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White Oak Wood, Including Rift and Quarter Cuts

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White Oak is a dense hardwood with a white to cream to light brown color. White Oak is very durable, exhibits high shock resistance and finishes well. The hardness of the wood is rated at 1360 (per the Janka hardness test). The grains of White Oak tend to be longer than Red Oak, which makes the species prized for construction of “Mission” style furniture and woodwork. The species stains well, although contact with metal will result in a dark blemish in the wood. White Oak trees are naturally knotty, but the wood can be sorted to obtain “Select” grade wood, which is mostly clear of knots. Read more

“Re-sawn” Distressed Flooring

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Re-sawn distress is achieved with a saw blade striking lightly across the face of the flooring boards, at a 90-degree angle to the grain of the wood. Natural variations in the surface elevation of the wood cause “hits and misses” with the saw blade, creating a rough-hewn, worn look reminiscent of wood flooring from the Old West. Read more

Creative Design, Contemporary Touches

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This contemporary rustic home in western North Carolina is a great example of combining different styles and applying thoughtful design to create something extraordinary.

The home’s entry door incorporates a single side lite that mirrors the four lites (glass windows) in the door. While individually the separate components may seem asymmetrical, the thoughtful design allows the eye to perceive perfect symmetry when the door and side lite are placed together. An arched one-lite transom spans the two components below it, emphasizing the unit’s verticality of over 11 feet. Read more

Victorian-Style Doors

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Victorian architecture actually refers to a number of different styles popularized during the reign of Queen Victoria—generally during the period of the mid-1800s to the start of the 1900s. It incorporates Gothic revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, and Stick styles. Victorian homes are often large—two or three stories—with wood or stone exteriors. Their shapes are typically complicated and asymmetrical, with steep, imposing rooflines and gables that face in different directions. Decorative trim, sometimes called “gingerbread,” may embellish the exterior, and Read more

More Modern Barn Doors

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Sliding barn doors are traditionally rustic—often made with knotty or reclaimed woods, plank panels, or cross-bucks—like this 6′ wide by 7′ tall barn door with flat track hardware and large… Read more

Hard Maple Wood

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Hard Maple is a very strong hardwood with a closed, subdued grain and a uniform texture—a beautiful and durable species for doors. The sapwood is a lovely creamy white, while… Read more

Radius Muntins

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A “muntin” is the narrow rigid strip of wood between adjacent glass panes on a door or window. Muntins can divide individual panes of glass (called True Divided Lite, or… Read more

Arched Rails

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One of Sun Mountain’s custom door design options is arched rails, including arched lock and mid-door rails. (Rails are the door’s horizontal members.) Sun Mountain offers three “standard” arched rail… Read more

Adding Style with Box Beams

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Exposed wood beams are a beautiful way to add dimension and character to a room and—depending on design, wood species, finish color, and distressing—can complement a variety of architectural motifs,… Read more