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From the article:

Carriage Doors made the space functional as a family room but also able to house cars in the future.

Let’s first take a look at longevity. Everybody wants a door that will last a long time. And in the last few decades, many products have come on the market claiming “maintenance-free” use. Materials like vinyl are easy to clean and naturally waterproof, but eventually, ultraviolet light will break the substance down, causing it to turn chalky and crack. Repairs? More than likely you’re looking at replacement. Metal doors seem like a long-lasting alternative, but not only does metal have a high weight-to-size ratio, it dents very easily. Its magnetic weatherstripping can fail unexpectedly, leaving your home susceptible to drafts and heat loss. One natural product that has always stood the test of time is wood. If properly finished, wood can last as long or longer than many so-called “maintenance-free” products. Ok, we agree there, so all wood garage doors are the same, right?

Perhaps we should look at structure to help us decide. Throughout history, it has often been proven to be the simplest solutions are the best ones. Yet there are doors out there that are anything but simple. Take for example the wooden carriage “style” garage door. These doors are designed to look as if they swing out, but actually are sliced horizontally in sections, and roll upward. What precedent was set that we improved on the swinging door? In actuality, these doors are forced to appear to swing. Often composed of a wood or metal frame substructure, carriage style garage doors are layered upon many times, with many fasteners, sometimes creating doors up to 3-1/2″ thick! These complex systems are then cut into sections, and treated with flashings and drip areas to help them combat the elements. And after all this, they are put on a track and pulled upward with the help of springs! In stark contrast, the solid wood garage door is the essence of simplicity. Solid wood boards are milled to thickness and joined by mortise and tenon. Panels are glued, planed, and channeled in to the legs and rails of the door. Nothing complicated there. No fasteners to corrode, no inner framework to fail.

So what of beauty, how do wood doors compare when put to the test of looks? One thing is clear; a solid white vinyl wall is nobody’s idea of a beautiful door. And with the way that metal can dent, all it takes is one neighborhood street hockey game to permanently change a door’s new look. Once again, we find that wood garage doors stand out among the crowd. Wood is naturally repairable, an attribute that vinyl doesn’t have. And the patina of age looks stately on a wood garage door. Only true of wood, scuffs and scratches actually give it character. Wood has a natural glow that is pleasing to the eye. For this reason, it has been the choice of builders, architects, and homeowners for centuries. True craftsmen have a critical eye, and know that a solid wood door best punctuates a well-designed building. But just like people, beauty should be more than skin deep. A door should be equally beautiful on the reverse side, especially if you are using the garage as a secondary living space. Here is what truly separates the fake doors from a real door. A solid wood garage door looks just as beautiful on the inside as it does the outside, something their sectional counterparts cannot offer. And since we are talking about beauty, consider the beauty of the natural environment. Scores of replacement vinyl and fiberglass doors end up in landfills. This disposable way of thinking is compounding our environmental problems. A natural product, wood is not only biodegradable; it can be easily recycled by a skilled craftsman into other products.
A wooden garage door is the only door that remains beautiful with age, and has a construction simple enough to last, ensuring a door that will maintain its visual and structural integrity. By purchasing a wood garage door, you are purchasing a product that will provide generations of beauty and enjoyment.

About the Author

Jeremy Broderick, resident architect at Real Carriage Door Company, balances his time between door drafting, woodworking projects, and life at home with his wife Mardie.

We at the Real Carriage Door Company set very high standards for craftsmanship. We believe in good-old American ingenuity and productivity, and we never take shortcuts. We encourage you to be an educated consumer. Here are some examples that set us apart from our competition:

Solid Wood

We are advocates of true solid wood construction. Just as in design, simpler is better. Nowadays, most solid wood doors are actually solid core doors, the heart of which is junk composite fiberboard, skinned with a thin wood veneer. When we use the term “solid wood construction,” we mean just that: solid, natural, ACTUAL wood boards, all the way through.

While solid core door manufacturers claim “solid wood,” Fiberglass and Vinyl composite companies claim “maintenance-free ownership,” an indestructible product. In reality, such systems will chalk or dent, grow brittle and crack, and sag or delaminate over time. Sun, cold, rain exposure and simple general use will warrant repair, and in many cases, replacement.

Uniformity

Our carriage door quality is second-to-none, on both sides! Because our doors are solid wood, the rails, stiles, and panels will look just as beautiful on the inside as they do on the outside… with absolutely NO plywood or synthetic material. We believe this is especially important to our customers who are using their spaces as living rooms, car showrooms, workshops, or gamerooms.

Compare this to the “faux” carriage doors we see in the marketplace. These fake carriage doors are made by attaching an array of nice-looking boards to a plywood backing or frame for ’show and looks’. These wood garage doors depend on the plywood or frame and fasteners to hold the door together. The result is a door that looks flat and plain on the back side, and is susceptible to early failure. Moisture can get in behind applied pieces, leading to serious warping, sagging, or even delamination, trim literally falling off the door.

Structure

Our door thickness is an industry standard full 1-3/4″. RCD also offers an upgrade to 2-1/4″ thick, for those looking for the best of the best. Compare this to companies that build with common 2-by dimensional lumber. These doors, at 1-1/2″ thin or less, may be fine as interior doors, but are too flimsy for use in any exterior application.

Joinery

RCD uses the choicest joint method for large door building: Mortise and Tenon. Extra thick and long tenons make a deep connective joint into the doors’ rails. This joint, coupled with the resulting ample surface area for today’s modern glues, provides the ultimate in shear strength. Doors built with this joint possess the very best structural characteristics. Beware of door companies using dowels or thin, shallow tenons to join structural members. Such a joint will have trouble supporting the loads that gravity exerts on a door over 3′ wide, and may weaken dramatically when subjected to general use and the elements.

True Divided Lites

We build as traditionally as possible, and this means that our carriage doors have independently set glass panes. We believe that “faking” a divided lite window pane by affixing a wooden grille to a single sheet of glass detracts from the integrity of an authentic product.

Visit the Door Details page for more information about Real Carriage Door quality.

Read More about our competition

Built of the land

Possibly the most identifiable part of the Spanish Colonial is the clay tile roof, crowning its smooth stucco walls with a rusticated, patterned array of reddish-brown. Thick masonry breezeways and arcades offer cool escapes from the sun, sometimes opening up to enclosed courtyards lined with stone patios and small planting beds. Dark wooden timbers can be seen supporting ceilings and porches, reminiscent of the early pueblo roof.

A Grand Entrance

For a period look in the Spanish style, think rustic. Dark hardwoods or cedar paneling create a pleasing contrast between painted pastel colors and off-whites. For a truly handcrafted feel, pursue door design elements such as a stepped middle “mission” rail or decorative woodcarvings. Ironwork is also widely seen in the Spanish style, finding its way into railings, grates, and lighting accents. For your carriage and entry doors, explore using iron clavos to express the structural connections. A speakeasy complete with iron grille is a great highlight to your front door, and can also still function the way it is intended!

In a Nutshell

The Spanish Colonial is a wonderfully distinctive building type found in the West and Southwest. Local building materials are sculpted into thick masonry walls supporting colorful clay roofs and enclosing courtyards. The Spanish door is truly unique in its design; raised panels and ironwork speak of a past rich in heritage and tradition. Adding this door to your home will bring warmth and invitation, as well as a handsome focal point.

About the Author

Jeremy Broderick, resident architect at Real Carriage Door Company, balances his time between door drafting, woodworking projects, and life at home with his wife Mardie.

What’s in a barn?

Barns are often constructed with heavy timbers or trusses, making for open floor plans and large rooms. Exposed beams and rusticated surfaces can add to the warmth and inviting nature of the spaces within. Outside, barns may be capped with a gambrel or shed roof and can be sided with a variety of materials including traditional clapboards, cedar shingles, and vertical board and batten siding. Older structures may still have a hayloft or cantilevered crane. Another feature common to the barn style is a cupola. Originally placed atop a roof to allow for ventilation, cupolas now function as architectural elements, adding visual interest to rooflines.

Door selection is important

Like other building types, a barn devotes a sizeable percentage of its façade to its doors. Doors add architectural interest and scale to a building, and provide a dynamic way for the building to engage its site and viewers. When choosing a door to speak for your barn, there are several things to consider:

1. Structure. Traditional barns are constructed of heavy timbers. Select a door that speaks the same language. Diagonal bracing creates a visual sense of strength and support, while tongue-and-groove paneling echoes the simplicity of early American building.
2. Hardware. Evoke the crafts of the past by sticking to hardware that looks hand-forged. Heavy duty hinges and handles will add a period look to your building. It is best to treat a barn like a barn, not like a posh apartment in the city.
3. Materials. In terms of materiality, barns don’t hide anything, they are honest. Door material choice should be just as genuine. Sticking to solid wood construction will add integrity to your barn.
4. Operation. Barn typologies call for a traditional function. Seek doors that swing out instead of simply appearing to swing out. Another method that fits tradition is the sliding door. Doors can be set up to slide to one side or part in the middle (bi-parting). For a finishing touch of modern convenience, have your doors automated.

In a Nutshell

By putting a little thought into the details of your project, the whole building will benefit. Authentic swinging or sliding doors with tongue-and-groove paneling and exposed hardware will capture the essence of those who crafted the barns of the past. Your structure will proudly stand with those that came before it, giving you years to enjoy the quality of Real Building.

About the Author

Jeremy Broderick, resident architect at Real Carriage Door Company, balances his time between door drafting, woodworking projects, and life at home with his wife Mardie.