Alternative to (very nice!) $1700 Casing free Mahogany interior doors
rdy4trvl
| Posted in General Discussion on
The ideal door is a Trustile Mahogany interior door for this 1959 single story in northern CA. At $1700+ (x7 doors), it’s simply too expensive. Making it worse is the need for a clean, casing free/exposed jamb (see attached cross section). I do not have the skills nor tools (joiner, planer, etc) to build the jambs.
I suppose the key obstacle is the Mahogany exposed jambs – there’s a lot of Mahogany in the jambs.
The house has mahogany floors so the doors would tie in nicely. However, another less expensive wood might work since the floors will be refinished.
Any decent alternatives or ideas?
Replies
The 5/4 jamb 6 inches wide and 18 ft long will require 12 board ft of wood at $8 per board ft, $100 with tax. You save $50 with a common hardwood.
Hate to ask but what's pmp?
It’s a measure of wood volume, should have used board foot instead of pmp. It is one foot long X one foot wide X 1 inch thick of green rough wood, drying will take away 10% or so and you allow another 10% for waste. So the jamb will require around 12 board feet and the price of wood is $ per board ft.
Great, I understand board feet. Might something like this work? https://www.bairdbrothers.com/1-x-5-12-African-Mahogany-Lumber-54x6-P5529.aspx
Looks like it might work if 1) I could find a local yard with similar pricing 2) really want to dive into building the jambs.
Milled lumber goes by linear feet, not board ft. If you buy the lumber milled and cut it to length at $11 per foot for 18 ft it will run at $200 for material and you still need to cut the recess for the hinges and door catch and buy and install the solid mahogany stop molding. Looking at wood cost to reduce the expense on an item that you are not fabricating and is relatively complex is not going to result in a large saving at the expense of not being of the quality that this mid-century house deserves. I did the 7 doors in my basement with African mahogany plywood jambs and recently fabricated and installed the jambs, trim and window frames in a renovation project for a client on a century old apartment, all solid mahogany. That later project, which would be comparable to making and installing 7 door frames took 90 hours, and no doors were made.
Mahogany plywood with solid edging applied would save a boatload of cash on your jambs.
I don't want to make my own jambs but this might be worth a try... plus veneered plywood would be more stable and straight. Nice idea!
He still has the problem of the $11000 worth of doors.
Who is hanging these doors? If your not buying the doors then you don't need the jambs.
A reasonable alternative might be phillipine mahogany. While not a true mahogany and softer it looks nearly the same. It will be significantly cheaper than genuine mahogany. Where in norcal? In the Bay Area you will pay $12 a board foot or more for genuine mahogany.$14 at Macbeaths (and maybe $14 anywhere) but they will have the best selection. African will run $10 or better. If you go the plywood route I would suggest you get the Appleply from Mt Storm in mahogany. It still needs to be edgebanded. I see trouble down the road there. I wouldn't do it!
If you have a contractor set up and hang those doors be aware ,if you are in the Bay Area, he is going to bill out at $100 or $110 an hour. If you hire a carpenter independently he will charge $70 + per hour and if he's charging less than that you don't want him! If I were you,or should I say -if I were me, I would have a doorshop set up the jambs and prehang the doors. 1) They will get a wholesale price on the doors,hardware and maybe lumber, some of that savings might come to you in the bid price for the whole job. They do doors all day long so they're set up to do it in a fraction of the time and better than a carpenter can do it on site. If prehung do you feel confident to be able to install the doors yourself? You are aware I suppose that that schematic is calling for, at the least, a skim coat on the walls . Also for the jambs there is always the possibility of using a lesser grade of wood and stain to match the color of the doors.
Another way to look at this, if you do decide to spring for the $1700 doors ,then the $150 or so per door ,so less than 10% ,for the better jamb material ain't bad. The whole thing your proposing is a luxury item - trimless designer mahogany flushdoors. Luxury items by definition are costly.
I agree - edgebanding it a poor choice for jambs - simply too susceptible to damage. That said, it's still on the table.
I do like the "..have a doorshop set up the jambs and prehang the doors.." Could you suggest a shop or two? I'm in the north bay but any bay area is good.
By the way...there is something wrong with the two pictures . In the schematic drawing they show the hinge installation ----there are no hinges showing in the photo..... much cleaner look I guess if you just tape the door into the frame!
Just an observation, but you prolly need to spend the money, get the tools, and learn the skills. As Pantalones alluded to, this is a visually pleasing, high-Luxury look that requires equally fine materials and craftsmanship. There are usually no shortcuts to achieving that look..
Agree, no short cuts there. There is another issue regarding cost....the house has a reasonably stable* 60' cliff as the backyard. There is a real chance of a landslide. Short of a landslide, this naturally impacts resale market and value.
* it's stable until it's not...just not sure of the timing.
I now have 2 images in my head... does the cliff go up or down from the yard?
Where about in the Northbay? I had a house on a cliff ...well rented it but it came up for sale. Crappy house, million dollar view- now 2 or 3 million! I said to my wife at the time " Do you think this house will be here in 30 years?" We bought this instead. 30 years later, practically to the day ,that house went bye bye! The lot belongs to the sharks and the whales now! I would rather ride down on top than climb out from underneath personally!
Yes I know a doorshop, do you know where Dogtown is? Its the only thing there,you can't miss it! I'll hunt up the number for you, it's in a rollidex, remember those? I just did! Now if I can find it! Or ill ask my wife when she comes home, she's a phone number savant!
Pretty decent chance it's here in 30...survived 62 yrs so far. The house is at the bottom of the cliff. Rocks roll down daily/hourly...but it's the landslide triggered by heavy rain that creates excitement. 2019 last sizable slide...$20k to clean up (months before we bought it). This is in Sausalito - the worst house on a nice street (everyone but 2-3 have decent views...unless you consider the cliff a nice view!).
Yes, I know where Dogtown is - in Oakland but don't know the area. Let me know the name if you find it - that would be helpful.
Thanks!
Oakland? Dogtown is West Marin on Hwy 1 south of Point Reyes Station, North of Stinson Beach. Sooooo, the worst house in Sausalito ? That, to almost 7 billion people ,would be a problem they would like to have!
Actually, just worst on the street...you are correct, it's nice but then just the fact we live in the USA puts us in the top 5-8% of the 7B people (although some may not agree). We kind of won the lotto (for those born here).
It must be Pacific Sash and Door...I remember riding (a bike) by the "Dogtown" sign...and it's on a small steep hill so there's plenty of time to stare at that sign. Thanks!
That's the place. You survived that curve,some dont. Why do people think bike riding on Hwy 1 is fun? They peel people off the pavement regularly!
And yes, Ive spent considerable time in Asia. My conclusion is I am super wealthy ,and lived it there----but then again ,in Thailand there are no Thais, and I mean NONE that are homeless!
IT's been years since Hwy 1...just a memory but so is that sign. I did reach out to Pacific and did hear back from Mt Storm who said they might be able to help. We'll see. Thanks again for the suggestions.
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