Display html as website's first page

I am trying to setup a welcome page prior to my main index.php.
I tried to add a .htaccess in the root folder with code :

<Files *.php>
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
DirectoryIndex index.htm index.php
</Files>

It does make my index.htm the first page of website, but when i try to go to the link i created in the html, it says access denied. It doesnt give me permission to link to the index.php.

Do i have to add anything else to my .htaccess or do anything else?

IF someone can help me out ill be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mack

Far as I know, you shouldn't have to fiddle with htaccess at all. If your root contains an index.html file, it'll load that first, then you can call index.php from there.

My problem is not displaying the html. It is when i am trying to link from the html to the index.php, it says access denied. That's why i thought it probably have something to do with the htaccess.