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Before planting, a front door planter should stand roughly a third to a half of the door's height. On an 80 inch door that is about 27 to 40 inches. Its width is set by the landing, not the door: leave at least 36 inches of clear path between a pair and use what is left. A symmetrical door takes a matched pair. An off-center door or a side approach takes one, and a wide porch can take three.
Most front door planters are chosen by height alone, and height is the easy part. What decides whether a pair works is the space they stand in, and that is the part worth measuring before you order.
How tall should a front door planter be?
Roughly a third to a half of the door's height, before any planting goes in. It is a design convention, not a rule: nothing breaks outside that range, but a planter much shorter reads as an afterthought at the foot of the frame, and one much taller starts to crowd the opening.
80 inch doorAbout 27 to 40 inches of planter.
96 inch doorAbout 32 to 48 inches of planter.
Measure the door, not the frame around it, and remember that the planting adds height. A 30 inch planter with a 20 inch shrub in it reads as a 50 inch object, which is why the lower end of the range is usually the safer choice for a planted pair. Our guide to choosing a tall outdoor planter covers the taller sizes for double doors and tall frontages.
What most buyers overlook: the landing, not the door
The width of a front door planter is decided by the space either side of the path, and most buyers never measure it. Whatever stands beside a door has to leave room for people, deliveries and anything being carried in.
A useful benchmark comes from the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Section 403.5.1 sets the clear width of walking surfaces on an accessible route at 36 inches minimum. A private home does not have to meet it, but it is a sound working minimum for a front path. Anything narrower gets awkward with a package or a stroller.
That turns planter width into subtraction. Measure the landing or porch across the front of the door, take away 36 inches for the path, and split what is left between the pair:
- A landing 72 inches wide leaves 36 inches: up to 18 inches of footprint for each planter.
- A landing 96 inches wide leaves 60 inches: up to 30 inches for each.
- A landing 60 inches wide leaves 24 inches: 12 inches each, which means slim columns or a single planter to one side.
Use the planter's exterior footprint for this, not its interior. It is the outside that takes up the landing.
Which sizes fit which entrance?
For an 80 inch door, you are looking for about 27 to 40 inches of height within your footprint budget. From the front porch fiberglass planters we carry:
An 18 inch footprint (a 72 inch landing):
- Toulan tall tapered square, 16 inches wide by 30 inches tall, 27.7 lb boxed. Ships by ground.
- Lisbon tall round, 18 inches across by 32 inches tall, 26.9 lb. Ships by ground.
- Brannan tapered round, 18 inches across by 29 inches tall, 21.8 lb. Ships by ground.
A 30 inch footprint (a 96 inch landing):
- Montroy cube, 28 inches on every side, 47.7 lb. Ships by freight.
- Lima tapered square, 30 inches wide by 30 inches tall, 53.4 lb. Ships by freight.
- Alicante fluted, 26 inches across by 32 inches tall, 37.5 lb. Ships by freight.
The slim forms are the ones that work on a small landing. At 21.8 to 27.7 lb boxed they are also the lightest of these six, and those sizes ship by ground. Every size lists its exterior footprint, interior opening and shipping method on its product page.
What changes at a business entrance?
At a shop, office or restaurant entrance, the clearances are requirements rather than benchmarks. The 36 inch clear path applies to the accessible route, and the door itself needs room around it.
Table 404.2.4.1 of the ADA Standards sets maneuvering clearances at swinging doors. Approaching from the front on the pull side, the clear floor space must be 60 inches deep, measured out from the doorway, and extend 18 inches beyond the latch side of the door. In practice, a planter pushed tight against the latch side of an outward-opening door can sit inside space that has to stay clear. Set it back at least 18 inches from the latch edge, and check with whoever is responsible for accessibility on the building before the planters go in. Our commercial fiberglass planters collection covers the larger entrance sizes.
How many planters for a front porch?
Two, if the door is centered and the approach is straight on. A matched pair reads as a frame, and it is the arrangement most front doors are designed around.
- One suits a door that sits off-center, a path that arrives from the side, or a landing too narrow for a pair. Put it on the side away from the approach, so it does not stand in the way.
- Two suit a centered door with room on both sides. Keep them identical in model, size and finish.
- Three suit a wide porch: a pair at the door and a third at the top of the steps, or a group of three heights to one side. Our guide to spacing planters in a row covers the arithmetic for longer porches.
If you can afford one large planter or two smaller ones, the pair usually does more for the entrance.
Protecting the porch floor
An outdoor planter needs drainage, and on a porch, what drains out lands on a finished surface. Jay Scotts drill drainage holes free of charge at order time, to their standard of 1 to 2 inch holes every 12 inches of planter space, and a drilled planter is final sale. On a painted porch or a timber deck, set the planter on a saucer or feet so water does not sit underneath it. Our drainage guide covers the details.
Shop the collection
Front porch fiberglass planters
Every size lists its footprint, height and shipping method, so you can check it against your landing.
Frequently asked questions
How tall should a front porch planter be?
Roughly a third to a half of the door's height before planting: about 27 to 40 inches for an 80 inch door. The planting adds height, so a planted pair often looks best toward the lower end.
How wide can front door planters be?
As wide as the landing allows once the path is clear. Take the landing width, subtract 36 inches for the path, and split the rest between the pair. A 72 inch landing leaves about 18 inches for each planter.
Should planters match the front door?
They should work with it rather than copy it. Jay Scotts finish to order in a range of colors, and each product page lists the finishes available for that model.
Should I get one planter or two?
Two for a centered door with room on both sides; one for an off-center door, a side approach or a narrow landing.
How much space should be left between front door planters?
At least 36 inches of clear path. That is the minimum clear width the ADA Standards set for walking surfaces on an accessible route, and a sensible minimum at any front door.
Do front porch planters need drainage holes?
Outdoors, yes. Jay Scotts drill them free at order time. On a finished porch floor, use a saucer or feet underneath so water does not stain the surface.
