An Exterior Door

[Russell Hudson]

Our client’s home was built on a steep incline back in 1943. The foundation was stone and mortar, 19 “thick. There were a pair of carriage doors that were so old and racked out of square that they literally had to be lifted by the handle before they could be swung open or closed. They asked us about the best way to fix this exterior entrance to their basement.
The stone work was so substantial (even the windows sat 10” back from the walls face) that I felt the need for a rather old and heavy looking doorway. I envisioned one that might have adorned the entrance to a small castle. I quickly sketched a multi-paneled, ancient looking door with an arched glass opening in the top two panels. I also drew a paneled surround as the opening to be covered was wide and they no longer wished for double doors. They liked the sketch, our estimate and the turn around time so we got to work. I elected to use 2’ thick Honduras mahogany. This was a good wood choice for this application as mahogany has a low coefficient of expansion (does not expand and contract very much with temperature and moisture changes). As well, the mahogany is beautiful and looked right in a natural finish. No paint. Not even any stain. We always try to use a specie of wood that is as close in color to the desired end result as possible. Stain can obscure, to some extent, the wood’s grain. Wood whose patina has darkened with age always looks far superior to new wood that has been stained to look older. Sometimes the answer is to build with really old reclaimed lumber.
Anyway, the first picture shows all the machined parts labeled and laid out on a work surface.


By doing this, I can check the overall measurements, check to see if we like the way it looks and establish / mark the positions of dowels or (in this case) biscuits used for joining. Because of the doors’s exterior exposure, I used a two-part resorcinol glue. The kind boat makers use.
Our client purchased some beautiful, well-made hardware in the Arts and Crafts style.



When completed, this doorway was perfectly suited for the old stone wall………

[Ray Schwalb]

Really great work. I look forward the day I'm working with 8/4 Honduras mahogany.

[Scott T Smith]

That looks fantastic!

[Neal Clayton]

biscuits to try to hold end grain to edge grain on a 2" thick solid wood door?

this is 2010, wouldn't bet on it seeing 2020 without major issues, personally.

[Joe Scharle]

Piece of work! You must be an artist.

[Brian Jarnell]

biscuits to try to hold end grain to edge grain on a 2" thick solid wood door?

this is 2010, wouldn't bet on it seeing 2020 without major issues, personally.

Had he used a Domino with mahogany biscuits,that's the 10 mm ones,he would be ok.

[Russell Hudson]

biscuits to try to hold end grain to edge grain on a 2" thick solid wood door?

this is 2010, wouldn't bet on it seeing 2020 without major issues, personally.

There are 4 #20 biscuits per joint, 19 joints, every fit was extremely flush, 2- part boat builders glue (illegal in NY now) and I sealed this with tung oil before three coats of exterior poly was used. In the 20 years I've been using biscuits, I never seen one come apart (and my customers would have called, trust me).
If this was a castle stronghold and subject to men with a battering ram, I would have (painstakenly) machined half-lap joints throughout, but it ain't.
This door will act like a single piece of wood for 40 years (or more) if it's kept sealed.
-the Management

[Neal Clayton]

it just seems like an unnecessary trade of time for quality, but whatever floats your boat. i actually like the effect of hand routing the stick profiles after assembly, leaves nice looking corners. you could've still done that with proper mortises, though.

i've seen alot of biscuit/dowel joined doors fail down here in wet/humid/hot climates. just don't see the reasoning. it takes all of about an extra 30 minutes to cut the mortises, and maybe an hour to dial in a dado blade and cut the tenons.

which turns a decade(s) door into a century(s) door.

[scott spencer]

Incredible looking door....nice work!

[Tom Rick]

Very nice- great design and execution.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Very nice looking. Must have been work to hang, how much did it weigh in at?

[Jamie Buxton]

Nice door! How did you texture the timbers surrounding it?

[Matthew Hills]

We always try to use a specie of wood that is as close in color to the desired end result as possible.

won't the color change with time due to the UV exposure?
(you mentioned sealer in a later message, but thought that mostly helps with moisture (?))

Am wondering since we've got a mahogany door (not as nice as this one) that is starting to look pretty weathered in the areas that got sun exposure.

Matt

[David Woodruff]

Beautiful work, design and execution. This door will be around long after you and your client have passed to that great woodworking shop in the sky. I too would like to know your texturing technique for the sarsen and lintel pieces?

[Peter Quinn]

Its a beautiful looking door Russel. I am with Neil however worrying about the long term viability of a door made with biscuits. You can put as many biscuits in as you want, I can still break biscuits in my teeth, and that scares me. i cannot break a solid 5/8" or 3/4" tenon or loose tenon, nor can I even remove a draw bore pegged tenon even without glue.

On the plus side the design has a lot of support from all the rails and center stiles, so no single intersection is bearing a crushing load. Chances of a catastrophic failure seem to me remote. And the almost gothic look of the stopped sticking with square corners adds an air of strength that certainly complements the stone facade beautifully. I love your design sense, and the textured timber frame jamb is a beauty.

In the shop where I work we like to go back to old jobs and look at doors the boss built 35 years ago that are still in active service. He's not afraid to send us out to tune one up decades later should a customer call, and they aren't afraid to call either. Just because a marauding horde of pillagers won't be invading a well healed blue blood's weekend estate anytime soon doesn't mean we don't build the entrance to take the hit if it had to!