Door

Unlocking Innovation: Door Industry Highlights from the International Builders Show 2024

March 12th, 2024 by Caleb Krugman
IBS entrance

Every year, Las Vegas welcomes members of the building industry to the International Builders Show, and Lumbermen’s was there, along with thousands of other folks from around the world! There is so much to see and do, it is hard to take it all in, so here are some highlights from our friends in the Door industry and what they are excited about in 2024.

Simpson Door Company

One of the first booths we visited was Simpson Door Company, producers of some of the best wood doors in North America. The display that immediately caught our eye was the pivot door system, featuring a Monster XL-sized door for the entry or special space in a customer’s home. In addition to the impressive size, the door opened and shut smoothly and easily. Simpson also offers plenty of customizable options when it comes to style or operations of these pivot doors. Exciting stuff to see from a wood door and truly a differentiating feature!

Neuma Doors

The next stop on the floor were our friends from Neuma Doors, makers of high quality fiberglass entry doors. These guys are known for the style and energy efficiency when it comes to their gliding door systems, and that portion of their display was a big focus of visitors during our time there. A popular topic was Neuma’s Full Lite Gliding Panel door system, as natural light and a maximum viewing area continue to be top priorities for customers in the market.

Therma-Tru & LARSON Doors

Certainly one of the most impressive and comprehensive designs for a booth at all of IBS this year was the one that featured Therma-Tru, Larson Doors, and other products. The massive display offered examples of different Therma-Tru products, with the highlight for most attendees being the massive Veris door display that featured the product’s ability to fold and slide, creating an epic entry option for porches or backyard. Another big hit was the English-style garden display, with its impressive entry door and panel of windows. A big theme for Therma-Tru and Larson in 2024 is connecting the indoors to the outdoors, and they certainly showed off their capabilities to do so!

IBS has us excited for what is to come this year in terms of styles and functionality in the door category. For more information on any of these products, connect with a Lumbermen’s door sales representative.

Navigating Your Business in Uncertain Times

While the ride in the building materials industry has been pretty incredible the past couple of years, the truth is that a potential slowdown is looming. We can hope for changes addressing inflation and high interest rates, but in the meantime the focus should be on what you can control. Choose to take this time to finally [...]

Piece By Piece Podcast, Episode 2: Developing Customer Relationships

Lumbermen’s is proud to present Episode 2 of our Piece By Piece business podcast. During this conversation, Shawn Montague, Vice President of Building Materials, dives in to the balance of achieving great results, while also caring for others. "Developing relationships with your customer requires providing value, while also achieving an understanding of each customer’s needs," [...]

4 Steps to Elevating Your Decking Sales

Decking season is upon us and if the forecasts are accurate, the opportunities will be immense. In this article, we'll share actionable steps and valuable insights to help you elevate your sales game and drive success in 2024. Step 1: Revamp Your Space One of the most impactful first impressions you can make on potential [...]

Piece By Piece Podcast, Episode 1: Business Strategies for 2024

  Welcome to Piece by Piece, a new Podcast by Lumbermen's! In this episode, Shawn Montague, VP of Building Materials, talks about strategies and expectations for 2024. "Find a way to create win-win scenarios between all the people that are involved in your business" was one strategy shared. Subscribe to us on YouTube to catch [...]

Taking Door Frames To The Next Level

Recently, Lumbermen’s took a group of dealer partners on a tour of GM Wood Products, a manufacturer that specializes in high performing door frame components. The group was impressed by what they saw from GM in terms of the company’s capabilities and offerings for 2024. GM Wood Products has a state of art facility with […]

3 Ways to Add Warmth with Stone, Beams and Wood Paneling Accents

When it comes to creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere in your home, few design elements rival the timeless appeal of natural elements like stone and wood. Not only do they bring a touch of elegance, but they also add warmth and character to any space. Here we explore the transformative power of these products [...]

6 Advantages of Storm Doors

Storm doors are often an overlooked feature in many homes, yet they offer a wide range of benefits that can enhance both the aesthetics and functionality of your living space. Here we explore the many advantages of storm doors, from energy efficiency and security to natural light and improving indoor comfort. Enhanced Energy Efficiency: Storm [...]

State of the Industry: Mid-Year Market Outlook

In this Q&A, Shawn Montague, VP of Building Materials, shares his perspective on the current state of the industry and offers advice for addressing economic concerns. He also offers some predictions for 2024 and encouragement on how to proceed with optimism!   Q: You spend a lot of time visiting and meeting with Dealers. As [...]

Door Color Trends

            Time to talk door color trends and in this article, we shine a light on popular exterior door colors. Last year, we saw Black become the color of choice for homeowners when it came to painting their exterior door, and according to Fixr.com, Black was once again king in […]

Holiday Door Décor Recommendations

Spread some holiday cheer this season without scratching your beautiful front door! ‘Tis the season to decorate, and that means sprucing up your front door! As homeowners, we want the entryway to our home to appear merry and bright, especially when the in-laws arrive. Here are some holiday tips from Lumbermen’s Door Division to ensure […]


Taking Door Frames To The Next Level

January 19th, 2024 by Ryan Terpstra

Recently, Lumbermen’s took a group of dealer partners on a tour of GM Wood Products, a manufacturer that specializes in high performing door frame components. The group was impressed by what they saw from GM in terms of the company’s capabilities and offerings for 2024.

GM Wood Products has a state of art facility with proven products that cover all areas of the door millwork industry. They have a precise mill process with multiple custom profiles to meet customer’s needs. Their inventory consists of many different wood species, including rot resistant Alaskan Yellow Cypress as a value-add option. GM employs a patented system that allows their machines to finger-joint the cypress block to a door jamb and offer a rot proof primed jamb.

The tour was able to observe GM’s machining equipment, which runs on a highly automated continuous circuit, creating efficiency and speed to market. High pressure cleaning and sharpening tools ensure the best profiled product, and the company offers many color matching products for jambs and mull posts.

When it comes to products that Lumbermen’s carries from GM Wood Products, here is a list of door jambs and their descriptions. If you have a question about a product, reach out to a Lumbermen’s sales rep for more information:

DuraFrame – This is a primed wood frame with Alaskan Yellow Cypress finger jointed to the bottom of the unit. Alaskan Yellow Cypress is one of the most durable and rot resistant woods in the world. This jamb has a lifetime warranty against rot, decay and insect damage.

DuraTech – This is a DuraFrame jamb that is laminated with a high-performance PVC film. It is available in white, which can be installed with no further finishing needed. The stainable frame needs to be stained to match the door.  This jamb is low maintenance, easy to paint, and will last for years. There is a 15 year finish warranty on the jamb.

DuraTech FX50 – This option is a DuraTech jamb that is available in black, clay, graphite, and bronze that can be installed as is. The jamb is wrapped in the colored PVC with a UV resistant layer applied to make it a beautiful prefinished jamb that is low maintenance. There is a 15 year finish warranty on this product.

Timbers Collection – These are solid wood jambs that are a clear stain grade product. Lumbermen’s stocks this collection in fir, pine, oak, and mahogany, but many other species are available on request. All these jambs are milled, pre-sanded, and can be finished to give the beautiful look of real wood.

 


Door Color Trends

October 17th, 2022 by Jill Carroll

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to talk door color trends and in this article, we shine a light on popular exterior door colors. Last year, we saw Black become the color of choice for homeowners when it came to painting their exterior door, and according to Fixr.com, Black was once again king in 2022.

After surveying experts in the home design industry as to why Black and dark colors have become so popular, here was their response: “Black was the number one most popular color for front doors last year, and it’s trending high again this year as well. Black front doors have a timeless appeal that work with many different color schemes. A black door will shine against a white home, add depth to a sage green exterior, or make a blue exterior pop. This color will also work well with many shades of gray, barn red, and even some yellows. Because of this versatility, it’s easy to fit a black door into any design.”

This design trend has been reflected in Lumbermen’s sales data for our state of the art finishing process, which has produced 1,000 more custom painted Black doors than any other color in 2022!

Other popular colors listed within the article included different shades of Blue, Gray, and Sage Green.

Dark colors have been gaining steam in home design, with designers and homeowners choosing them as a door color to help compliment the siding and exterior.

At Lumbermen’s, our Door Department Finishing Process has stayed in step with this trend, producing five staining options that offer our customers their desired look, while also enhancing the beauty of our Therma-Tru exterior doors.  Top sellers for the below colors have been Dark Maple, New Earth, and Raven.


Help your customers achieve the custom look they are seeking by leveraging our 20+ years of experience in pre-finishing.  Experience the difference of the Lumbermen’s Door Division!


Holiday Door Décor Recommendations

December 13th, 2021 by Jill Carroll

Spread some holiday cheer this season without scratching your beautiful front door!

‘Tis the season to decorate, and that means sprucing up your front door! As homeowners, we want the entryway to our home to appear merry and bright, especially when the in-laws arrive. Here are some holiday tips from Lumbermen’s Door Division to ensure that your door looks great and also remains protected.

Tip 1: When hanging a wreath, utilize Non-Scratch wreath hooks. Plastic acrylic wreath hooks are durable for hanging decorations above your front, back or storm door, yet soft enough not to scratch or damage your home. Wreaths with metal elements such as wire can scratch or gouge the paint on your front door, which is worse than a lump of coal. Hooks will stabilize your wreath and also keep it from resting against your door.

Tip 2: Consider DIY projects for your door. This can be a fun family activity, creating a custom decoration that can be updated year to year. Lumbermen’s Director of Marketing, Jill Carroll, employs this holiday strategy for her home, “I have a black door and one year we made a snowflake out of popsicle sticks and I get SO many compliments on it.” Other DIY options can include a bouquet of ribbons and felt cutouts of holiday characters.

Tip 3: Create a winter wonderland surrounding the door. Door frames are great places to hang lights or garlands, and porch decorations like small trees or snowmen can also welcome guests to your home. Your door can still be a focal point, and you minimize the risk of having decorations knocked off as your guests haul all of those presents inside!

No matter your reason for celebrating the season, our last tip is the most important, which is: HAVE FUN!