How to Clean Old Door Hardware ...did you find it in Morocco?

You've just scheduled to have your door refinished. (You have right?) But now you realize that your hardware is a bit, let's say...aged, worn, needs a face-lift... Yikes, what do you do now? If you read my previous post you could replace it and sometimes that's the best solution.

However, sometimes we really love our door handle since it may represent who we are. Or, we already invested a lot into it. Maybe while traveling the world, in some Moroccan market you found a door handle that you just had to have and now it needs to be refreshed.

Brass Hardware

Video - Take the hardware off so that you don't get it on the wood door.

Brass Hardware

Written instructions and many varied methods.

Removing Paint

You can also use an old crock pot to let the parts soak.

New Hardware   

How to keep it clean and functioning.

Preservation

Lubricate and switch  

Let the cleaning, restoring and preserving begin!

Door Hardware is Actually Jewelry For Your Entry

I know...crazy title! If you think about your entry any hardware you add to your door dresses it up or adds the jewelry. When I walk up to doors I see an array of door handles, door knockers, hinges, speakeasy's, clavos, etc. Some are the typical version and others are simply amazing.




What is amazing is that you can spend anywhere from $150 to $10,000 (really) for hardware depending on how fancy you want to get...just like that diamond ring you are contemplating. But just imagine when you walk up to a door and see "jewelry" that is different from the norm. Do you stand there and look at it for a bit before you ring that door bell? Does it make you smile? Does it say something about the person that lives in the house. Here are some examples of amazing hardware...who do you think lives behind that door?

For more Door Jewelry Ideas follow our Pinterest Board, Amazing Hardware!

Happy Holiday's, Happy New Year, and Thank You!

We just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a  

Happy Holiday and a Happy New Year! 

Thank you to our wonderful customers who have allowed us to make their doors beautiful again!

Thank you to our employees for their hard work and dedication to making our customers happy this past year! Enjoy your time off!

Our business will be closed from December 25th through January 3, 2016. We'll be back to refinishing doors that leave you saying, is that really my old door? again on Monday, January 4, 2016. You are welcome to leave a voicemail so that we can begin calling you to set up estimates for Wednesday, January 6th.

Beautiful Holiday Entry Door

Take a look at Pinterest and the "door" category will show you that people are in love with beautiful doors. On top of that people love to decorate their doors for holidays. A door is a blank canvas when it comes to decorating, but you will get the best results if your door is in great condition first. Desert Rose Door can provide an estimate for your door. The bonus is that when you take down your holiday decor your door will shine through even without the decorations. We specialize in making doors beautiful --call us today to schedule an appointment!

Door Refinishing Our Specialty

We take doors seriously!

When we developed our business plan we had the opportunity to include painting, we chose not to. Painting houses, painting interiors, painting doors was not what we wanted to do and is better left to painters --that's their expertise. Also spreading ourselves thin by including painting would not allow us to give you the best result for your doors. Researching and developing the best practices and process to achieve excellence with wood finishing and refinishing was what we wanted to focus on.

Our expertise and the products that we develop is never ending. We stay up-to-date on new advances in wood staining and protection. We use "green" products as much as possible...and in that same vein you are choosing "green" whenever you choose to save your wood doors.

Your wood entry or other doors are a big investment. Choose a professional who specializes in wood finishing and refinishing to turn your damaged doors into the beautiful entry it once was. Choose Desert Rose Door refinishing so that it's done right the first time and so that you are only pleasantly surprised!

A Door in Paris --Art Nouveau

A beautiful door in Paris designed by architect Jules Lavirotte, 1899-1900

Door Refinishing in Arizona

Arizona, specifically the Phoenix area provides a very different environment for our wooden doors. Wood is still the best choice when choosing a door --even here in Arizona. It provides:

• A beautiful welcome to your home.

• Doesn't conduct the heat into the home like a metal door.

• A surface that is easier to maintain then Fiberglass and Composite.

• A surface that is changeable. You can choose to have your door stained darker, or a different color.

• The door pictured here is one that our team did two years ago and is still in beautiful condition!

I mentioned Fiberglass and Composite above. Remember that those choices do not mean you will never have to maintain them. They fade and the finish breaks down on those just like wood. To refinish either of these is a different process then wood and for composite it is a several day process.

When your current door was installed the finish that was applied to the exterior may not have been the best choice for the conditions here in Arizona. Or, it may have been applied using a brush which may leave drips or runs on your beautiful door. Our refinishing method and products give your door more protection and our skilled craftsmen leave you with a door that is more like a beautiful piece of wood furniture then just a door. Remember your door is the first impression when someone is walking into your home. It should make a statement and provide a welcoming greeting.

If you are looking for someone to refinish your door, find someone who is going to do more then just sand it and then apply a finish with some stain mixed in. That method is not going to last under the conditions here in Arizona. To refinish your door properly, the door needs to be stripped all the way down to the wood surface. Just as if it came out of the door mill. If it is only sanded and the hardware isn't removed, then the finish applied will only be a temporary solution. The temporary solution may sound better for your budget, but in the long run and very shortly you will be spending money again to have it refinished properly.

Doors are a big investment for your home. The cost of replacing a door doesn't just include the door itself, it includes the delivery, removal of the old door, fitting the new door into your door space, and finishing. Plus the hassle of finding a new door (hoping it's the right size) and scheduling the installation. Refinishing your door is also an eco friendly solution, you are saving your wooden door rather then replacing it with another wood door. You are also not adding another large item to the landfill.

We know we can make your door beautiful again and we know that our expertise and products provide you with the best solution to saving your door. Hire Desert Rose Door's professional team to make the entry to your home beautiful again!

Door Refinished Four Years Ago!

We refinished this door four years ago and it is still in beautiful condition!

The process that Desert Rose Door Refinishing uses helps preserve your door for a longer period of time. This door has one of the most severe exposures, southern and is made of alder. Not all doors are going to remain preserved for such a long time, but it has a better chance with our process and products.