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Personalize Your Door with the Proper Wood Species

Aside from design, the species of wood you choose can significantly enhance the appearance of your home both inside and out, as well as increase your home's value. Any of Vintage Doors solid wood door designs, sidelights and/or transoms are handcrafted from only the finest hardwoods available in the world and are built to withstand the test of time.

Select a hardwood species from one of the collections below to create a one-of-a-kind statement for you and your home. Descriptions are provided below to give valuable insight as to the characteristics & quality of each wood species.

• Exclusive Wood Species Collection
• Sophisticated Wood Species Collection
• Premium Wood Species Collection
• Rustic Wood Species Collection
• Base Wood Species Collection

Exclusive Wood Species

• Honduran Mahogany

  

  Honduran, also known as South American mahogany is the real, top of the line pattern grade genuine mahogany. Responsibly logged in the forests of South America, this mahogany has outstanding weathering capabilities. Honduran mahogany is recommended for use in the harshest environments and will give your entryway the high-status, elegant, long-lasting, rich look you want.

• Quarter Sawn White Oak

  

  Quarter Sawn White Oak is one of the highest end and rarest hardwoods available. When cut the log is first split into quarters and then sawn on the diagonal from center. This special technique places the rays on the face of the board and provides the distinguishing stripes and flecks across the grain that is the trademark of quarter sawn oak and characteristic of many doors from a bygone era. Because of the special sawing technique quarter sawn oak is structurally more stable and is a superior choice for any entrance door.

• Black Walnut

  

  Black Walnut is a beautiful north American hardwood species that can be used on any interior or exterior doors with cover. Walnut’s attractive dark grain makes it a highly desired wood choice for many applications. Black Walnut is used to highlight many door designs from vintage, contemporary, modern, traditional and old fashion. This is the wood you want to add wow factor to any project you have.

Sophisticated Wood Species

• African Mahogany

  

  African mahogany is an extremely rot resistant and durable hardwood. African mahogany tends to have a ribbon like grain which is more pronounced after finishing. African mahogany can be used in harshest environments and is highly recommended for exposed locations.

• Cherry

  

  Cherry is a very impressive, classic American hardwood. Cherry's natural color and beautiful grain tends to darken and get richer with age, giving warmth to its nearby surroundings. Cherry is also dense and strong which allows it to endure against the elements. It is not a wood that you want to paint and cover the grain.

• Douglas Fir (vertical grain)

  

  "Vertical grain" Douglas fir is prized for its strength, weather resistance, beauty and its consistent, tight grain. This is not to be confused with other fir species. Vertical grain Douglas fir is a very strong, stiff hardwood that has excellent endurance against the elements. It has an internal pitch which makes it very rot resistant. This is recommended on exposed entrance doors when being painted and/or stained.

Premium Wood Species

• Maple

  

  Maple is a dense hardwood with a very tightly woven smooth grain with a pale/light natural base tone. Maple has good durability against the elements and is best used in locations where there is a minimum of a slight overhang protecting the door. Maple's smooth grain makes for a very smooth finish when painting or staining.

• Red Oak

  

  Red oak is a dense hardwood with a lot of grain and character and a pinkish red tone. It proves to have good durability against the elements. When painted, the texture of Red oak's coarse grain will show through, unless the grain is filled. Red oak should be used in locations where the door has a minimum of a slight overhang above.

  For enhanced beauty, view Quarter Sawn Red Oak

Rustic Wood Species

• Knotty Alder

  

  Knotty Alder gives you a light brown base tone making it browner in appearance than knotty pine and is also a harder wood. If you're looking for a western or southwestern style door or if you want knots but don't want to choose Knotty Pine then Knotty Alder is the wood species you need. Knotty Alder is only recommended for interior doors. It should only be attempted on screen and storm doors or exterior doors that are totally covered by a porch.

• Knotty Pine

  

  Knotty Pine gives you that rustic charm with plenty of character knots to help you appreciate wood the way nature made it. If you're looking for that Adirondack look or love the rustic character of natural knots, Knotty Pine will help you achieve the design you want. Knotty pine only recommended for interior doors. It should only be attempted on screen and storm doors or exterior doors that are totally covered by a porch.

Base Wood Species

• Poplar

  

  Poplar is the most economical wood species. The species can be stained or painted and is best used in sheltered environments such as under an overhang or porch where the door will not take on the brunt of the weather. Poplar works great for paint grade interior doors and screen doors being installed in sheltered location. All exterior entrance doors whether exposed or protected will not be made in poplar. All screen doors that are fully exposed to the elements should be made in a different wood species.