Millworkforless FAQS, Frequently asked questions

FAQs Frequently Asked Questions

How should I care for my hardwood door?
Wood door maintenance really depends on direct sun/water exposure. The frequency of door maintenance varies with individual applications. A door without an over hang or porch is going to weather quicker than a covered door. The bottom line is every few months, look for dulling in your finish which is usually the result of sun burning your door. The sun’s ultra violet rays are bad things, but no worse on doors than anything else. We recommend that your door be wiped down or rinsed off. When pollutants accumulate on the finish, they are often very acidic and will really wear down a finish. You should always check for cracks in the caulk around your door unit, but this is no different for a wood or metal door. As a rule of thumb, every 12 to 18 months the exterior of a door should receive a light sanding with fine sand paper, about 220 grit. After this, one should take a clean cloth, apply a little paint thinner to it and thoroughly wipe the door off. After the door dries for a few minutes, apply a single top coat of polyurethane. When applying polyurethane, brush it on. Please do not short cut and try the aerosol cans. It is important to get a complete coating on the door and do not be afraid to let the polyurethane drip into crevices and cracks to keep the door sealed for best protection against water damage. Voila, the door is good for another 12 to 18 months. It really is that simple. Finishing kits are available for purchase on this website - click here.

Always remember, wood came from a living breathing tree and it is more sensitive to the elements than metal, but it is far more beautiful. It will change and grow in character over its life. With just modest attention and care, a wood door can last for many, many years.

For help in selecting a door or for further advice, call toll free us at 866-645-8885.

Finely crafted wood doors are a source of individual expression and beauty in domestic and commercial architecture. Wood has the ability to adapt to many designs, allowing for thousands of creative possibilities. Wood sets the standard for all other door types to achieve. But no other material delivers the architectural detail, precise shadow lines and mesmerizing grain patterns of wood.

The inherent warmth of wood doors is due to millions of naturally occurring, tiny honeycomb cells between the fibers, which provide a relatively high percentage of air volume, an excellent insulator. According to WDMA sources, wood's insulating properties are 600 times more effective than those of steel. And because wood doesn't conduct hot or cold like most man-made materials, the possibility of "thermal bowing" is diminished. Thermal bowing is caused by extreme temperatures, when one surface of the door is very cold at the same time the other side is very warm. When the cold side of the door contracts and the warm side expands, the uneven pressure that results may cause the structure to bow. Wood is much less susceptible to this problem.

Door protection during remodeling and construction.
Doors installed during a home remodel or construction should be protected from construction traffic. However, never seal door behind an air tight vapor barrier as severe damage can occur to your door from excessive heat build up from the solar heat gain of sun exposure. No warranty applies to doors experiencing such conditions. The same applies to the installation of air tight storm doors over a wood door, steel door or fiberglass door.

Are double door units (astragal type) any less safe than a normal door with sidelights?
If we do an astragal door as we do our coastal rated doors, they are very secure. But that type of construction adds $1700.00 to the door unit. It comes with steel plates at the top of each door, reinforcements at the top and bottom of the frame. Five point lock system on primary door and a full two point mortised lock system on the semi-active door.
Bang for the buck, the single door and two sidelites is easier and less expensive, but we have the capability to do it either way and meet your needs, it just is a matter of weighing out cost over your preferences.

Easy to install and finish
Wood is easily planed at the home site to fit odd-sized openings. Imperfections in framing and jamb systems are not the roadblocks that they might be for non-wood, less-adaptable door materials. In addition, shavings from planing a wood door are much less irritating than fibers and other debris from man-made materials. Wood doors, when prepared properly at the home site, take stain evenly and beautifully. In this way, wood is more forgiving than non-wood surfaces.

“Do not use wood conditioners prior to staining mahogany, oak, cherry. Conditioner is good on woods with wild grain variations and most softwood products. On hardwoods, it most often seals the wood and prevents your stain from doing its job and penetrating the wood grain. Your finishes will tend to be light and off color.”

Like anything worthwhile, wood doors require care. We recommend you install wood entrance doors under an overhang that blocks the sun. When finishing the door, all six sides, (four edges and two faces), must be properly sealed, per manufacturers instructions. Avoid applying dark-colored paint, as it is more prone to noticeable fading in the sun. Inspect your wood door every one to two years. Finishing tips - click here.

Fire rated door option.
We can do most any door style for you in a 20 minute fire rated door (required nationally between your home and your attached garage). Up charge will apply. Call or email for details.

Setback for bore option.
Our lock set bore is set to 2-3/8” setback.

Rough opening: Tips for accurate measurement.

How will my door be packaged for motor freight shipping?
When your merchandise arrives, particularly, doors, you can expect the product to arrive on a motor freight carrier. Dealing with a motor freight carrier is definitively different than using UPS or the Postal Service. When your product arrives, expect it to be heavy and bulky. Door units can weigh between 100 and 450 pounds in their crate. ***Do not expect a motor freight driver to help you unload. They will move your product to the tail of their truck and from that point on, the load is yours to manage. Have some able body friends on hand to help out or whom ever you can recruit. Often, door units are easier to manage once removed from their crate and you might want to uncrate immediately after removing your shipment from the truck.

A driver has been known to be of more assistance if you are to offer them some financial consideration, but this is not always a guarantee. Good luck and be safe in unloading your merchandise

Exterior door unit crate:	Garage door delivery crate:

Shipping Damage: We have always replaced any damaged items in a prompt fashion. If it is a skylight, replacements are less than a week. On door units, normal lead times may be needed of 2-3 weeks. Very, very rarely are there any issues unless an item is damaged in transit. Almost never as long as UPS is not involved. We do not encourage ordering from us if you are unsure of what you want. We are fast in response to all issues. Problem situations take precedent over new orders. We do ask that you inspect shipments thoroughly upon receipt and prior to signing. Damaged shipments should be refused or received with notation of apparent damage. Details of damage is helpful, but most importantly, noting that damage is recognized helps all parties when settling claims. When receiving smaller items by UPS Ground or US Mail, please inspect for shortages or wrong items and report to us within 48hrs.
All damages must be reported within 24 hours to Millwork for Less

Return Policy for non defective, or no warranty items:
You must contact Millwork for Less within 24 hours of receiving delivery to obtain an RGA number.
Call 717-566-1610 for an RGA# - 9- 5 ET.
All freight on returns must be prepaid by customer.

No returns on doors and door components.

Cancellation fee - 3% on credit card orders.

Company background - About Millwork for Less

2006 door tour - Read about our 2nd Annual Door Tour as we document our East coast travels on rented Triumph motorcycles seeking out customer doors that were purchased from this website. Click Here

Do you have any impact rated door systems that would meet Florida building code.
Yes, we can do Dade County structural. We offer some door models that are approved for Miami Dade coastal applications.

Miami Dade hurricane approval certificates for select model door units.

*All doors shipping to Florida areas requiring DP rating will have $475 added to the
price because they require special frames, sills & hardware to pass code.

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