A Basement Door True to Its Time

In a Cleveland neighborhood lined with pre-war homes, even the smallest architectural elements tell a story. For this residence, the basement door had weathered nearly a century of service. Rather than replace it with something generic, the homeowners wanted a faithful reproduction door that would preserve the home’s character while standing up to daily use.

Rockwood began with a site visit to document every dimension and profile of the original door. Careful field measurements and detailed notes guided a new CAD drawing that captured the proportions and joinery that gave the old door its charm.

The new door was built from white oak, a material valued for its durability and tight grain. When properly sealed and maintained, white oak performs well in exterior applications, resisting moisture, checking, and decay while aging gracefully over time.

To balance authenticity with longevity, Rockwood used a solid panel construction with grooves to mimic individual planks. This modern approach improves structural stability while maintaining the look of traditional plank assembly. The diagonal orientation of the planking was kept true to period practice, running high on the latch side and low on the hinge side for optimal strength and visual accuracy. A solid wood threshold was retained to match the surrounding materials and ensure a seamless transition between old and new.

In the end, the door carries forward the character of the original, proof that tradition and modern precision craftsmanship can meet on common ground.