Custom Entry Doors have recently become almost a fad in many towns. There are 100's of designs, styles , colors, wood species available. Most of these doors are being imported from China. Although there are still some manufacturers in the United Stated that are producing them locally. The "Import Doors" usually are made from chinese lumber. They have Chinese grown trees which resemble some of our North American trees but they are not the same. You will find the pricing of these import doors is quite competitive. You will also find that there is rarely any warranty available on these import doors.
Much of the wood in China is air dried and you will find very few Kilns in these parts. The result is that the wood has not been dried properly and there is a chance of failure in these doors. Namely, there may be too much humidity in the wood and it increases the chances for the door to warp. Most doors made in North America use kiln dried lumber. Many of the North American Door Manufacturers use an engineered wood substrate as an interior core. The engineered wood is suppose to reduce the amount of movement in the door. Many of these custom entry doors have only 1/8" or 1/4" solid wood veneers on the exterior and the interior core is an engineered wood. Although there are few companies still existing the the US that built the doors out of "Solid Wood". I believe the best quality door is still the Solid Wood Door. You don't have to worry about screws getting stripped or delaminating of the veneers.
If you would like to find a custom designed entry door made in America, I would suggest you search "Google" under "Custom Entry Door". Also, you can go to Macraesbluebook.com and search under "Doors Wood".
There are an endless number of design choices in custom entry doors. You will see Wrought Iron, Glass, Decorative Glass, Leaded Glass, Stained Glass, Clavos(Large Tacks), Speakeasy Doors and Grills, Sidelites,Transom Windows. I would suggest you search your favorite wood browse under "Custom Entry Door" and find a design you like. Next, find a local manufacturer to manufacturer the design you want. Also, you can go to custommade.com and look under Entry Doors for ideas and suppliers.
As mentioned earlier, there are several towns where "Custom Entry Doors" have almost become a fad. It seems like one homeowner is trying to out do the other. In the Chicagoland area, you can actually drive around certain towns and see your fair share of unique doors. I have found that the towns with the most character in their "custom entry doors" include: Hinsdale, Oakbook, Lake Forest, Highland Park in the state of Illinois.
The most popular wood species for entry doors include: Mahogany, Oak, Alder, Maple, and Walnut. I would recommend a hardwood door because it will be less likely to scratch or be damaged. Also, important is the finish. Be sure to use a clear coat with UV protectors. Many contractors use Spar Varnish but there are some better products out there. I prefer an Exterior Finish which made in italy called ICA. There is also another high end finish called "West System".
The custom entry doors can range from $2000-$10,000 for an import and from $5,000 to $50,000 for an intricate door system (Sidelites, transom windows, oversized door).
If you have any questions regarding custom entry doors please feel free to email me at danncd@yahoo.com. I have been custom designing and manufacturing entry doors at my manufacturing facility for many years. I have been in business for 29 years.
Dan Diewald
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