Mahogany Doors

Mahogany is known for its durability and treasured for its beauty. It wears well and is a perfect material for interior doors as well as exterior doors and entry doors. Its close grain, rich color and sturdy structure influences its high demand in the woodworking industry. The wood easily holds and sustains glue, nails and hardware, while being a perfect candidate for stains.

A glossy finish or polish wears well on mahogany wood. Aesthetically pleasing for interior doors, Mahogany also seasons well holding its frame and durability, making it a perfect choice for an exterior mahogany door or an immaculate entry door. Today mahogany is used to make musical instruments like guitars, grand pianos and violins, spectacular wooden furniture, luxurious wooden cabinetry and strong, elegant entry doors, interior mahogany doors and exterior mahogany doors.

Traditional Mahogany

Queen Elizabeth I is said to be the culprit for creating the popularity of mahogany’s reputation today. She introduced mahogany furniture into the main stream after receiving a gift—a beautifully crafted mahogany table—from British Explorer, Sir Walter Raleigh, a romantic interest of the Queen.

Sir Raleigh was exploring in the West Indies when his ship required repairs. Though mahogany was foreign to the “civilized world,” Raleigh complied with the natives and had reddish planks installed in his ship. Queen Elizabeth I visited the ship upon Sir Raleigh’s return to England and made note of her great liking of the dark red wood.

The traditional uses for mahogany have been dated back to colonial times where it was first imported. It quickly became popular in Europe as well as the New World. Though not used for furniture until the late 18th century, mahogany was thought of as Jamaican wood, primarily because Jamaica was the main source for mahogany at the time. Not only did Jamaica harvest mahogany, but it also stabilized business by importing mahogany from the Caribbean and shipping it to England and the colonies.

Today mahogany is mainly grown in South America, Mexico and Brazil and is a popular commodity worldwide. Big-leaf mahogany trees are fast-growing can get up to 150-feet tall hovering over the canopy.

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Entry Door—Choosing Mahogany

Whether you’re an architect, homeowner, or builder, mahogany’s longevity and ability to age well are reasons to consider it for your home. Aside from its rich color and durability, if you have preexisting mahogany woodwork in your home, an exterior mahogany door or interior mahogany doors to complement the woodwork is an excellent choice. If you’re looking for rich ambience to complete a room with an interior mahogany door or choosing mahogany for its quality and durability aspects for an entry door, adds style to a beautiful home. Mahogany is a traditional wood, with lasting performance.

Where is Mahogany Grown?

About half a billion board feet of mahogany is imported annually into the states from South American countries. Authentic mahogany grows best in tropical regions. There are many woods that resemble mahogany or are stained to resemble it. Though they have extensive qualities of their own, “mahogany” grown in Hawaii, the Philippines and East Indies, are not considered true mahogany.

Traditional

For centuries artisans have used mahogany as a traditional and solid wood. It has gained popularity for the creation of fine furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments, boats, and doors. Due to its graceful aging, the way it presents polish and finish and the heaviness of the wood itself, mahogany has become a staple among collectors, homebuilders and is even used for the creation of family heirlooms.

Mahogany Entry doors are classic examples of long lasting traditional quality. Considered one of the most popular woods for an entry door, mahogany creates a solid statement and is a beautiful accessory with the ability to add an artistic element to your home. Mahogany Entry doors often create a substantial statement to the front of a home.

Appearance and Feel

Mahogany is usually red-brown, though when it’s first cut it can take on a pink, salmon, or even a golden hue. After exposure, the wood deepens in color. Unlike coniferous trees (pine trees), which are considered soft wood, mahogany is a hard wood. It has a deep scent and close grain. Mahogany easily patinas with finishes and polishes.

There are two main types of mahogany commonly used for building furniture, doors and instruments. Typically the mahogany you see is Swietenia Macrophylla or Big Leaf. It’s also known as Honduras mahogany, even though it’s grown more so in the tropical regions and South America. This wood is moderately light, reddish brown, and more open grained than Cuban mahogany.

The second type of mahogany commonly used is Swietenia Mahogani. It is known as Spanish or Cuban Mahogany. This type of mahogany is becoming more of a commodity and is a bit more expensive than Big Leaf. The striking deep red-brown wood is more dense and close grained than Swietenia Macrophylla.

Performance— How does mahogany stand up?

As an exterior mahogany door or interior mahogany door, mahogany stands the test of time. A repellant to termites and wood-loving pests, it maintains its stature deflecting moisture and weather for decades without decomposing.

Known for keeping its flat and straight integrity without warping, mahogany is the perfect material for cabinetry and doors. There’s no need to worry about splintering with mahogany and you can feel safe that it holds hardware solidly. Mahogany is quality wood that produces extraordinary entry doors, interior mahogany doors and exterior mahogany doors. Master craftsman throughout history have chosen mahogany as their woodworking ideal due to its constitution, sturdy qualities, and beauty.

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Entry Doors, Interior Mahogany Doors, and Exterior Mahogany Doors—What’s the Difference?

Entry Doors

Entry Doors are any type of door that has entrance and exit capabilities to the home or building. Usually considered the front door to a home, entry doors can refer to side doors or back doors.

Interior Mahogany Doors

An interior mahogany door is a door inside a home or building used as a barrier to separate rooms. It is not exposed to the elements or weather.

Exterior Mahogany Doors

Exterior mahogany doors consist of any door that has entrance and exit capabilities to a home or building. It has exposure to the outside elements from one side.

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2 Things to Consider Before Installing

Entry Doors, Exterior Mahogany Doors or Interior Mahogany Doors

1. To avoid time and hassle, know whether you want to install your interior mahogany door, entry door or exterior mahogany door yourself or if you would prefer to have a professional’s assistance. Installing a door doesn’t have to be complicated, but experience with door installation usually makes the whole project run more smoothly—not to mention it will most likely take less time.

Things to Consider if You’re Installing Your Own Entry Door

• Select the correct door for the purpose and space of the door. If you’re installing an entry door, be sure it’s an actual entry door and not an exterior or an interior door. They are made differently to withstand the wear and tear of their purpose. The safety of having a strong entry door made of solid wood is an important factor in choosing an entry door. The correct door for the purpose will be more energy efficient as well.
• Determine what hardware you’ll need for your entry door, exterior door or interior door. Some of the hardware for an entry door, for instance, includes a deadbolt, latch, hinges and screws.
• Make sure you have the proper tools. Aside from the deadbolt and hinges, you will need a power drill, hammer, and measuring tape, to name a few. Having everything you need is essential for proper door installation.
• Installing a door “from scratch” is possible, but tricky. Consider a pre-hung door. A pre-hung door includes the doorframe.
• Again, consider hiring a professional to install your door. With experience and know-how, a professional can take the stress and worry out of your new entry door, interior mahogany door or exterior mahogany door installation.

2. Be sure of your choice in woods and door styles. Take your time and really settle on an entry door, exterior mahogany door, or interior mahogany door that you’re partial to and can live with for a while. You’re going to be staring at it for a long time, so be sure of your choice before the installation.

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Interior Mahogany Doors—Bring the Décor of Your Home Together with Balance

Ever notice how something can throw off the entire balance of a room if the weight of a piece of furniture, hardware on a drawer or material of a rug isn’t compatible with the rest of the elements. It’s the same with an interior mahogany door. If you have substantial furniture, a lightweight door can make everything seem off kilter. The same goes for light and airy furniture with a tremendously heavy interior mahogany door. When choosing your interior mahogany doors, keep in mind your entire palate. Your furniture, floors and room accessories all need to balance with your interior mahogany door choice.

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Alder Doors

Alder Doors—An Option Instead of Mahogany

Though Mahogany is a sturdier and longer lasting wood, an economic option is alder doors. Alder can be finished to resemble other types of wood and is lighter in weight. Alder has a medium density and light texture making it easy to stain. It has a fine grain, is a strong wood and, like mahogany, is a natural insect repellant. Reddish in color when first cut, alder ages into a yellow-gold.

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Related Links For Mahogany Doors

Mahogany

All about Mahogany Wood—Learn about the origins of mahogany, its characteristics and features.
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/mahogany.aspx
(Encyclopedia)

How to Care for Mahogany Wood—Learn how to keep your mahogany door in beautiful condition with stain and regular cleaning.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2058543_care-mahogany-wood.html
(eHow)

About Mahogany Lumber—Discover the origins, types, benefits and functions of Mahogany wood.
http://www.ehow.com/about_4685239_mahogany-lumber.html
(eHow About)

Fair Trade

Mahogany Trade FAQs—Learn how mahogany is traded and regulated.
http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/globalmarkets/wildlifetrade/faqs-mahogany.html
(WWF)

Making the Mahogany Trade Work—Measures to regulate exchanges of all types, including fair and equitable trade.
www.itto.int/direct/topics/topics_pdf_download/topics_id=7980000&no=1
(International Tropical Timber Organization)

Choosing Wood for Entry Doors, Exterior Mahogany Doors, and Interior Mahogany Doors

How to Choose an Exterior Front Door—Learn about size, materials, hardware and finishing for your hard wood door.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4490500_choose-exterior-front-door.html
(eHow)

Common Woods Used—Learn about the different mahogany types used in woodworking.
http://www.koolauukulele.com/woods.html
(Ko’olau)

Wood Properties—Compare and contrast different wood types when deciding which would best fit your entry door, interior mahogany door, or exterior mahogany door needs.
http://www.fbbcustom.com/woodstar/woods.html
(Wood Star)

Types of Wood Used to Make Furniture—Mahogany is a popular furniture wood.
http://www.ehow.com/facts_4866943_types-wood-used-furniture.html
(eHow)

Types of Wood for Woodworking—Familiarize yourself with different types of wood and find out which woods are best for interior, exterior, and entry doors.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/types-of-wood-for-woodworking.html
(Dummies)

Exterior Doors: The Easy Way Out—Learn about functionality, appearance, you’re your best options.
http://www.servicemagic.com/article.show.Exterior-Doors-The-Easy-Way-Out.14366.html?oids=41c1
(Service Magic)

Expanding Your Options for Interior Doors—Discover the intricacies of interior wood doors and styles.
http://www.servicemagic.com/article.show.Expanding-Your-Options-for-Interior-Doors.14408.html?oids=41c1
(Service Magic)

Installation

Add Some Substance with Solid Wood Doors—Improving your home could be as easy as adding new doors.
http://www.servicemagic.com/article.show.Add-Some-Substance-with-Solid-Wood-Doors.13604.html
(Service Magic)

Replace Hollow Core Doors With Solid Wood— Hollow core doors are easily replaceable.
http://www.askthebuilder.com/328_Replacing_Hollow_Core_Doors_With_Traditional_Solid_Wood_Interior_Doors.shtml
(Ask the Builder)

How to Install a Dead bold Lock—For DIYers, learn all about installing a dead bold lock by yourself, step-by-step.
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-install-a-deadbolt-lock.html
(Dummies)

Mahogany History and Origin

Types of Mahogany & How to Finish—Information on mahogany wood and how to finish and stain it; mahogany history and finishes.
http://www.craftsman-style.info/finishing/071-mahogany.htm
(Craftsman Style)

Swietenia mahagoni: Mahogany—Origins of Mahogany
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ST608
(University of Florida)

Mahogany Name Controversy—Research about the linguistics of the word, mahogany.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/4252931
(New York Botanical Garden Press)

Alder Doors—Interior Mahogany Door and Exterior Mahogany Door Alternatives

Usefulness of Alder Wood—See what woodworkers have to say about he use of alder wood for woodworking.
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Usefulness_of_Alder_Wood.html
(Wood Web)

Perfect Wood Stains on Soft Wood—Find out what stains are perfect for alder doors.
http://www.askthebuilder.com/497_Perfect_Wood_Stains_on_Soft_Wood.shtml
(Ask the Builder)

Substitutes for Mahogany Veneer—Alder as a mahogany alternative.
http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Substitutes_for_Mahogany_Veneer.html
(WoodWeb)

www.designingdoors.com