What are the most common exterior door dimensions?
My existing door is only 1 ¾” wide will it accommodate a 1½" or 2” wide replacement?
Why would I want a thicker door?
What are the advantages choosing a wood replacement door over a steel clad door?
Do Unique wood doors come pre-finished or pre-hung?
Where can I find matching wood species for doorjambs, thresholds, t-astragal and other wood trim to match my new wood door?
Do you ship your doors outside Canada?
What procedure should be followed if I want to return a door once delivered?

"Best practices" to observe upon taking delivery of your new door:
Storage and Handling
Exterior Wood Finishing Best Practices
Installation of Your New Door
Adjustment and Maintenance Issues
Cleaning and Touchup

What are the most common exterior door dimensions?

The most common exterior door dimension is either 80” x 36”x 1 ¾-2”. The next most common dimension for taller exterior door is 96” x 36 x 1 ¾-2”. To determine your replacement or new door size, take the following measurements inside the existing door jam, height x width and thickness of door.

My existing door is only 1 ¾” wide will it accommodate a 1½” or 2" wide replacement?

Most existing door jams will accommodate the thicker dimension. If in doubt, check with a trusted carpenter for advice.

Why would I want a thicker door?

A thicker door equals greater insulation value to your home.

What are the advantages choosing a wood replacement door over a steel clad door?

A properly kiln dried hardwood door is inch for inch as hard as solid steel, as most steel doors only have a thin steel face around a Styrofoam core.

• The beauty and warmth of a carved wood door will significantly improve the attractiveness and sophistication of any home when compared to a steel clad door.
• The insulation value of a 2” wood door is at least equal to a steel clad door when installed by a capable carpenter and good quality weatherproofing strip is used. Wood provides insulation, as opposed to metals that are natural heat conductors. It is 400 times more effective as insulation than steel and 1800 times more effective than aluminum. Between 70 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the air infiltration rate on steel doors accelerates as exterior temperatures work to separate the door from the frame and weather-stripping. With 75 percent of a door's heat loss occurring around its edges, these advantages mean wood doors not only look better, they perform better.
• Although the cost of a wood door is greater than a steel clad door, a well-constructed door will last as long or possibly longer than steel clad if good quality finishing seals and stains are used. The timeless beauty will at the very least, last in its appearance much longer than a steel door. The secret to the longevity of wood doors is to refinish, with careful attention to the extremities of the door, upon the first sign of wear.

Do Unique wood doors come pre-finished or pre-hung?

Unique wood doors are only available as unfinished door slabs. The door slabs are ready for sealing; staining or any other desired finishing process upon receipt. Our doors are not available pre-hung. It is felt that a better finished product fit and finish can be achieved by using skilled local carpenters.

Where can I find matching wood species for doorjambs, thresholds, t-astragal and other wood trim to match my new wood door?

At this time we are using wood species that are still readily available in most local building centers. If you are applying a wood stain to your door finish, an experienced carpenter will be able to match a suitable hardwood that once stained will complement the over all appearance of your carved door.

Do you ship your doors outside Canada?

Currently we primarily positioned to ship our doors in Canada and the Continental United States. For international orders please contact us directly and we will provide a quote on shipment options.

What procedure should be followed if I want to return a door once delivered?

Upon taking delivery of your new door examine the contents carefully. If any damage is observed on delivery, report these to the carrier (delivery company) immediately. You must also report damage or the shipment of an incorrect item to our office within 5 days of taking delivery. Arrangements to send the shipment should be accompanied by a restocking number. Either call our customer service line at 416-562-0830 or contact us by email to make arrangements for the return. Note that there will be a restocking fee of $100.00 on each door.

Storage and Handling of your new door:

1. Store doors flat on a level surface in a dry, well-ventilated building. Doors should not come in contact with water. Doors should be kept at least 3-1/2" off the floor and should have protective coverings under the bottom door and over the top. Covering should protect doors from dirt, water and abuse but allow for air circulation under and around the stack.
2. Avoid exposure of exterior and interior doors to direct sunlight prior to finishing. Certain species (e.g., cherry, mahogany, walnut, teak) in an unfinished state are more susceptible to discoloration if exposed to sunlight or some forms of artificial light.
3. To protect doors from light damage after delivery, cover with opaque material until ready to finish
4. Do not subject doors to extremes of heat and/or humidity prior to finishing. Do not allow doors to come in contact with water. Prolonged exposure may cause damage.
5. Do not install doors in buildings that have wet plaster or cement unless they have been properly finished. Do not store doors in buildings with excessive moisture content – HVAC systems should be operating and balanced.
6. Doors should always be handled with clean hands or while wearing clean gloves.
7. Doors should be lifted and carried when being moved, not dragged across one another

Exterior Wood Finishing Best Practices:

1. Wood is hygroscopic and dimensionally influenced by changes in moisture content caused by changes within its surrounding environment. To assure uniform moisture exposure and dimensional control, all surfaces must be finished equally.
2. Although our doors are delivered with a fine-sanded finish, some additional preparation is needed prior to finishing. Before finishing, remove all handling marks, raised grain, scuffs, burnishes and other undesirable blemishes by block sanding all surfaces in a horizontal position with 180 or 200 grit sandpaper. Solid core flush doors due to their weight naturally compress the face veneer grain while in the stack. Therefore, sanding of the overall surface will be required to open the veneer grain to receive a field applied finish evenly. To avoid cross grain scratches, sand with the grain.
3. Certain species of wood, particularly oak, may contain extractives, which react unfavorably with foreign materials in the finishing system. Eliminate the use of steel wood on bare wood, rusty containers or other contaminates in the finishing system.
4. A thinned coat of sanding sealer should be applied prior to staining to promote a uniform finish and avoid sharp contrasts in color or a blotchy appearance. Door manufacturers are not responsible for the final appearance of field-finished doors. It is expected that the painting contractor will make adjustments as needed to achieve desired results.
5. All exposed wood surfaces must be sealed including top and bottom rails. Cutouts for hardware in exterior doors must be sealed prior to installation of hardware and exposure to weather.
6. Dark colored finishes should be avoided on all surfaces if the door is exposed to direct sunlight, in order to reduce the chance of warping.
7. Water-based coatings on unfinished wood may cause splits, highlight joints and raise wood grain. For exterior doors only use coatings that are an exterior grade product, marine grade provide the most superior protection. When installed in exterior applications, doors must be properly sealed and adequately protected from the elements. Please follow the manufacturers finish recommendations regarding the correct application and use of these products.
8. Be sure the door surface being finished is satisfactory in both smoothness and color after each coat. Allow adequate drying time between coats. Desired results are best achieved by following the finish manufacturer's recommendations.

How to Installation Your New Wood Door?

1. The utility or structural strength of the doors must not be impaired when fitting to the opening, in applying hardware, in preparing for lights, louvers, and other detailing.
2. Use two hinges for solid core doors up to 60 inches in height, three hinges up to 90 inches in height and an additional hinge for every additional 30 inches of height or portion thereof. Use heavy weight hinges on doors over 175 lbs. Consult hinge hardware manufacturer with regard to weight and size of hinges required.
3. Clearances between top and hinge door edges and doorframe should be a minimum of 1/8" (3.2 mm). For a single door latch edge the clearance should be 1/8" (3.2 mm). For a pair of doors the meeting edge clearance should be 1/16" (1.6 mm) per leaf. The bottom edge should be 3/4 (19 mm) maximum from the top of a non-combustible floor and 3/8" (10 mm) maximum from the top of a non-combustible sill. As wood is not a static material allowance should sufficient clearance for expansion due to humidity changes. It is recommended that an experienced carpenter be used to finish and install your door for best results and preserve your investment.
4. All hardware locations, preparations and methods of attachment must be appropriate for the specific door construction. Templates for specific hardware preparation are available from hardware manufacturers or their distributors.
5. Pilot holes must be drilled for all screws that act as hardware attachments. Screws that are threaded to the head are the preferred fasteners used to secure hardware on wood doors.
6. In fitting for height, do not trim top or bottom edge by more than 3/4 inches unless accommodated by additional blocking.
7. For installations in cold weather climate it is critical to use a professional quality weather stripping, A superior quality weather stripping will compensate for any minor seasonal movement, while maintaining the high installation value (R-value) of wood.
8. Doors and doorframes should be installed plumb, square and level.

Adjustment and Maintenance Issues:

1. Insure that all doors swing freely and do not bind in their frame. Adjust the finish hardware for proper alignment, smooth operation and proper latching without unnecessary force or excessive clearance.
2. Seasonally inspect all doors for wear, damage and natural deterioration.
3. Periodically inspect and adjust all hardware to insure that it continues to function as it was originally intended.
4. Finishes on exterior doors may deteriorate due to exposure to the environment. In order to protect the door it is recommended that the condition of the exterior finish be inspected at least once a year and re-finished as needed.

Cleaning and Touchup Suggestions:

1. Inspect all wood doors prior to hanging them. Repair noticeable marks or defects that may have occurred from improper storage and handling.
2. When cleaning door surfaces, use a non-abrasive commercial cleaner designed for cleaning wood door or paneling surfaces, that do no leave a film residue that would build-up or effect the surface gloss of the door finish.