|
The Garage Door—Back to the Future.
It all began with one man and his vision. In the late 1980s, Kent Forsland, Founder of Designer Doors, noticed two remarkable things about carriage house doors from the 1880–1920s:
- The doors’ architectural details fully complemented the home and other exterior doors
- Even though the doors were about 100 years old, they were solid, functional, and usually 90% rot-free
This was a sharp contrast to the wood garage doors being manufactured at the time. And, as it happened, Kent started to come across homeowners who loved the appearance of authentic carriage doors, but desired the functionality and convenience of modern engineering.
Opportunity was knocking on Kent’s door. Starting with handcrafted garage doors designed and built to complement the home’s architecture, he then added push-button, overhead operation by building the door with nearly invisible horizontal section breaks.
Designer Doors, Inc. began selling handcrafted garage doors in 1987, and incorporated in 1989. Today, we’re proud to be 100% employee owned. And we still work as hard as ever to infuse every job we do and all of our products with the essence of Architectural Harmony™.
The I-Frame™.
Design Flexibility, Precision Craftmanship.
Handcrafted I-Frame doors offer unparalleled strength and maximum resistance to harsh environments. Limitless design possibilities with superior wind-load ratings, and engineered to withstand hurricane-force winds. That’s beauty, backed by brawn.
Consider the superb technology in our moisture control system: impervious sealants, beveled trim board, integrated drip cap, built-in ventilation. And that’s just the beginning. This door sheds water brilliantly–preventing pooling and maximizing the life of the door, like a charm.
Naturally, we’ll craft any wood you want in any style of door you want. We’ll also craft entranceways, shutters, and gates—unifying your vision with harmonious architectural aesthetics.
- Solid non-finger jointed Douglas Fir frame for superior stability
- Rugged cope and stick joinery with pocket hole screws for maximum durability
- Proven moisture control system for longer life
- 1 3/8” polystyrene insulation core for added insulation value
- Trim boards on the garage door echo or contrast with other patterns found on the home’s exterior
- Trim variations—horizontal and vertical boards, cross-bucks, half-bucks, curved half-bucks
- Premium waterproof exterior adhesive, stainless steel fasteners
- High humidity/insect resistant packages
- Windload rated up to 140 mph. Miami Dade County approved
The E-Frame™.
Classic Construction, Superior Quality.
The perfect garage door can be a striking addition to your home—particularly when complemented by unifying entranceways, shutters, and gates. As an alternative to the I-Frame, our E-Frame, often called a panel door, is a more traditional option.
The construction of our E-Frame provides the look, finish, and overall performance characteristics that offer you the best panel door on the market. This door features clear, non-finger jointed Douglas Fir for a superior strength-to-weight ratio. The interior surface is covered in exterior grade plywood, and 1/2-inch expanded polystyrene insulation is standard.
With the E-Frame we also offer a wide range of materials and millwork options. Overall, the E-Frame is designed to satisfy the vision of your project and accent the architectural integrity of the home.
Historic Re-Creations.
Authentic, historically accurate, and truly inspired re-creations showcase our admiration for renovation and preservation projects. Doors that swing, slide or fold open—much like the very first garage doors—are finished to perfection.
Perhaps you simply prefer doors that function the way they appear. Then, we’ll craft a perfect blend of form and function, and yes, history, to create beautiful, architecturally accurate doors!
Historic Re-Creations
- Available in I- and E-Frame
- Custom profiles from your drawing or sample, source-specific tooling, milled by our own craftsmen
- Historic restoration
- Authentic function—swing, slide, fold
Timbercraft
Curb Appeal At An Affordable Price.
There's no reason to sacrifice good looks because of budget. So we make sure every Timbercraft door carries the Designer Doors heritage of quality crafting.
Unlike steel and composite (plastic) garage doors that attempt to mimic the real wood carriage door look, Timbercraft is manufactured using natural materials that add to the richness and warmth of the home. There is no substitute for the authentic appeal of real wood. So, we proudly build our Timbercraft doors with Western Red Cedar, providing instant curb appeal.
Timbercraft doors feature:
- Clear grade Western Red Cedar tongue and groove face material in 4" or 6" v-groove or beaded profiles. Flat paintable surface is also available in an exterior-grade medium density fiberboard (MDF).
- Layered Western Red Cedar trim boards, 5-1/4" bottom rail and 5-3/8" outer perimiter trim boards
- Door framework of solid 1" thick pine with an 1/8" primed hardboard interior surface
- 1" polystyrene insulation for excellent energy efficiency
- Windload-approved in many areas
The Sweep And Grace Of The Gate.
Garden gate, side gate, the grand gate upon entry. This architectural feature helps define Architectural Harmony™. It guards, invites, or conceals. The gate has myriad personalities.
The making of the perfect gate requires handwork and engineering that aligns with all parts of the architecture.
A wholly unique and visionary detail that complements and adds character, we see the gate as integral to the architectural theme. It can add the discerning element of delight to the patio, garden, driveway, landscaping or general layout of the property.
First seen, the gate makes the lasting impression. |
Designer Doors 
