Someone please offer suggestions on exterior door construction for an 18th century house.
Two existing doors on our 1749 home are interior 19th century doors. Someone used these to replace what was here. They are about as airtight as a good quality onion bag. They use the original ceramic interior door knobs; the locking mechanism works by friction -- a well placed kick from the inside forces the door to stay closed, while a suitable kick from the outside opens the door. Things change seasonally, so that in summertime we keep a cast iron relic in the hall to hold the door closed during a thunderstorm or the like.
This is an historic district, so the door must look appropriate and be approved by committee if I make a change. In my 26 year tenure the change hasn't happened. My big question: "Will the Domino that I expect to win on March 3 be a suitable tool to use in the construction of an appropriate door, or will I have to make through tenons and all that rigamarole?"
Two existing doors on our 1749 home are interior 19th century doors. Someone used these to replace what was here. They are about as airtight as a good quality onion bag. They use the original ceramic interior door knobs; the locking mechanism works by friction -- a well placed kick from the inside forces the door to stay closed, while a suitable kick from the outside opens the door. Things change seasonally, so that in summertime we keep a cast iron relic in the hall to hold the door closed during a thunderstorm or the like.
This is an historic district, so the door must look appropriate and be approved by committee if I make a change. In my 26 year tenure the change hasn't happened. My big question: "Will the Domino that I expect to win on March 3 be a suitable tool to use in the construction of an appropriate door, or will I have to make through tenons and all that rigamarole?"
