French Door Restoration in Old Mandeville

These exquisite 1930s French doors in Old Mandeville's historic waterfront district featured authentic divided light construction with 16 individual glass panes per door, delicate muntins, and traditional mortise and tenon joinery that represented the pinnacle of pre-war craftsmanship.

The doors provided access to a screened porch overlooking Lake Pontchartrain but had suffered from decades of exposure to lake humidity and salt air. Multiple layers of paint obscured the original mahogany wood, and several glazing compounds had failed, allowing moisture infiltration around the glass panes.

Our French door restoration required specialized techniques to preserve the authentic character while ensuring modern weather protection. The project began with careful documentation of the original construction details and glass arrangement for historic accuracy.

Paint removal around the delicate muntins required patient hand-stripping with custom tools to avoid damage to the narrow wood members. Each glass pane was carefully removed, catalogued, and professionally cleaned, with three panes requiring replacement with period-appropriate restoration glass.

Glazing compound replacement used traditional linseed oil-based putty that matches the original 1930s materials and provides superior longevity in Louisiana's humid climate.

The mahogany restoration included grain-raising techniques to prepare for stain, followed by multiple thin coats of specially mixed stain to achieve the rich, warm tone appropriate for the period. Our marine-grade varnish system provides maximum protection against lake humidity while maintaining the doors' elegant appearance.