Eichler doors

Hi,

Welcome to the Eichler community! You don't mention which San Jose tract you are in, but I know you'll find a lot of great people wherever you land. Not to mention your fellow enthusiasts on this board.

Atrium models vary but I'd say you shouldn't have any trouble ordering a slab door for your atrium. In San Jose, you can try Southern Lumber. The only issue becomes "interior" vs. "exterior" doors, and "hollow" vs. "solid core". I think the original were interior grade hollow doors but you should be able to upgrade that solid core at a minimum, and possibly exterior grade as well. (Exterior grade is a "nice to have" but as the front door is often reasonably protected, not necessary.)

Anyway, post with your location and you might find a few helpful neighbors here. I, myself, am in one of the Fairglen tracts of San Jose.

Cheers.
jake

Congrats on your impending Eichler purchase.

Restoring the door is quite easy. Assuming you are handy, you just need:
1) A blank/slab door cut to the size of your door opening (do NOT buy a pre-drilled door),
2) An Eichler Door Kit (google "Eichler Door Kit" to find)
3) a few hours and possibly an extra set of hands

You can also find additional information on the process and the door kit here: http://www.eichlerforsale.com/Eichler_Door_Kit

Go with the solid core door. If you were to install the Eichler door kit, you will need the door to be solid for the 5 3/4" backset lock. Plus the added security and I'm pretty sure building code requires solid core for replacement exterior doors.

Hi!

Thanks for the advice. We also found a salvage place with doors in Berkeley that had solid core, exterior doors for sale, but I am concerned the holes won't match up with the Eichler door knob and escutchion (sp?) that we will order. I don't know, maybe if we buy an oversized door, we can cut it down to size. These doors are going for about $30.00, so maybe it is worth doing?

We will be moving into the house on Booksin with the sale pending sign. Is that neighborhood called Fairglen?

(Although we were raised in the East Bay Area, we've lived our adult lives in L.A. We had a lot of fun restoring our former home, a craftsman bungalow in Pasadena, but we are babes in the wood when it comes to Eichlers.)

--Janet (Gordon's wife)

The used doors won't have the correct spacing to install the Eichler knob. Standard spacing is about 3 1/4" from the edge, the Eichler knob with escutchon is 5 3/4". You would need to start with a new solid door with no holes or find a good used Eichler door to restore. I spent alot of time stripping and painting my original door and the money I saved compared to buying a new door and painting was a wash.

Brand New Solid Core Birch Door should be about $100 at most any door store.
Very easy to have "Cloned" so holes match up.
Get the "Eichler Door Kit" from Orange County and you'll be set.
Good Luck..
Gerald

Thanks, guys. Sounds like a brand new door would be the easiest.

--Janet

Gordon/Janet,
Jake is right, Southern Lumber is the place to go.
That's a great house and a very original Eichler!
Welcome to the neighborhood!

-ramon

I take it from Ramon's post that Jake posted a second time and for some reason it is not showing up on my mother-in-law's computer (we are on Christmas holiday in Concord until tomorrow).

We are really excited about the house and it looks like we may be able to close Tuesday (knock wood). Please stop by and say "hi" whenever you see a white Prius or a tan Accord in the driveway. We will be doing some repair and termite killing before we move in around the first of February.

I am particularly jazzed that the exterior has never been painted; only stained. (It needs to be restained, of course, and some siding replaced where hungry termites have been feasting.)

We are keeping all the original mahogany walls and have already selected new flooring for the whole house that we hope will complement it. I'll have to post before and after shots.

It also has the original kitchen without the original appliances except for the cooktop. Anyone know where to get an original Thermador oven? Failing that, we'll try to find a steel-colored stove that fits, at some point.

While I am thinking of it, anyone know of a good electrician? We need to do some nonglamorous, but necessary stuff.--Janet

Forgot to include my email address. It's [email protected]. Please feel free to back channel me.--Janet