Double doors are the rule rather than the exception on a lot of Parkland streets. Add a pair of sidelites, an arched transom and a ceiling that climbs well past the top of the frame, and the front entry becomes the biggest single feature on the house. When the glass in those doors is dated, cracked or just not your taste anymore, it’s the first thing a guest sees. Glass door inserts in Parkland let you change it without taking on a whole new entry system.
We fit new glass into the doors you already have. On a double entry that means two matched inserts, sized and set so they line up with each other and with the glass around them, usually in one visit, with no new doors or frames. Questions before we come out? Call (352) 862-4122.
Two doors, one design: getting a matched pair right
On a single door, a small error in placement is easy to miss. On a pair, your eye goes straight to it. If one lite sits a little higher than its neighbor, or the pattern doesn’t meet in the middle the way it should, the whole entry looks off. That’s why we measure each door on its own instead of assuming they’re identical. On older pairs, they often aren’t quite.
Most double entries have an active door you use every day and a second one that stays latched until the movers or the Christmas tree show up. The active one gets opened and closed far more, so its glass and frame take more wear. When we swap glass on a pair, we set both at the same time so they start life together and age together.
Design choice matters as well. Some patterns are drawn as one image split across both doors, and others repeat the same design on each side. A split design looks great on a formal entry, while a repeated one tends to suit a more relaxed house. We’ll show you both at the free estimate.
Glass door inserts in Parkland that suit your sidelites and transom
A lot of Parkland entries already have decorative glass in the sidelites and the transom, installed when the house was built. The easiest mistake is to pick a new door design in isolation and discover afterward that it fights with everything around it. The better approach is to treat the door glass as the centerpiece of a set.
That can mean matching the existing metal color, echoing a pattern that’s already in the transom or choosing a quieter texture so the side panels keep doing their job. If your sidelites use clear beveled glass with a light background, for example, a heavy obscure pattern in the doors can look like it came from another house. We bring samples so you can hold them up next to what’s already there.
To be clear about scope, we change the glass in the doors themselves. The sidelites and transom stay as they are, which is one more reason choosing a design that suits them is worth the extra minute.
Proportion matters more on a tall entry
A tall door with a short lite of glass can look like it’s wearing clothes a size too small. On taller entries, a full-length or nearly full-length insert usually looks more natural, because it follows the height of the door and lines up with the sidelites on either side. A smaller accent lite works better on a shorter, cozier entry.
How much glass you choose also changes how the foyer feels. A big pair of glass doors facing a two-story foyer lets daylight reach the stairs and the upper landing, which a solid pair never will. If that’s more light than you want, a textured glass cuts the view but keeps the brightness.
Our gallery of completed doors is a good way to see how different sizes look on real houses. Pay attention to the ones with sidelites, since they’re the closest match to most homes here.
More glass means more sun: Low-E on a large entry
Parkland sits on the western edge of Broward, up against the Everglades and the Arthur R. Marshall wildlife refuge, with no salt spray to speak of. The bigger issue out here is sun. A west-facing double entry with glass in both doors, both sidelites and a transom can pour a lot of afternoon heat into the foyer.
Low-E glass carries a thin metallic coating that reflects a good share of the sun’s heat while still letting daylight in. On a small door lite it’s a nice extra. On an entry with this much glass it can make a real difference to how the front of the house feels at four o’clock in August. Being inland also gives you a wider pick of metal finishes, since salt corrosion is less of a concern than it is on the coast.
Gated communities and design review
Many of the larger homes here sit inside gated communities such as Heron Bay, Parkland Golf and Country Club and MiraLago, and most have rules about what an exterior can look like. Door glass usually falls under the architectural review committee, even when the change seems small to you.
The process tends to be straightforward when you walk in with a clear picture of the proposed glass. After the estimate, we can give you the design details and a photo or sample to include with your application. Once it’s approved, we schedule the install. Estate properties out in BBB Ranches and similar acreage neighborhoods usually have far fewer restrictions, but it’s still smart to check.
Garage, side and pool doors on a large lot
Big houses tend to have plenty of exterior doors: a three-car garage with a side door, a service door off the laundry, French doors to the lanai and often a pool-bath door out back. Garage door glass inserts give a long garage front some interest from the street, and they brighten a garage that doubles as a gym or workshop.
For the pool side, cabana door glass needs to let light into a small bathroom without letting anyone see in. Our cabana bath door page covers the options. When several doors are on the list, we handle them in the same visit, and you can see how install day runs on our installation process page.
Impact glass on a double entry
Broward shares the High Velocity Hurricane Zone with Miami-Dade, so impact products used here carry Miami-Dade approval, which comes from the toughest testing in the country. Many designs come in impact-rated versions. What gets rated, though, is a whole tested assembly: glass, frame and door together. On a pair of doors that also includes how the two meet in the middle.
So an impact insert on its own doesn’t make an existing pair hurricane-rated. At the estimate, we’ll tell you honestly what’s possible with your doors. Insurance credits for opening protection depend on the whole house and your carrier, so ask your agent before you count on one.
North Broward neighbors we also serve
Parkland’s neighbors share a lot of the same housing, and we work throughout the area. Just south, we install glass door inserts in Coral Springs, and to the east and southeast we’re in Coconut Creek and Margate. A little farther south, we serve North Lauderdale and homeowners in Tamarac. You’ll find every city we cover on our list of areas served.
Parkland questions about double doors and big entries
Can you match new door glass to the sidelites and transom on my Parkland home?
We can choose door glass that suits them closely, matching the metal color or texture where possible. We bring samples to hold up against your existing glass so you can see the fit before deciding. The sidelites and transom themselves stay as they are.
Do both doors in a double entry need new glass at the same time?
In most cases, yes. New glass beside old glass usually looks mismatched, and setting both at once keeps them aligned and aging together.
Will my HOA in Heron Bay or another gated community need to approve new door glass?
Often, yes. Most gated communities treat door glass as an exterior change. We can give you the design details and a sample photo to include with your application.
Is Low-E worth it on an entry with this much glass?
On a large entry that faces west or south, it usually is. The coating cuts the heat that comes through the glass while keeping the daylight, and with glass in both doors the effect adds up. We can point out which of your doors get the most afternoon sun during the estimate.
Can a tall or oversized door take a glass insert?
Many can, but size and construction vary a lot on custom homes. We measure and look at your doors at the free estimate and tell you exactly what will fit. Call (352) 862-4122 to set that up.
Ready to rethink a big entry?
If your double doors deserve better glass, new glass door inserts in Parkland can give the whole entry a fresh face. We’ll come out for a free estimate, measure both doors and bring samples to try against your sidelites. Call (352) 862-4122 or send us a quote request, and we’ll set a time that works for you.