When your clients and projects require residential doors that combine timeless beauty with made-to-order design options, you won’t find another supplier who is easier to work with than Madawaska Door & Trim. You already know that solid wood fills the bill as no other door material can, especially when it comes to custom solutions. And when you’re looking for the best architectural solid wood doors, you will find a partner in Madawaska Doors & Trim.
Find out more in this handy Architects’ and Designers’ guide to solid wood doors.
What makes a solid wood door architectural?
At Madawaska Door & Trim we have the capability to go above and beyond “standard” with our wood doors. We are committed to working closely with designers and architects where we will take anything from rough sketches to detailed drawings, ultimately producing a fully customized, high-quality product. “We love working with architects and designers to create unique solutions for building that dream door,” explains Steve K., our Plant Manager.
Why do architects choose Madawaska Doors?
Architects appreciate the fact that our manufacturing methods have a dual focus on both efficiency and unerring faithfulness to the details they require.
Steve elaborates: “What sets us apart is the amount of detail that goes into every little thing. Not many companies can meet the specifications that we can. From the custom sizing, wood and glass options to custom curves and arches; the sky’s the limit when it comes to options and concepts.”
Architects and designers know that one of the largest hurdles to moving forward with your project is the client approval process. That is why Madawaska Door and Trim provides material and stain/finishing samples to our partners. End clients want to see and touch the materials and view the colour and stain they will ultimately select. We always make duplicate samples so that we have a matching sample on hand once a final decision is made.
Finally, architects and designers love our ability to create custom trim and moulding of the exact same material and finish as the doors we provide. We also have the ability to custom cut knives in order to match historical or design motifs already present in the project. From wainscotting to baseboards and crown moulding, wall panelling and window trim, we can match or create practically any detail or profile.
How much does a solid wood door cost over other custom solutions?
Architects, interior designers, and other building professionals have long recognized the advantages of solid wood doors over other “off the shelf” solutions, such as fibreglass or steel. These include:
- warm, inviting natural look
- wide variety of wood species to suit any style of residence (for example, Cedar, Clear or Knotty Pine, Mahogany, or Red Oak)
- eco-friendliness as a recyclable, biodegradable, renewable resource
- easy customization to every size or shape of doorway opening
- excellent curb appeal
- availability of matching trims and mouldings in the same materials and designs.
However, Steve points out that one widespread belief about solid wood doors is actually a misconception, namely “that they’re super expensive compared to fibreglass or metal”.
“Sure, in the past there was a significant difference. But now, you’d be lucky to see a 5 to 10 percent difference in prices in solid wood doors compared to, say, fibreglass.”
Steve goes on to explain that there are many ways Madawaska can help in saving costs from a construction viewpoint. “Slight modifications in the way a door is constructed can offer significant savings in overall costs while keeping the design integrity intact.”
How to determine sizing requirements and rough opening requirements?
Our team is here to help you realize your vision for your clients. In the majority of cases, you can simply send us the specs of your custom solid wood door. Our staff is always happy to work with you to ensure that all measurements, design notes and specifications are accurately recorded. We will ensure that any special instructions are highlighted and clearly communicated to our production team.
How long will it take to build my door?
Every door we craft is unique. The time it takes to create will depend on the availability of materials you desire, as well as the complexity of your design. As a general rule of thumb, these are the approximate time frames:
- 4 weeks to build a slab standard door
- 6 weeks to build a pre-hung door
- 10 weeks to build a high-end, fully custom door with matching trim and moulding
We have the ability to hold your doors and trim packages to align delivery with your construction schedule. This ensures a cleaner job site, but more importantly, it protects the materials from dings, dust and damage until your crew is ready to install. We carefully track the progression of your order through our shop and can often provide timing details weeks in advance.
What is the best way to submit plans/drawings to you?
We understand that every design office has their own process. Here is Steve’s comment: “We do our best to make this process easy and painless. We don’t limit our customers to predefined formats or processes, however they want to plan and submit their drawings is up to them.”
What this means in practical terms is that you can submit your plans in a variety of methods including:
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- Simply email your drawings to us as a rough sketch or a finished 3d model
- Arrange to meet at Madawaska Doors’ new Sales Centre in Barry’s Bay
- Set up a meeting at your location or place of business
Just contact us and let us know what works best for you!
Does Madawaska Door provide shop drawings?
Yes, we provide a multitude of detailed shop drawings (AutoCAD) with every order, to meet any requested requirements.
Every drawing and schedule we provide gets down to the smallest details. The precise detail that goes into all our documentation is reflected in the end product. We will even provide the MSDS sheets on the stains and finishing products!
Bring Your Architectural Vision To Life!
t’s all about teamwork: You provide the creative input and we will transform your vision into reality.
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Check out these photo galleries showcasing the beautiful wood grain and stunning design of some of our custom solid wood doors:
- Entry Doors (Single)
- Entry Doors (Double)
- Church Doors
Select from our wide range of wood species for interior, exterior, and entry doors. (We gladly offer wood and stain samples for you to show your clients.) Then choose from our portfolio of styles or your custom design to create showstopping solid wood doors.