Frenchies
With this project, we already had an existing glass door sectioning off the living room that was able to give us a style to match. After remodeling their kitchen, they needed an additional door to tie everything together, so we did that.
Learn Every Day
I talked to Sean about the install and how this project went all-in-all. He said that it went well, but as always, there were new things the team learned along the way. He mentioned how shimming the jam affected how the hinges operated and where they wanted to rest. Like any home, the drywall and framing is rarely perfect. It takes precision and great attention to detail to adjust as needed. Installing carelessly could cause rubbing, doors that don’t want to close properly, improper wear of the finish, or squeaks and groans from the hinges. And we don’t want or need any of that. When everything is put together with care, the doors are silent, weighty, and like to be closed. It’s satisfying to get that balance just right. Sometimes the only difference is one more tap on the back of the shim.
Planning for powder coat is another place where doors can be tricky. Adding a finish of any kind creates a build up on the surface of the materials. In places where there are tight clearances and moving parts, it’s possible to run into interference. It is never good when there is rubbing where there shouldn’t be or contact between parts that are not supposed to touch. Along the hinged joints, tolerances can begin to “stack”. When both sides of this joint are powder coated, we lose twice as much clearance to the thickness of the finish. Where tight joints are desired, this can be a delicate balancing act. Mastering these finer details is an ongoing process that the whole team plays a part in. More information about powder coating can be found in this article if you’d like to learn more about this particular subject.
When it comes to silicone and glass installation, there are a great number of different products available that could be used for this application. Each have unique properties, cure times, strength, and appearance. Settling on the right product for the job is half the battle, settling on a product we like to use is the other half! Regardless of what is used, the easiest mistake to make is using too much! A little bit goes a long way, and if too much is used it can create a bunch of clean up work for the team down the line!
Standing out and fitting in
A piece like this is at its best when it manages to stand out, and fit in, simultaneously. This reeded glass added a layer of sophistication and luxury to the aesthetic while also making the contents of the pantry blend into the background. In contrast, the bright brass knobs tied it into the aesthetic throughout the rest of the home. The client supplied high quality door knobs from Baldwin that we liked a lot. A set of magnetic rubber bumpers acts as both the stop for the door as well as the latch that holds the doors in the resting position when not in use. Which, when you think about it, is great for grocery days. When everything is working in unison, it makes for a show piece that feels exciting and understated at the same time.
