How often must a wood garage door be refinished?

In this climate, every two to four years as a rule, and sooner on elevations that face south or west.

Western red cedar and mahogany are the most suitable for most houses here. Cedar is lighter and less costly. Mahogany is denser and longer lived.

Are wood doors insulated?

Solid timber has modest insulating value. A wood facing on an insulated core performs much better and is lighter.

Can a wood door be automated?

Yes. The operator must be rated for the weight, and a wall-mounted unit is often the most suitable.

How long does a custom door take to make?

The time depends on the maker and the design. We provide the maker’s estimate when the order is placed.

Can an old wood door be restored?

If the timber is sound, it can be stripped, repaired, and refinished. Where decay is widespread, replacement is the better course.

Door styles

Custom Wood Garage Doors in Hartland, Wisconsin

Nothing else has the depth, warmth, and variety of a door made in real timber. It is also the door that asks most of its owner. We build and hang them gladly, and we are frank about what they need.

(000) 000-0000

White home with a warm cedar-tone garage door

Two natural wood garage doors on a stucco home

Species: Cedar, fir, mahogany, and others
Built: To order
Requires: Regular refinishing

Why choose wood

A steel door printed with a wood grain may deceive the eye from the street. It will not do so from the driveway, and it never acquires the character that timber does. Wood has grain that varies from board to board, a surface that takes stain in depth, and edges and joints that can be worked by hand. No two doors are alike.

It is also the only material in which a door may be made to any design. Because each door is built from the drawing, there is no catalogue to confine it. An arched head, an unusual width, boards laid in herringbone, panels proportioned to match the entrance door, or a pattern taken from an old photograph of the house can all be made.

For a house of real architectural quality, or for an owner who values material honesty, there is no substitute.

What it requires in return

We put this plainly, since it is better understood before the order than after.

Wood moves. It takes up moisture in a humid summer and gives it up in a dry, heated winter, and it swells and shrinks as it does so. A finish that is allowed to fail lets water into the timber, and the cycle of wetting and drying then opens the joints, raises the grain, and eventually leads to decay.

In the climate of southeastern Wisconsin, a wood garage door should be expected to need its finish renewed every two to four years. Doors facing south or west, which receive the most sun, will need attention sooner than those facing north or east. The bottom rail, where snow lies and water splashes, needs the closest watch of all.

An owner who will keep to that regime will have a door that lasts for generations and grows more handsome with age. An owner who will not should consider a composite overlay or a wood-tone steel door, which we describe under carriage house and contemporary doors. There is no discredit in the choice.

A wood door kept in finish will last for generations. One that is neglected will not last two decades.

Species

Species	Character	Notes
Western red cedar	Light, stable, naturally resistant to decay. Warm reddish-brown with pronounced grain.	The most widely used. Takes stain well. Relatively soft.
Douglas fir	Straight-grained and strong, pale with a pinkish cast	Good for painted doors and for clear finishes of a quieter kind
Hemlock	Pale, even, and smooth	Economical. Best painted.
Mahogany and sapele	Dense, fine-grained, and richly colored	Very durable and stable. Heavier and more costly.
White oak	Hard and heavy, with a bold figure	Durable, but its weight calls for substantial hardware
Knotty alder	Rustic, with open knots	Suits lodge and cabin styles. Softer than most.

For most houses in this area, we suggest western red cedar or one of the mahoganies. Cedar is the lighter and more economical. Mahogany is the more refined and the longer lived.

Methods of construction

Solid frame and panel. The traditional method, with stiles, rails, and floating panels. It is the heaviest construction and gives the greatest depth.

Plank on frame. Boards fixed to a concealed frame, vertically, horizontally, or on the diagonal. Suited to carriage house and contemporary designs alike.

Veneer or overlay on an insulated core. A thick facing of real wood applied to an insulated steel or composite door. It combines the appearance of timber with a stable, insulated core and is considerably lighter. For an attached garage, it is often the wisest construction.

Solid wood has some insulating value of its own, though less than a foam-filled door. Where warmth is a priority, we recommend the insulated core.

Sealing: the detail that decides the life of the door

Every surface of every section must be sealed before the door is hung. That includes the back, the top and bottom edges, and the end grain, none of which will be seen again. End grain absorbs water many times faster than the face, and an unsealed bottom edge is the usual place for decay to begin.

We specify factory finishing wherever it is offered, since a controlled shop produces a more even and durable coat than can be achieved on site. Where a door is to be finished after delivery, it should be done promptly, in suitable weather, and before installation.

Stains with ultraviolet inhibitors, or a good exterior paint, are the appropriate finishes. Clear varnishes that form a film tend to fail by peeling and are difficult to renew.

Horizontal wood-plank garage door on a modern home — Reference photo: horizontal wood-plank garage door on a modern home.

Before and after

Sun-bleached boards and a newly made cedar door

The before photograph shows a wood door that has been left without finish for many years. The boards have bleached to gray, the grain has opened, and vines have been allowed to grow across the wall beside it. Timber in this condition absorbs water freely and is on its way to decay.

The after photograph shows a door of vertical cedar slats, freshly made and evenly finished, set in a dark brick wall. To replace the first with the second, the new door would be drawn for the opening, built to order, sealed on every face in the shop, and hung on springs calculated for its weight. With its finish maintained, such a door sheds water and keeps its color for many years.

Before: Sun-bleached wood garage door with vines along the wall — Illustrative comparison using licensed stock photography. It shows the kind of change this service makes and is not a documented customer project.

After: Vertical cedar-slat garage door in a dark brick wall — Illustrative comparison using licensed stock photography. It shows the kind of change this service makes and is not a documented customer project.

Weight, and what it demands

A solid wood double door may weigh four hundred pounds or more, which is twice or three times the weight of a steel door of the same size. Everything that carries the door must be chosen accordingly.

Springs are calculated from the actual weight of the finished door, and we generally fit springs of a higher cycle rating so that they are not working at their limit.
Track is of heavier gauge, and on the largest doors of three-inch pattern.
Hinges and rollers are of commercial grade.
Struts are fitted across the back of wide sections.
The operator is selected for the load. A wall-mounted unit, driving the shaft directly, is often the best match.
The framing must be equal to the weight, with a sound header and a solid anchor for the spring assembly.

The balance of a wood door should also be rechecked from time to time. As the timber takes up or loses moisture through the year, its weight changes slightly, and a small adjustment of the springs may be required.

Wood doors and the Wisconsin year

Winter. Snow should not be left banked against the door. The bottom seal must keep meltwater from the lower edge. Road salt should be rinsed away.

Spring. This is the time to inspect the finish. Look for dullness, hairline cracks, or gray patches, above all on the bottom rail and on the sunniest face.

Summer. High humidity swells the timber. A door that ran freely in March may bind slightly in July. Sun on a dark stain produces considerable heat and shortens the life of the finish.

Autumn. Any refinishing is best completed in the dry, mild weather of early autumn, so that the door enters the winter fully protected.

Sites beside the lakes are more humid, and doors there merit closer attention.

Commissioning a door

Consultation at the house. We measure, photograph the facade, and discuss the character the door should have.
Design. Species, construction, pattern, glazing, and finish are settled, with samples examined in daylight.
Drawings. A scaled drawing is prepared for approval. Nothing is built until it is signed.
Fabrication. The door is made to order. The time required depends on the maker and the design, and we give an estimate at the outset.
Finishing. In the shop where possible, on every face and edge.
Installation. As set out under residential garage door installation, with hardware and springs suited to the weight.
Care instructions. A schedule for inspection and refinishing, specific to the species and finish.

Restoring an existing wood door

Not every weathered wood door must be replaced. Where the timber is sound beneath a failed finish, the door can be stripped, repaired where necessary, sealed, and refinished. We assess the sections for soft spots, open joints, and delamination. If the decay is confined to a bottom rail or a single section, that part may be renewed. If it is general, replacement is the honest recommendation.

Ongoing mechanical care is covered under garage door maintenance.

Cost

A custom wood door is the most expensive kind of garage door, and the range is wide. Species, construction, the complexity of the design, glazing, and the hardware the weight requires all bear on the price. We give a firm figure once the design is settled, and where it would help, we set a wood-faced insulated door beside a solid one so the difference can be weighed.

Questions and answers

Questions about wood garage doors

How often must a wood garage door be refinished?: In this climate, every two to four years as a rule, and sooner on elevations that face south or west.
Which wood is best?: Western red cedar and mahogany are the most suitable for most houses here. Cedar is lighter and less costly. Mahogany is denser and longer lived.
Are wood doors insulated?: Solid timber has modest insulating value. A wood facing on an insulated core performs much better and is lighter.
Can a wood door be automated?: Yes. The operator must be rated for the weight, and a wall-mounted unit is often the most suitable.
How long does a custom door take to make?: The time depends on the maker and the design. We provide the maker’s estimate when the order is placed.
Can an old wood door be restored?: If the timber is sound, it can be stripped, repaired, and refinished. Where decay is widespread, replacement is the better course.

Estimates in Hartland and Lake Country

Thinking of a wood door? Let us talk it through.

Describe the door, the building, and what you would like done. We will reply with any questions and arrange a time to measure or inspect.