Keep the character. Improve the entrance.
Your front door sets the tone before anyone steps inside. Replacing a heavy, dated entrance with slim steel and glass can bring daylight into the foyer, sharpen the proportions and reconnect the interior to the garden or street.
The strongest result starts with the house itself. Look at the masonry, ceiling height, neighboring windows and the view through the opening. A full-arch pair may belong to one entrance; a single picture-glass door with restrained hardware may be exactly right for another.
At D’Hierro, we design and fabricate the new assembly in Dallas, then install it with our own crew. The first step is understanding what you want to change and what you want to preserve.
Explore Signature DesignsDecide how much of the opening changes.
Keeping the same opening can still create a dramatic change. A new door and frame let us rethink the sightlines, glass, hardware and finish within the architecture you already have. The surrounding wall can keep its overall size and shape.
Changing the opening is a bigger architectural move. A taller entrance, wider pair, arch or new sidelights can transform the composition, with your builder or architect coordinating the structure and adjacent wall work.
A new leaf in an existing frame requires compatible hinges, threshold and geometry. For a complete steel transformation, we generally look at the door and frame together so they work as one assembly.
We put our expertise into the steelwork.
We’ve spent more than 30 years mastering custom steelwork: designing it, fabricating it, finishing it and installing it. That is what you hire D’Hierro to do, and that is where we put our attention.
Drywall, millwork, stucco and house painting are separate crafts. We don’t add trim, drywall or paint work to our quotes. We would be doing you a disservice by selling you a finish-trade service we haven’t spent decades perfecting.
Our team handles the agreed steel-door assembly and installation. Your builder or general contractor coordinates the surrounding trades, and we work with that team on the details at the opening. A clear division of responsibility gives each part of the finished entrance the expertise it deserves.
The steelwork.
- Custom design and fabrication
- Steel frame, glass and hardware
- Installation of the agreed assembly
- Door fit and hardware adjustment
The surrounding finishes.
- Drywall and plaster repairs
- Wood trim and millwork
- Wall and trim paint
- Stucco, masonry and other wall work
Agree on the finish plan before installation. We coordinate the steel opening with your project team.
The edge detail changes the whole look.
Decide how the wall will meet the steel before installation. A clean drywall or plaster return can emphasize the slim frame. Wood casing can connect the new door to the home’s existing millwork. Stone or brick can give the opening a stronger architectural surround.
None of those choices needs to be an afterthought. A thick casing selected late can change the proportions you loved in the drawing. A planned reveal can give the steel a deliberate, crisp edge.
Show us the surrounding finishes and tell us what stays. We’ll coordinate the frame detail with your builder so the steel and the adjacent finish are designed to meet. Your finish trades complete the wall, trim and paint around the installed assembly.
Two approaches to the same jamb.
Conceptual horizontal sections at the jamb. We coordinate the steel frame with your builder; your finish trades complete the surrounding wall and trim.
Plan the bottom of the door as carefully as the top.
The threshold connects the interior floor, exterior landing, weather seals and moving door. Floor heights, porch exposure and drainage belong in the conversation early. A beautiful glass door should also close well and make sense for the way you use the entrance.
Flag precious stone, flooring that cannot be matched, alarm contacts, nearby switches and any existing leaks. In an occupied home, plan access, floor protection, removal of the agreed old components and the sequence for the new assembly. If temporary closure or additional construction is needed, resolve it before the old door comes out.
Putting those decisions on paper makes installation more straightforward. It also makes competing proposals easier to compare: you can see who is responsible for the door, the removal, the surrounding repairs and the final finish.
Start with a few photographs and an idea.
You don’t need a finished architectural package to start a conversation. Send a photograph from each side, rough width and height, a close view of the threshold, and the project address. Tell us what frustrates you about the current entrance and what you want the new one to do.
We can discuss the design and scope from that starting point. Field measurement follows the deposit; fabrication follows the approved dimensions and shop drawings. You get to resolve the look, operation, glass and hardware before we cut the steel.
Visit the showroom to operate the doors, inspect the profiles, and compare glass and hardware. Then we can bring the right combination to your opening.
Try your design in the builderCommon questions.
Can you replace my front door without making the opening bigger?
Yes. A custom steel door and frame can be designed for the existing opening. Keeping its size and shape still leaves room to improve the glass area, proportions, hardware and finish.
Do you repair drywall, add trim or repaint after installation?
No. Our specialty is designing, fabricating, finishing and installing the steelwork. Drywall, millwork, trim, stucco and surrounding paint are handled by your project’s finish trades. We coordinate the opening details with your builder or general contractor.
Why doesn’t D’Hierro offer a one-stop installation and finishing package?
We focus on the craft we’ve spent more than 30 years mastering. You come to us for steelwork made in Dallas and installed by our own team. The surrounding trades deserve their own specialists, and the project works best when those responsibilities are clear.
Can drywall run directly to the steel frame?
Yes, the opening can be detailed with a clean drywall or plaster return rather than applied casing. We coordinate the junction with your builder so the frame position and finished edge are planned together.
Does replacement always mean removing the old frame?
Not always, but a complete new steel door and frame gives us control of the assembly’s profiles, seals, hardware and alignment. Retaining a frame depends on its condition and compatibility with the new leaf. We review that as part of the scope.
What do you need before preparing a proposal?
Start with interior and exterior photographs, rough dimensions, your address and the design direction. Include anything you want to preserve around the opening. Field measurement follows the deposit, and final fabrication dimensions are confirmed through the shop-drawing process.
