are perfectly fine. And this is a much less expensive way to go. Especially since carriage house doors are not cheap!
So, since a new door was not in the budget, I looked for the best alternative. When I learned that you can actually buy faux windows for your garage doors, I was sold! This would be an easy and fairly cheap DIY project. A great way to boost our curb appeal.
What Are Carriage Garage Doors
So, what exactly are carriage doors? Before we can dive into this post, we should probably first have an idea of what we’re talking about.
The easiest way to describe a traditional carriage door is to think of your front door. They’re kind of the same. Only a carriage door is bigger and there are usually two of them per opening. Giving a double door look. But like a front door, real carriage doors swing in and out of the doorway.
What we often call carriage doors today is not the same in the true sense of the word. We have taken some liberty to make some changes and bring them to a more modern day carriage door.
Here’s a look at a true carriage door…
Source: Evergreen Carriage Doors
You can actually still buy these doors today. The traditional swing-out garage door can be purchased at a store like the one above. Or, you can make your own carriage doors. YouTube has several videos on how to make your own custom doors. Who knew that you can make your own DIY garage doors! Yep! You can DIY pretty much anything!
If you have an overhead door that is made to look like carriage doors, then they are actually faux carriage doors.
Faux carriage doors are what we are focusing on today, in this post.
Source: Clopay Door
How to Get the Carriage Door Look
Adding the Faux Windows
The first thing I added were the faux windows. I found my garage door faux windows on Amazon for a really great price. Unfortunately, mine are no longer available. But these faux windows are a great choice too. You can also find them at most home improvement stores, like Home Depot.
Source: Amazon
I ordered a total of six windows. I needed four for my large door and two for my small garage door.
These faux windows were very easy to attach. The only power tools needed was a drill. The easiest way to mount them is to follow the instructions given. They make it very clear and simple.
You may be wondering, “ok, but do they look real?” Yes! It’s unbelievable how real they look. No one driving by or walking up to them would ever know they’re not real.
The only way you can tell is if you try to look in them. Obviously, you won’t be able to see into our garage. Which I’m ok with that. For me, that’s an added feature. I like the privacy we get with these faux window garage door accents.
One of the best things about these faux windows is they are paintable. They come in black and white. But you can simply paint them to match the paint color of your garage door.
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Just this simple addition took my garage doors from boring doors to fancy doors. I could stop there and I would be happy with this door design. But I had a little more I wanted to add.
Adding the DIY Carriage Door Hardware
Once these garage door accents were installed, I was ready to move onto the DIY carriage door hardware. I bought my garage door hardware kit off of Amazon. But any home center or hardware stores will carry them.
Source: Amazon
Once again, all of it was super easy to install and only requires a drill and a drill bit. Simply, measure to get the door handles and hinge kit exactly where you want them.
This is probably the trickiest part. It’s a good idea to have a second person eyeing everything from a short distance. Just to make sure it all looks lined up, straight and centered.
When not lined up, straight and centered, that is all the eye will see. And you will not be happy with it.
We have some people in our neighborhood who have added this hardware and the door handles are slightly off from one another. But enough off from one another that it is noticeable. I see it every time driving through the neighborhood and it drives me crazy. I don’t know how they don’t see it. It would be a really easy fix.
My point being, make sure they’re lined up, straight and centered. Did I mention that? Haha!
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Variety of Hardware Kits to Choose From
Whether you’re going for a modern, farmhouse or more traditional look, there is a hardware kit to fit your wants. There are so many options to choose from.
If you’re wanting a more modern look, these rectangular hardware kit pieces would be a great choice…
Source: Amazon
If you’re drawn towards the more farmhouse look, this barn door style hardware kit option will work great…
Source: Amazon
But, if you’re in the market for carriage style garage doors, I love this hardware set…
Source: Amazon
Pro Tip: Many options available are magnetic–great for a metal door. For a garage door made of real wood, this option will not work. Something to keep in mind when shopping for hardware for your own garage door.
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It’s amazing how this simple change can make such a big difference. By simply following these DIY carriage door tips, you can make an old house look more modern and up-to-date. Turn an old garage door into what looks like a brand new garage door.
This garage door makeover has really done a lot to boost the appearance of the exterior of our home. It fits in perfectly with the many changes we have made over the years, including:
- New paint colors. Here’s a quick look at the before…
And here’s our home today…
What a difference just a simple paint job can make!
- I painted our gutters and eaves black…
- I painted our front porch black…
- I made a window box for our faux window…
- I made a planter box for in front of our dining room window…
- I limewashed our brick! Super easy project that made the biggest difference of all!!
I hope this DIY carriage door post has inspired you to add a carriage style door to your own home. But if you still have some questions, please let me know in the comments below.
Here are some frequently asked questions that might help you out.
DIY Carriage Door FAQ’s
What’s the difference between a carriage door and a barn door?
The two key differences between a carriage door and a barn door are:
- A carriage door swings out whereas a barn door slides. A barn door is a sliding door.
- A barn door is made of board and batten style joinery. However, a carriage door is not. It’s made of sheets of wood.
Which is the better garage door? A solid wood door or a metal door?
A steel garage door is the better door. It has longer durability and will not warp or splinter. A steel door holds up to the elements much better than a wooden door.
Can I install these DIY carriage door accessories myself?
Yes. With some precision and following the directions given, this can be a very easy DIY project. No need to hire this one out.
Will these accessories affect how my garage door functions?
No. As long as you are placing the accessories on the garage door as directed. They should be placed on the garage door panels. Not in the creases, where the garage door folds as it goes up.
Let’s go beyond the design to build something beautiful together!
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