Access doors
Small exterior doors made to fit: a pair of redwood-framed lattice doors for a crawl-space opening, and painted utility doors with vents set in stucco.
Trim and door repair, so the fix does not show.
Doors that stick, casing that has split, baseboard that has rotted. We find the cause, repair what can be repaired, replace what cannot, and match the old profile so the repair does not show.
- A sticking door is a symptom. The cause is usually the hinges, moisture, or a house that has settled.
- Rot and termite damage are cut back to sound wood. Painting over them only hides them.
- Repair makes sense when the damage is local. Replacement makes sense when the problem keeps coming back.
- DoorHung so the gap is even all round, it swings freely and it latches without a push.
- Latch and hingesSet at one height through the house. Near the ocean, the finish has to stand up to salt air.
- Door casingThe trim around the opening. It hides the gap between the door frame and the wall.
- BaseboardFollows the floor. Inside corners are coped so they stay closed as the house moves.
How a door is hung, frame by frame.
- Set the frameThe door frame goes into the rough opening with shims behind the hinges and the latch.
- Plumb and squareThe frame is checked with a level and adjusted until it is plumb, level and square.
- Hang the doorThe door is hung and the gap around it read: even at the top and both sides.
- Case and latchCasing covers the joint to the wall. The door swings free and latches without a push.
Built by Tom. Fifty years of custom cabinets and finish carpentry, from Oregon and Hawaii to Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Westlake Village, and now from Goleta to Carpinteria. Meet the carpenter
What is included.
- Doors that stick, rub, will not latch, or swing open by themselves.
- Split, dented or rotted door casing and baseboard, cut out and replaced.
- Termite and water damage removed back to sound wood, with new wood fitted in.
- Old profiles matched, milled in our small boutique shop in Carpinteria when no stock molding fits.
- Sagging cabinet doors re-hung and adjusted, and drawers that stick or drop put right.
- Loose hinges, worn screw holes and strike plates (the metal plate the latch enters) reset.
You send photographs and a short description: which door or piece of trim, what it does, and when it started.
We look at it on site and tell you the cause, and whether repair or replacement is the sensible route.
Damaged wood is cut out to sound material, and the area is checked for moisture and termites.
New pieces are fitted, doors are re-hung or planed with their fresh edges sealed, and hardware is reset.
Joints are filled and the repair is primed, ready for paint.
Decide these first.
- Repair or replace. A sound door that is out of adjustment is a repair. A door that is rotted through, or whose layers are coming apart, is a replacement.
- How far to chase the cause. Rot means water got in. Fixing the wood without fixing the leak buys a short reprieve.
- Patch or whole piece. A patch in the middle of a casing shows two joints. Replacing the full length often looks better.
- Match or update. In an older house, matching the original profile keeps the room consistent. Changing one opening makes it stand out.
- Who paints. A repair is not finished until it is primed and painted, most of all in bathrooms and near exterior doors.
- The door closes with one push, latches with a click, and stays where you leave it.
- The gap around the door is even on all sides.
- You cannot find the repair once it is painted. Joints fall where the eye does not look.
- New wood meets old at the same thickness and profile, with no step.
- The cause has been dealt with, so the problem does not come back next winter.
- How many items. Several small repairs in one visit cost less per item than one at a time.
- What is behind the damage. Rot that runs into the framing is a larger job than it first looks.
- Matching. A stock profile is quick. A custom-milled match takes setup.
- Finish. Stained work is harder to blend than painted work.
Prices vary with the materials and the hours a job takes. Each job is custom and unique, so we price it once we have seen the room.
Trim and door repair, built and fitted.
Trim and door repair: what owners ask.
Why does my door stick only in damp weather?
Because wood takes on moisture and swells. In damp months the door grows across its width and rubs the frame. If its top and bottom edges were left unpainted, it absorbs more. The fix is to plane the tight edge slightly and seal every edge, so the door stops taking on water.
Why does my door swing open or closed by itself?
The frame is out of plumb, meaning it leans, so the hinges are not in a vertical line and gravity moves the door. A small correction at the hinges usually cures it. If the lean is large, the frame is reset. It is rarely a sign of anything worse than an old house.
Can termite-damaged trim be repaired, or does it have to be replaced?
The damaged section is replaced, and the rest can usually stay. We cut back until the wood is solid, fit new wood to match, and seal it. Have a licensed pest company treat the termites first. New trim over an active colony is just a fresh meal.
Is it worth repairing an old door in a Santa Barbara house?
Often, yes. Older doors are usually solid wood with real joints, which makes them repairable. Loose joints can be reglued, edges planed and hinges reset. Replacement is the better choice when the door is rotted through, badly warped, or hollow with a broken face.
Built in our small boutique shop in Carpinteria where the piece is custom, and fitted on site in:
CarpinteriaSummerlandMontecitoSanta BarbaraHope RanchGoleta
- Custom cabinetry
- Baseboards
- Door and window casing
- Window installation
- Door installation
- Custom shelving
- Hardware installation
- Crown molding
- Wainscoting and wall paneling
- Built-ins
- Custom closets
- Stair railings and treads
- Fireplace mantels and surrounds
- Ceiling beams and coffered ceilings
- Kitchen cabinet installation
- Bathroom vanities
- Custom furniture and pieces
- Trim and door repair
- Exterior trim
Have a room in mind? Send us the photographs.
Email photographs of the room and rough measurements to purchasing@amnbuild.com. Matt reads it himself. No forms.