The church's original entry was a pair of flat, painted red doors, sturdy commercial-style doors with small square windows, worn brass kickplates, and mismatched hardware finishes on the two leaves. Set beneath a carved stone lintel with twin cross motifs and a wrought lantern, the doors themselves didn't reflect the same level of craftsmanship as the masonry surrounding them.
Project Story
The thinking behind the work
The Starting Point
The Thinking
The stone carving signaled real architectural intent that the flat red doors weren't living up to. Moving to a single door with matching sidelights let the design bring genuine wood craftsmanship to the entry: a five-panel raised design with real depth and shadow, paired with narrow sidelights carrying a small glass lite over a solid lower panel each. A natural oak stain replaced the flat paint, letting the wood grain read as intentional rather than utilitarian. A traditional mail slot and lever handleset in an oil-rubbed bronze finish replaced the mismatched commercial hardware, giving the entry a coordinated, residential-quality feel appropriate for a church's public face.
The Execution
Built as a single door with matching sidelights on both sides, the door itself carrying a five-panel raised design, finished in a warm, natural oak stain. Each sidelight has a small rectangular glass lite above a solid raised panel below. Hardware includes a lever handleset with deadbolt in an oil-rubbed bronze finish and a built-in mail slot on the door face.
The Result
The entry now matches the quality of its own stone surround, the carved crosses and wrought lantern finally have a door beneath them built with the same level of care, replacing what had been a functional but visually flat pair of painted doors.
Specification
Unit Size
5'-0" x 7'-6"
Panel Thickness
2¼"
Joinery
Mortise-and-tenon, no mechanical fasteners.
Glass
Small rectangular clear glass lite in each sidelight, no glass in the main door
Finish System
Marine-grade exterior stain finish, six sides
Hardware
Oil-rubbed bronze lever handleset with deadbolt, integrated brass mail slot
Installed By
Scobis
Common Questions
Why replace a working double door with a single door and sidelights?
The original red doors were functional but flat, small square windows, mismatched hardware, and a painted finish that didn't match the carved stone surround above them. Moving to a single door with sidelights let real wood craftsmanship become the focal point, matching the quality already present in the stonework rather than a utilitarian double-door setup.
Why a natural oak stain instead of a painted finish like the original?
A painted door hides the wood entirely, while a stain lets the grain and panel depth read as genuinely crafted rather than purely functional. For a church entry beneath hand-carved stone details, a natural wood finish matches that level of intention better than a flat coat of paint.
Why add a mail slot directly into the door instead of a separate mailbox?
Integrating the mail slot into the door face keeps the entry clean and avoids adding a separate mounted box that could clash with the door's traditional panel design. It's a practical detail built into the door itself rather than bolted on afterward.
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