In 1991, the shed
of his backyard was the spawning place of many wooden screen door
designs originated by John Otterbein. As a former graphic artist, art
director, production/plant manager, and salesman in the field of package
design, woodworking was just a hobby for him, while living in Caldwell,
NJ. When it was time to move to Maine, he brought his skills and
talents with him and started Wooden Screen Door Co in 1994.
Many varieties of woods
were tried and discarded for prototypes: pine, which is too soft, ash,
which is beautiful when unpainted, but weather raises the grain.
Otterbein tried poplar, which “moved” too much and was not moisture
resistant, FAS mahogany, which had a lot of tension in the wood causing
too much expansion and retraction, and then finally, pattern grade
mahogany which has a straight grain, no knots, is weather resistant,
nice to work with, paints well, holds glue well, and is readily
available. This is the wood which is now used to build hundreds of
designs.
As word spread that there
was a custom screen door shop in the area, more and more carpenters,
architects and homeowners asked if this or that could be done. Soon
Wooden Screen Door Co. needed more space. A small building on
Route One in Waldoboro, Maine, was purchased and renovated. It was
usable but cramped space, and as orders piled in, thanks to well placed
advertising and some nice feature articles in Country Living Magazine, Country Home, Better
Homes and Gardens and some local television news and newspaper articles,
it was time to expand with a beautiful new showroom and, of course, more
door designs.
Please stop by to visit
the next time you travel through Midcoast Maine. You'll be amazed at
the designs, versatility and craftsmanship of these truly beautiful,
handcrafted screen/storm doors. |
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