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Windows & Doors – Episode 9 of Building a Farmhouse

Today we are back and we are talking all things windows and doors.

If you have missed any of the previous posts about our build, you can catch up on them in our Building a Farmhouse series.

Selecting the types of windows was both easy and hard. Let me start with the windows, as this was the easy part.

I had considered entertaining the black windows that became very popular in the past couple of years. So we talked to the supply house about this possibility and they quickly told us that it would take longer for them to be manufactured and they would come at a significantly higher cost. This helped us make up our minds quick. Nelson was concerned about timing and I was concerned about cost. So we decided on white.

Next, we needed to figure out how they would look and how they would function.

I knew I didn’t want any “faux” panes to obstruct my view so we opted for no panes. And as far as material, they were fiberglass dual pane single hung windows. Basically, only one window will slide up and down and come inward so that I can clean them. I have had single hung windows before and they always worked fine for me so there was no need for a double-hung function and additional expense.

Like I said, super easy.

The back porch slider was another thing that was pretty easy to select. We kept it white like the windows and we wanted 8 foot tall sliding doors that would match the height of the rest of the doors and windows on the first floor. The original plans had a glass transom over this doorway, but in order to keep a modest budget, we decided not to go with that.

And frankly, it wasn’t necessary as we get quite a bit of light coming in that back doorway anyway. We kept the design simple with no panes, so that our backyard view wouldn’t be obstructed either.

The front door was another story. It was the hardest and most challenging of them all. I wanted a specific look for the front and it was super expensive if done in wood. So we had to go with the other option, fiberglass. Then, since we were going with fiberglass I couldn’t get the exact design that I wanted, so I had to make another compromise there. In the end, I had to opt for a faux wood fiberglass that I could gel stain or paint once installed.

These doors are actually standard height which made things a little more affordable, but we had to add the transom over the top in order to line it up with the rest of the doors and windows throughout the first floor. I didn’t want the front door to look “short” after all was said and done.

And just for fun, I thought I would share what my vision is for the front door once complete. We will have the same gentleman who will be laying the stone on our fireplace to add stone around the door so that they both can coordinate. However, there will be trim around the entire door frame to make it look more finished and formal.

The laundry, back door and double doors from the garage to the backyard were a little easier. These are made of wood and were more affordable since they were a little more standard. This was the look that I had originally hoped for with the front door.

These are 8 foot doors and look beautiful in person. They still need to be stained though and will require maintenance, but I am okay with that. The staining will happen at a later date, but I am very pleased with how they look right now.

My husband and I sit down and talk more in depth about the window and door installation in the video below. Plus, we also share a little bit of drama that involves our front door.