Arched Front Doors Vs Round Top Doors: What's The Difference?

An arched door and a round top door might seem very similar, but there are obvious key differences between the two shapes. And these differences go beyond what meets the eye. From installation to design style, here's all you need to know about these two specialty front door types, and how to choose the right one for your doorway.

The short answer: an arched door has a shallow "eyebrow" curve with defined corners and suits traditional homes, while a round top door is a full, softer semicircle that works with more styles, but needs a frame-out kit to fit a standard rectangular opening.

What Arched and Round Top Doors Are

What is an arched door?

Our arched doors have a shallow, "eyebrow" shaped arch at the top that meets the vertical stile pieces in a defined corner. This subtle shape reads as tasteful and poised. 

What is a round top door?

The full arch, otherwise known as semicircle, is enjoying a resurgence of popularity. A round top door has a semicircular silhouette at the top and full curvature; in other words, there are no corners at the top. It has a distinctly Old World, fairytale feel. This door shape adds a softer, organic-feeling element to homes and is naturally welcoming. Round top doors evoke a sense of playful whimsy and a storybook feel.

How is an arched front door different from a round top door?

A round top door needs a frame-out kit whenever it's installed in a standard rectangular opening. A frame-out kit provides additional stability where gaps exist between the shape of the rounded door jamb and the rectangular rough opening (the door opening when stripped of any previous door jamb or threshold).

Arched top doors do not need a frame out kit. Why not? Because the gaps created by the more shallow arch are small enough that any contractor can easily fill them with whatever materials they have on hand.

Arched doors are best for more traditional architectural styles, such as: Colonial, Cape Cod, French Provincial, Italianate, Georgian, or Spanish Eclectic. Why do they work so well with classic design styles? The combination of curved and straight lines gives a sense of balance that's also typical to more traditional homes and spaces. The shape evokes stately ancient cities like Rome or Florence, places that initially inspired our arched entry door collection.

Round top doors, in contrast, have more design versatility. Elliptical round top doors work with Modern, Contemporary, Tudor Revival, Art Deco, Modern Farmhouse, and Craftsman style homes. Yet they can also work with many of the traditional styles that also suit arched doors. The fully rounded curve creates more contrast with surrounding straight lines, and it feels more playful.

Design Guidance: how to choose between arched vs. round top doors

When making your choice, it's important to consider how bold you're willing to be, how much you're willing to stand out, and in what way. Do you want your door to stand out because of its intricate woodwork, or sense of dignified grandeur? Then an arched door is best. Do you want your door to make your guests smile ear to ear? Then go for a round top door.

How are round doors and arched doors the same?

Their main similarity is obvious: they both have a slightly unusual shape. But there's more to the story than that. Both arched and elliptical doors require matching casing. The casing provides a clean, premium look that also draws attention to the shape of the door itself. For arched doors, we include two casing options. The first matches the arched shape of the door's upper edge. This is good for new builds where you can create the opening to match your door's top radius, or for situations where it's easier to patch the corners of the opening. The second option has an upper edge that is straight, which would cover any gaps in an existing rectangular opening where it would not be possible or practical to patch up exposed corners.

Both door silhouettes are identical in terms of maintenance requirements. Despite their unusual shapes, they function just like any other entry door. And they need the same occasional care and attention as any other entry door.

The final similarity these door types share is this: it's better to fit one into a rectangular opening than an existing arched or rounded opening. Reason being, unless it's possible for your door builder to come direct to your home and take detailed measurements, doors with curved edges are virtually impossible to precisely match to existing curved openings. Site conditions and the settling of homes over time often result in slight asymmetry for these door openings. And this asymmetry is virtually impossible to account for in door production.

Installation Of Arched And Round Top Doors

Among specialty doors, neither arched nor elliptical round doors are especially complicated to install. In fact, pivot and dutch doors are both more technically demanding. The most important thing you need to know as a homeowner about installation is that arched and round doors will require a small amount of "framing out". Because these doors are not the same shape as their opening (most of the time), there will be a small area at the top corners that requires additional wood framing to keep the door optimally in place. At RealCraft, we provide frame out kits for round top doors. Arched entry doors do not come with frame out kits, as the amount of framing needed is minimal enough to be handled by any contractor or handy homeowner.

When is it time to go for custom arched doors?

There are specific situations where it makes sense to commission a fully custom arched or round top entry door:

• When you want a Tudor, Gothic, or other specialty arch shape. These pointed arch shaped doors are common on Tudor Revival houses, as well as historic homes generally. So when it comes time to replace a door with a pointed arch, it's worth the investment to go completely bespoke, aligning with the handcrafted, artisanal approach that's typical of historic properties.
• Large format doors. Large arched or elliptical round doors are popular for churches, temples, and other places of worship. Depending on their dimensions, structural adaptations may be necessary that can impact the design. A custom design consultant can ensure that your larger specialty door is both beautifully designed and structurally sound.
• Double doors. Double arched or round doors will also need professional installation so that they are precisely aligned where they meet.
• To fit an arched door to an existing arched opening with a specific radius. This can be achieved in certain situations, but you'll need to work with a door builder that's local to you, so they can take measurements of the opening on-site.

Standard vs Arched vs Round Top Doors

Pricing varies by wood species, size, glass, and design. For an exact quote, call (253) 853-3815 or email info@realcraft.com.