I've been thinking a bit about doors. Well, a lot, actually.

After much deliberation, I've decided to make my own cabin door in the old ledged-and-braced fashion using personally harvested, rough-sawn 1.5" douglas fir battens with 1.5" tamarack ledges and stump-tenoned braces. (Peter is probably going to balk at me for not making a lighter door using cedar)

The ledges and braces will be attached to the battens with authentic rose-head wrought iron clinch nails.

The door will swing inward on long 28" long, 1/4" thick hand-forged iron pintle strap hinges that are mounted using iron lag screws directly to the timber door post. Below, you can see the pintle strap hinge I will use.

The door is going to be very heavy at 39" wide and over 7' high, but I think the combination of large and long strap hinges and the use of stump-tenoned ledge braces will keep the door from sagging. I might get a middle strap hinge, although it is probably not necessary.

In order to preserve the wood and iron, I will treat both sides of the door with oil (exterior: spar varnish, interior: Land Ark). I plan to periodically treat the wrought-iron hardware with linseed oil.

For handle and latch, I'm considering a hand-forged iron Norfolk or Suffolk latch like the one shown below. I'm not sure, though. I'll have to think some more about it.