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Could your Toronto exterior doors, frames, and trim use a little attention?

The truth is that doors and wood trim are notorious for attracting dust, dirt, and debris. This often occurs over the course of a few weeks or months. Depending on your location and the state of your home, however, it could occur in as little as a few days!

Fortunately, you don’t need many tools to maintain wood doors in Ontario and keep them in top condition. Follow these simple steps to clean your doors and trim like a seasoned professional!

3 Steps to Clean Your Exterior Doors

Whether your Toronto exterior doors are made from wood, fibreglass, or steel, clean them by doing the following:

1. Wipe Down the Door and Frame: First, combine water with either dishwashing liquid or vinegar. Then, using a microfiber cloth, wipe down all of your doors, frames, and trim. Be sure to start at the top with the head jamb and work your way down to the floor.
2. Wash the Glass Accents: If your wood doors in Ontario happen to be French doors or have glass accents, chances are that there are smudges, streaks, and fingerprints scattered across these surfaces. With a vinegar-based solution and microfiber cloth, gently clean both sides of the glass.
3. Thoroughly Clean the Hardware: Depending on whether your door’s hardware is made of brass, chrome, steel, or another material, find a compatible polish product and gently rub the hardware with a cloth. Use a second cloth to remove the polish and leave a sparkling finish!

3 Steps to Clean Your Wood Trim

After cleaning your Toronto exterior doors and frames, it’s time to turn your attention to the trim throughout your home. Be sure to do the following:

1. Vacuum the Area: Particularly if you haven’t cleaned your trim recently, chances are that there is plenty of dirt that will need to be removed before you attempt to dust or wipe down the trim. Equipping the soft brush attachment, gently vacuum the area—paying special attention to your baseboards!
2. Wipe Down the Trim: Now that you have removed most of the dirt and debris surrounding your trim, it’s time to polish some of the remaining blemishes out of your trim. Make a solution of water and either vinegar or detergent, and wipe down each area with a damp microfiber cloth. Feel free to apply a little extra pressure to remove stubborn marks and stains.
3. Rub the Trim with Dryer Sheets: After your trim has been vacuumed, wiped down, and has had a chance to dry, consider using a simple hack that will help you prevent dirt and dust from building up in the future. Take several dryer sheets and rub down all of your trim—including baseboards, crown mouldings, and even door frames. This will help eliminate the static that so often attracts dust, dirt, and debris!

Looking to immerse yourself in the world of interior doors?

Whether you’re buying custom interior wood doors in Toronto or simply wanting to learn more about interior doors, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the many terms that are used by people across the door manufacturing industry.

Keep reading to learn more about the most common types of interior doors and the different industry lingo that is used!

Types of Custom Interior Doors

Custom interior flush doors

These doors are typically constructed from a single piece of wood—often possessing a solid wood core. While simple from a design perspective, the door’s sheer density can provide added soundproofing and insulation.

Custom interior panel doors

Unlike flush doors, custom interior panel doors are divided into raised or recessed sections of wood. These sections may run vertically or horizontally, adding detail to the door’s design.

Custom interior French doors

These swinging or sliding double doors are typically adorned with ornamental glass panels. Custom interior French doors allows light to shine through from one room to the next—making your home appear more open and spacious.

Functions of Interior Doors

Swinging doors

As you might expect, a swinging door functions by rotating inward or outward—depending on the room and application. This type of door is usually secured by hinges on one side of the door frame.

Sliding doors

Contrary to a swinging door, a sliding door rests on horizontal tracks at the top and bottom ends. This allows the door to open and close from one side.

Parts of Interior Doors

• Door slab: The door itself, sans the unit’s frame and moulding, is often referred to as the door “slab.”
• Door frame: The frame is the wood structure that lines the perimeter of the door on all four sides. It supports both the hinge and the door itself.
• Side Jambs: The side jambs are the vertical pieces of the door frame. One jamb attaches to the hinge and supports the door slab, while the other jamb attaches to the mullion and allows the door to open, close, and lock.
• Head Jamb: The head jamb is the horizontal section located at the top of the door frame.
• Sill: The sill is the horizontal section located at the bottom of the door frame.
• Casing: The terms “frame” and “casing” are sometimes conflated, but it’s important to distinguish between the two terms. The casing is not the frame itself but rather the decorative moulding that is added to the frame.
• Transom: There are two common types of decorative glass that are added to custom interior wood doors in Toronto. The glass located above the door is called the transom.
• Sidelight: The decorative glass that is located at the side of the interior door is called a sidelight.
• Door unit: The door, its frame, hardware, and the entire assembly is often referred to as the door “unit.”

When it comes to preserving your exterior custom-made wood doors, maintenance is key.

In many cases, a little maintenance can be the difference between a door lasting for several years or several decades. Fortunately, most routine maintenance tasks can be performed at home with only a few simple tools.

Here are our top tips for maintaining exterior wood doors in Toronto!

1. Dust Your Home Frequently

There are all types of dirt and debris particles that can impact your exterior door’s finish and hardware. While seemingly harmless, these particles will eventually eat away at your door’s protective coating,

So, make a habit of dusting your home—including your door—at least once per week. You can achieve this with a conventional duster or a soft, damp rag.

2. Wash Your Door Regularly

Given all of the grime that can build up on your door from dirty hands, mud, bad weather, and the environment, it’s important that you wash your exterior wood door at least once per month.

If you live in a high-pollution area, you may need to do this as often as once per week.

To start, find a smooth, soft cloth or sponge. Avoid steel wool or rags with harsh textures that could scratch your door. Using water and a mild dish soap, gently rub the cloth over the surface of your door until all dirt has been removed.

Using a second rag and disinfectant spray, wipe down all of the door’s hardware—including handles, hinges, and latches. This will not only stop dirt from corroding the hardware but also prevent bacteria from building up.

3. Polish Your Door As Needed

After cleaning and washing your custom-made residential exterior doors, you may notice that they have lost some of their normal luster. Fortunately, you can restore their sheen with a simple polish.

Using a clean cloth, gently rub a modest amount of high-quality furniture polish across the door’s surface. Be careful not to apply too much of the product, as it is not a substitute for your door’s finish.

4. Give Your Door a New Finish

When it comes to protecting custom-made residential exterior doors, the finish is the first line of defence. Without this protective coating in place, exterior doors are more susceptible to scratches, chips, and moisture.

First, inspect your door to determine whether it needs to be refinished. Then, choose a paint, wood stain, varnish, or another type of finish that will pair well with the hardwood. Before you begin the refinishing process, remember to remove the door from its hinges and tape up any hardware.

If most of the original finish has worn off, you may be able to remove any remaining areas by lightly sanding the door. Otherwise, you may need to remove the old finish with a chemical stripper. Next, wipe down the entire door down to remove any sawdust. Finally, apply a few coats of the finish before rehanging your door!

Do your traditional wood doors need a little attention?

It’s important to remember that not all issues require the expertise of a professional. In fact, there are several problems that—with some basic knowledge and a few tools—you can tackle yourself!

Here are nine common issues with traditional wooden doors that you can repair on your own!

1. Your Door Has a Small Crack

With most traditional wooden doors, there is only a certain amount of cosmetic damage you can repair with tools at home. If a crack is small enough, however, you can apply putty to the crack using a toothpick.

2. Your Door Doesn’t Stay Open

If your door closes on its own, it’s possible that it isn’t sitting straight on the hinges or that the hinges aren’t properly aligned. Remove a pin from the problematic hinge and move it into position before tightening all screws.

3. Your Door Squeaks

In many cases, a squeaky hinge can be resolved simply by applying lubricant to the hinge. If this doesn’t fix the issue, or you find that the hinge pin sticks, you may need to replace the door hinge altogether.

4. Your Door Sticks

If your door is difficult to open, assess the space between the door and the frame for any obstruction. Next, check the hinges for dirt or loose screws. If cleaning the area doesn’t fix the issue, use a piece of cardboard to shim the hinge opposite to the area of the door that is sticking.

5. Your Door Doesn’t Latch

Much of the time, exterior wood doors don’t latch because the hinges have become too loose. Make sure the screws are tight. Be careful not to overtighten and strip them, however.

6. Your Strike Plate Is Out of Alignment

A misaligned or faulty strike plate may prevent the door latch from reaching the hole in the plate. If the strike plate is damaged, replace it. Otherwise, loosen the plate’s screws, gently tap the plate back into place, and tighten the screws.

7. Your Door Handle Is Stiff

If you’re finding it more and more difficult to turn your door handle, spray the latch system with oil. Then, rotate the handle back and forth for a few minutes so that the oil is dispersed evenly.

8. Your Door Is Hitting the Wall

Forcefully opening a door can cause the door handle to damage the wall. To avoid this issue, install a stopper to the skirting board. This will catch the door before the door handle hits the wall.

9. Your Sliding Door Doesn’t Slide Smoothly

f you have sliding interior custom wood doors, dirt and debris will likely build up on the tracks over time. This will prevent you from opening and closing your doors with ease. Vacuum up the dirt or use a wet rag to remove the gunk.

If there is extensive damage to your traditional wood doors, it might be time to consider ordering new custom wood doors for your home.

Do you want to make sure that you pick the perfect wood species for your new custom entry door?

There are all kinds of decisions that go into designing a brand-new custom front entry door, but choosing a wood species is arguably the most important decision you will need to make during this process.

Of course, there are dozens of wood species for custom doors to consider.

Here are some of the most popular options and their characteristics!

Mahogany

Known for its durability and resistance to wear, mahogany is often used for furniture, flooring, and of course, exterior wood doors. While mahogany can be painted, it is best paired with a quality wood stain that draws out its fine, straight grain and gorgeous dark wood tones.
The wood’s incredible strength and beauty come at a cost, however, as mahogany is among the more expensive options for custom wood doors.

Alder

Alder—and knotty alder, more specifically—has a prominent wood grain that can bring a sense of rustic charm to your home.

With that said, alder is not nearly as dense as most popular hardwoods, and therefore, less durable overall. Although it requires more maintenance than many other wood species for custom doors, alder is one of the more affordable options on the market.

Oak

While there are well over 500 different species of oak, red oak and white oak are the two most common species used for custom wood doors.

This type of hardwood is known for not only its density and water resistance but also its wide range of grain patterns. Some oak species possess a straight grain, while others have more of a wavy or swirly grain pattern.

Walnut

Walnut has a chocolate-coloured appearance and is one of the darker woods used for exterior doors. Because walnut’s colour is prone to fading over time, however, it is critical that you keep it well-maintained.

The wood’s fine, straight grain gives it a modern feel that is best complemented with a high-quality wood stain. Keep in mind, however, that walnut tends to be among the more expensive wood species for custom doors.

Accoya® wood

Accoya® wood is the result of extensive research and development to combine a proven wood modification technique – acetylation – with cutting-edge patented technology in order to create a durable, stable and sustainable wood product that can withstand outdoor use and challenging weather conditions. Not only does Accoya offer superior performance compared to the best tropical hardwoods, but its production is also non-toxic and uses only sustainable sources of wood.

Accoya wood is favoured by many due to its suitability for a wide range of applications, from windows and doors, all the way through to cladding and even bridges or boats. Its properties make it an ideal replacement for materials which are not environmentally friendly or sustainable.

Do you need help choosing a wood species for custom doors?