Frequently Asked Questions
- Do your carriage doors really swing open?
- What material do you use?
- Do your doors have plywood panels?
- Do you install?
- Do you build overhead doors?
- Are your doors available at retail locations?
- Can I buy your automatic opener separately?
- Do you ship to my location?
- What are typical shipping costs?
- Do you make entry doors to match your carriage doors
- What other ‘people’ doors do you offer?
- Do you have door latch hardware if I don’t want an opener?
- What if I don’t see a design I like?
- Do you recommend any particular finish for your doors?
- How much headroom do I need inside of the doors for openers?
Q: Do your carriage doors really swing open?
A: Yes! Our Real Carriage Doors swing out as they were intended. We do NOT build sectional "carriage-style" overhead doors.
Q: What materials do you use?
A: Our doors are made from beautiful, clear Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar. Fir is used for the framework because it provides maximum structural strength for the least weight. Cedar gives us beautiful texture and outdoor longevity.
In our Green Line, we use quality specially-milled wood cut from old beams which stood in aged warehouses. This reclaimed wood is beautiful with its patina of age, and out of this wood we build new handcrafted doors that tell a rustic story.
Q: Do your doors have plywood panels?
A: Absolutely not. You will not see plywood on our doors either as a panel or as backing. Most of our carriage door lines offer a standard of Douglas Fir inset raised panels.
Q: Do you install?
A: No. We suggest that you either hire a reputable carpenter or install the doors yourself with our easy-to-follow instructions. We are available to answer any questions that may arise. In time, we hope to build a network of installers around North America to meet your need, so don’t hesitate to ask for a recommendation for your area.
Q: Do you build overhead doors?
A: No. We build our carriage garage doors to swing outwards because we feel that’s how they were meant to work. Why hide your garage doors when they are open? Instead, show them off!
Q: Are your doors available at retail locations?
A: We handcraft custom doors built to your specifications. You won’t find doors like ours anywhere else.
Q: Can I buy your automatic opener separately?
A: Yes and No. We only sell the Wall-Mounted Automatic Opener (AO-WM) separately from our carriage doors. We DO NOT sell our Ceiling-Mounted Automatic Opener (AO-CM) separately. See our Openers page for more information.
Q: Do you ship to my location?
A: We ship to anywhere in the continental United States, Canada, and Hawaii (we are looking into shipping to the U.K.). We custom-build shipping crates to ensure door safety in transit and work with experienced and reasonably priced shipping companies.
Q: What are typical shipping costs?
A:A set of carriage doors can be delivered to the west coast in the $300 range, to the mid-continent in the $400 range, and to the east coast generally in the $500 range. To get an estimate, call us and we can figure shipping costs to your zip code.
Q: Do you make entry doors to match your carriage doors?
A: Yes, we do. If you are installing a beautiful handcrafted carriage door, why not have a matching exterior entry door nearby? Our entry doors are made with the same commitment to a hand-touched look and old-world ambiance.
Q: What other ‘people’ doors do you offer?
A: We enjoy building doors and can collaborate with you on a custom size or design, built specifically to your needs and creativity. Why should your doors be the standard 6’8” size? How about double doors where one door is 3’6” wide while the other is 2’6” wide, both 8’ tall? If you want to do something unique with your doors, call us!
Q: Do you have door latch hardware if I don’t want an opener?
A: Yes, we offer door thumb-latch hardware that is a handsome addition to your doors. We can even key them alike for both your carriage garage doors and entry doors.
Q: What if I don’t see a design I like?
A: Draw a design and fax it to us. We will give you a quote. We see lots of ideas and we really enjoy doing new and interesting designs, so just give us a ring.
Q: Do you recommend any particular finish for your doors?
A: We ship our doors out raw, without a finish or sealer, because we try to respect that unique American know-how and keep our noses out of this argument as best we can. As you can see on the gallery page, there are lots of approaches to finishing a door. Some people paint their doors, others stain them, and still others prefer clear finishes.
Q: How much headroom do we need inside of the doors in order to use openers?
A: Basically none, but a couple of inches is best. Since the doors swing-out the normal hardware overhead is gone completely.