Custom & Composite Doors
Faux-wood finishes and one-off designs, without the refinishing schedule.
Learn more →Why People Still Choose Wood
Because nothing else is wood. Real grain has depth that embossing can't fully copy; stain ages into character instead of fading into chalk; and on custom homes — Spanish revival, modern ranch, mountain contemporary — a true wood door anchors the whole elevation. Wood is also the most workable material for genuinely custom designs: arches, inlays, mixed-width planks, true divided-lite windows.
Construction Choices
- Stile-and-rail: solid wood frames around floating panels — the premium, generations-old construction that handles wood movement best.
- Plank / carriage overlay: a sectional core (often insulated) faced with wood boards for the swing-door look with modern roll-up function.
- Flush skin: smooth wood veneer faces for modern designs; needs disciplined finishing on sun exposures.
The Desert Contract
Own a wood door here and you're signing up for a relationship:
- Annually: inspect the finish top to bottom; look for dulling, checking, opened joints. Wash off dust — it abrades finish in the wind.
- Every 2–4 years: refinish before failure, not after. Prep and a fresh UV-rated topcoat while the old finish is intact is a weekend; stripping a gray, checked door is a project.
- Weight reality: wood is heavy, and heavy needs correctly rated springs and often a stronger opener. This is priced into our quotes — be suspicious of wood-door quotes that don't mention it.
The honest recommendation
Love wood and have shade, a covered recess, or genuine willingness to maintain it? It will reward you like nothing else. Want the look on a west-facing tract home with zero appetite for refinishing? Let us show you composite and overlay alternatives first — you may leave happier.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does a wood door need refinishing in Las Vegas?
Plan on inspecting annually and refinishing every 2–4 years for stained finishes on sun-exposed doors — sooner on west and south faces, longer under deep shade or a recessed opening. Painted wood stretches longer than clear stains. Skip two cycles in this sun and you're not refinishing anymore, you're restoring.
Will a wood door warp or crack in the desert?
Dry heat is actually gentler on wood than humid climates in some ways — rot is rare here. The enemies are UV and extreme dryness: unprotected wood checks (fine surface cracks), joints open as the wood shrinks, and thin panels can cup on hot exposures. Quality construction, stable species and maintained finish manage all of this; neglect doesn't.
What wood species work best?
Cedar and redwood are the classics — naturally stable, light, and they take stain beautifully. Mahogany and other hardwoods make the most luxurious doors at the highest prices. Paint-grade doors often use engineered wood or MDO faces that stay flatter than solid boards under paint.
Is there a way to get the wood look without the maintenance?
Yes, two good ones: woodgrain-finished steel (the budget-friendly version) and faux-wood composite or overlay doors (the convincing version) — both covered on our custom doors page. From the street, modern composites fool almost everyone; your fingertips and your refinishing calendar know the difference.
Keep exploring
Related Services
Steel Doors
Woodgrain-embossed steel: the practical impostor.
Learn more →Maintenance Guide
Desert care for every door material, wood most of all.
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