This replacement oak church door was manufactured from air dried oak, selected for quarter sawn grain – this is a very stable section, as grain is parallel to surfaces meaning shrinkage planes can be determined with confidence, an essential consideration where temperature and humidity ranges vary. Quarter sawn converted oak is particularly striking as the medullary rays (lighter bands of grain that run generally at 90 degrees to the grain direction on the surface) deliver characteristic decoration.
A ply template was taken from existing curves to stone radiused head and tapered jambs, that had a determining factor on moving the ‘hinging point’ in front of predetermined point so the door could open. The door was designed by architects. We provided design for a skilled blacksmith to replicate features from another existing door within the church.
