First Presbyterian Church 6^th Ave Pittsburgh

Called the “Tunnel Door” this local 1905 Landmark has seen substantial daily use.  The church serves hundreds of wonderful lunches daily, most customers using this set of doors.  After a few break-in attempts and many years of use, a full restoration was in order.  We installed a temporary door for use during the restoration, and the doors were brought to our shop.

The doors were almost completely disassembled, and in doing so we discovered some inherent problems with the original construction methods.  Most glaring was the use of dowel pins to join the hinge stile to the arched top rail.  Using a horizontal slot mortiser we created pockets in which loose tenons could be installed.  Other items on the repair list were to replace the bottom rails and completely restore the iron hardware, cutting away and replacing some sections. Stain and four brushed coats of marine varnish topped of the project.  The “after” photo here was taken on a rainy day, as we re-installed the newly restored doors. 

We always have something fun going on at Wilson & McCracken.  This commission is for seven reproduction valances.  Each valance has 6 carvings and four “veined” sections.  In the new valances, castings of musical instruments will be used in place of the plaster busts.  We’re about half way done here are some progress shots.  We’ll keep you updated.

Double doors with custom mouldings made from Honduras Mahogany. The stiles and rails are 2 ¼” thick.  They are veneered with our own re-sawn 1/8″ thick book-matched veneers.  A stave-laminated mahogany core makes this south-facing door extremely stable.  The custom panel mouldings feature blind-fasteners in the miters to keep them from opening. A deep stain and four brushed coats of satin marine varnish make these doors a major improvement over the originals supplied by the builder.

Shown here is a detail of a quartersawn white oak door.  The stiles and rails are 1-3/4″ thick and are veneered with our own re-sawn 1/8″ thick book-matched veneers.   A stave-laminated mahogany core makes this reproduction door extremely stable and gives it a solid feel.  The door was dyed greenish brown and then stained with a reddish pigmented stain. The finish is four coats of marine varnish.  The complex finishing technique renders the door color different in changing light.

Mahogany gate and jambs, brush painted red.  The panels and rails are designed to shed water, by use of tiny drip edges.  This will help the paint stay fresh longer.