Some houses just look right with a grid in the glass. Think of a classic colonial front, a two-story with shutters or a ranch with divided-lite windows across the front. If that’s your Clermont home and the front door is a solid slab, the door is probably the one thing that doesn’t match. Glass door inserts in Clermont with grilles between the glass fix that without replacing the door.
Our custom glass door inserts go into your existing door in one visit, usually about one to two hours, with no trim removal and no repainting. You get the traditional look your house was asking for and daylight in the foyer, too. Call (866) 326-9947 if you’d like to talk through styles.
What does “grilles between the glass” mean?
Grilles are the bars that divide a window or door into smaller panes, the look you see on older colonial homes. Years ago each little pane was its own piece of glass. Today, the grid can be sealed between two panes of glass instead, so you get the same divided look from a single insert.
That has some real advantages for a busy entry door. There’s nothing on the surface to catch dust, so cleaning is just wiping flat glass on each side. Because the grid sits inside, a stroller or a dog is unlikely to knock it loose, and there are no snap-in bars to scrape, wash or repaint.
Which glass goes with a grid?
Grilles are usually paired with clear or Low-E glass. Clear glass gives you the classic, open look and lets in the most natural light. Low-E glass looks almost the same but helps cut the heat that comes through on a sunny door, which is a real help on a Clermont front door that faces west.
Choosing a grid pattern that suits your house
The easiest place to start is your front windows. If they have a grid, carrying that pattern into your front door glass insert ties the whole front of the house together. A home with simple six-pane windows usually looks best with a simple grid on the door, not a busy one.
Proportion matters, too. A tall, narrow insert with a few divisions feels traditional and tidy. A larger insert with lots of small panes can look more formal, which suits a stately two-story but can feel heavy on a single-story home. You can browse the grid and bevel designs in our catalog ahead of time, and at your free estimate we’ll look at your actual door and help you settle on the grid that suits it.
- Colonial and Georgian fronts: a clean grid that matches the window pattern
- Ranch and single-story homes: fewer divisions to keep things light
- Farmhouse-inspired homes: a simple grid on clear glass, often paired with darker hardware
- Homes with a cleaner, modern edge: a minimal grid with just a few divisions
Glass door inserts in Clermont for older homes and newer ones
Clermont has both ends of the spectrum. Around downtown and the Historic Village, you’ll find older homes with traditional lines that suit a grid in the door. The city has also grown enormously since 2000, so there are plenty of newer neighborhoods off main roads like State Road 50 and US 27 where builder doors look alike from house to house. Front door glass inserts with grilles work well in both settings, because the look is classic rather than trendy.
If you’re in a newer home, our ideas on upgrading a builder-grade door go into more detail. And if you live in a gated 55+ community like Kings Ridge or Summit Greens, check your community’s guidelines before you settle on a design. Our notes on 55+ community homes cover that conversation. We’re not affiliated with any HOA, but we can share the design name, finish and a photo of the design if your committee asks.
Keeping your door also keeps the job small. Adding glass to your door gives you the traditional look and a brighter foyer in one install visit, while your paint and trim stay as they are and your hardware usually does too. If your door still opens, closes and latches well, that’s usually more practical than shopping for a whole new unit. If your door already has an old, fogged glass panel, we can replace the glass in your front door with a gridded insert instead.
It also helps with the daylight. Plenty of Clermont foyers sit behind a solid door and stay dim even on the sunniest afternoon. A gridded insert opens that space up while the bars keep it from feeling like a blank sheet of glass, which is part of why the colonial look has lasted so long.
Not set on a grid? Other traditional choices
Maybe a grid feels too buttoned-up for your entry. Beveled decorative glass inserts still read as traditional, just with more sparkle when the afternoon sun hits the porch. On a Clermont colonial or ranch, a bevel pattern in oil-rubbed bronze or a wrought-iron look keeps the classic mood, while the nickel and aluminum finishes lean a little lighter.
Light, privacy and impact glass on a traditional door
One honest trade-off with a classic grid on clear glass: people can see in. That’s fine on a door set back behind a porch, but less so on one facing the sidewalk. If privacy matters more, textured glass is rated on a Low, Medium, High and Max scale, and a beveled or textured design can still look traditional. We’ll help you choose a privacy level that keeps the colonial feel and still gives your foyer some cover.
If you’d rather keep clear glass behind your grid, enclosed blinds give you a way to close it off. Tilt them open in the morning to enjoy the grid and the yard, then shut them once the foyer lights come on. They sit sealed between the panes, so there are no cords and nothing to dust.
Many of these designs also come in impact-rated versions. An impact rating belongs to the whole tested assembly, meaning the glass, frame and door together, so an insert doesn’t make an existing door hurricane-rated by itself. We’ll explain what’s available and help you choose. For a door that takes hard sun or looks out over one of the Chain of Lakes, gray turtle glass adds a gray tint that helps soften the glare.
Matching the garage, side and pool doors
A traditional look works best when it carries across the front of the house. If your front door has a grid, the garage door often looks unfinished without some glass of its own. Garage door glass inserts can echo the same pattern, which pulls the whole front together, adds curb appeal and brings light into the garage.
Out back, the cabana or pool-bath door is usually where privacy comes first. You’ll find options for cabana and pool-bath doors that let in light, and the most private textures hide almost everything behind them. Side and service doors are worth a look, too, and if you’d like more than one door done, we’ll sort out scheduling together at your estimate.
The visit itself, start to finish
First comes a free estimate. We measure your door, look at how it’s built and confirm it’s a good fit, since we can install glass door inserts in most exterior doors but like to see each one before promising anything. Then your grid insert is sized to fit your door.
The install is a single trip of about one to two hours. Nobody pulls trim or breaks out a paint brush. In most cases the door stays on its hinges while we work, and your handle and deadbolt usually don’t move. We look after the area around the door and leave it clean. If you like to know each step ahead of time, our process lays it out.
Clermont homeowners ask about traditional door glass
Do the bars block much daylight?
A little, compared with a fully clear panel, since the bars take up some of the glass. Compared with the solid door you have now, though, the difference is night and day. A simple grid with fewer divisions keeps more light coming through.
Can a grid insert match the grid in my windows?
That’s the most popular way to choose one. Bring us a photo of your front windows or point them out at your free estimate, and we’ll help you find a pattern that lines up with them as closely as possible.
Is a grid too formal for a newer stucco home?
Not if you keep it simple. A clean grid on clear or Low-E glass looks crisp on a newer Florida home, especially with darker hardware. If you want something softer, a beveled design with a satin nickel caming is another traditional option.
Can a glass-front door still feel private?
It can, if you pick the right glass. Privacy textures from Low to Max blur the view, and enclosed blinds close things off when you want. We don’t make security claims about any insert, but seeing who’s at the door before you open it is a nice everyday plus.
Can you do older homes near downtown?
Yes. Whether your house is a few blocks from the Historic Village or out toward Lake Louisa State Park, we come to you. Older doors are looked at case by case during the free estimate.
Clermont and the towns around it
From the shore of Lake Minneola by Waterfront Park to the hills around the Citrus Tower, Clermont is a town where traditional homes and new builds sit side by side. We’re glad to install glass door inserts in Clermont, and to work in Minneola, Montverde, Ferndale, Killarney, Oakland and Winter Garden, plus the rest of Lake County. Our areas served list has everywhere we go.
Give your door the classic look it’s missing
If your house has been waiting for a door that matches its windows, let’s find the right grid. Call (866) 326-9947 or request a free estimate, and we’ll help you pick a traditional style that suits your door.