Stable/Dutch doors have recently made a comeback into the Australian market. Several prominent designers as Rachel Turner of Front Porch Properties challenged the status quo of traditional doors and helped popularised the stable door trend back into Australian homes. To help with the demand, Sky Doors is championing the availability of the stable/dutch doors using quality Meranti timber as the material for the door.
On the implementation, 70% of stable doors were painted rather than stained, some with vivid colours to stand out. These include sky blue, pink and bright red. While others prefer a conservative colour of white. Some customers went beyond and painted the door black. Black paint absorbs excessive heat when exposed to sunlight, keep in mind that dark colours such as black will void the warranty on timber doors.
Hanging the stable door requires the use of the same tools with optional extra materials to consider. For a start, an extra hinge was required: two hinges at the top and two at the bottom. Options include an extra bolt latch and perhaps a traditional thumb handle. The latch will keep the top section attached to the bottom to function as a normal door. An extra thumb handle may be installed to the bottom section of the door to secure the door to the jambs. Door positioning All timber doors must be installed under overhead cover. Direct exposure to rainwater will shorten the life of the door. Prepaint the bottom of the door before installation as it will be exponentially more difficult to do once the door was installed. Ensure both sections of the stable door were parallel. The stable doors were designed to open inward to the house. The middle rebate allows the top section to open while the bottom section is closed. But not the other way around. Hence ensure that a deadbolt or deadlock was installed on the top section of the door. Painted timber doors are usually almost maintenance-free as long as the painted surface is kept in good condition. Additional maintenance will be required for varnished or stained door. Never hose a timber door with water. Every few months wipe the door clean with a damp cloth and enjoy your stable door for years to come.
Edison Ng @ Sky Doors