What type of wood to use

Sayer Fancher

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169
Location
Hudson Valley NY
I need to build a storm/screen door for a 1700's stone house. What type of wood do you think would be best to use? I don't do much exterior wood work so i'm really not sure. It will be 5/4 and will be exposed to the weather, no roof or overhang over it. I'm tying not to use real exotic wood in order to keep the cost down. Thanks for any advice.
 
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I would use White Oak, hold up really good to the weather just make sure it is sealed up good

I agree with Roy - white oak. Another wood - not commonly milled, though - that grows in your area and is very weather resistant, is Black locust. They use it a lot for fence posts, and it's really rot/weather resistant.

Both woods would be 'period correct' for a house of that age.

Assuming you're going to varnish the new door, use Epifane, and follow the directions on the can.

For 1700's correctness, though, it'd probably be left unfinished, or maybe oiled with linseed oil.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I should have put in that this will be painted to match the rest of the trim and the dutch door it will be in front of. Would that make a difference as to which wood could be used?
 
Thanks all, I think I will go with the cedar. Bob, if you think of the place near me please let me know. I would like to check them out. Alan told me of a place in Stormville NY, Condon's, that has all types of wood. Maybe thats them?
 
wont pm you with this in case anyone else is looking for a dealer up here.

rosenzweig lumber in the Bronx, right next to the triboro bridge, they have every species, decent prices.

Im sure condon is a lot closer to you.
 
Doors are always satisfying to make. Since they didn't have screen doors in the 1700's (I don't think?)

If I were doing it, I would emulate some details of 1700's furniture on it, and make it kind of fancy, to a point.

I would try to make it a lighter version of the door behind it, so they appear as a matched pair when closed

both in finish and in design.


I'd make it out of something hard, like beech where the joints would hold stiff and inline for a good many years

of hard use. Then stain it anything from grey, to black, to burgandy, to fit in with the door behind it, then

use something like Thompsons waterseal on it every so often.


If there are young kids inthat house, that door is going to to get a lot of use.

http://www.hoskinghardwood.com/Department/Hardwood-Floors/Wood-Hardness-Chart.aspx?dId=7&pageId=12


(just my 2 cents) :)
 
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