The LSU Studio Arts Building was one of multiple locations on campus damaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Strong winds blew out doors on the north side of the building, requiring some to be boarded up until replacements could be sourced.
Lack of upkeep on the originals resulted in cracks and other damage that weakened their ability to withstand the winds, said carpenter master Kent Clark.
The University first planned to use metal replacements for the doors but the State Historic Preservation Office deemed it would detract from the historic appearance of the building’s exterior. In-house carpenters set to work recreating the 10-by-3-foot originals while incorporating useful improvements such insulated glass.
“We reuse as much of the old hardware as we can,” Clark said.
Because of the presence of multiple historic buildings on campus, staff are experienced at performing repairs and renovations while keeping historical preservation in mind, Facility Maintenance assistant director Robert Benton said. Having the doors built and installed by University staff also saved money.
The source of some materials had to be changed because the high quality wood used in the 1924 originals is no longer available, Clark said. Cypress wood from the virgin forests that once covered Louisiana prior to clearcutting is stronger and has fewer knots than more recently grown specimens.
“I wish we could have gotten the same lumber,” Clark said. “Those doors were originally built out of trees that were a thousand years old when they were cut down.”
Facility Maintenance staff designed a special kiln to heat the wood as part of the three month-long drying process with alternating cycles of 12 hours on and off. Rushing the process risks warping and hairline cracks, carpenter master Jeff Mitchell said.
Recreating the tools used and the cuts made by the creators in the 1920s was the most challenging part of the build, Mitchell said, as many of the blades are no longer manufactured and had to be created from scratch.
The new doors are being installed at the Studio Arts building one-by-one as they are completed, Benton said.

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Emily Brauner

Master carpenters Kent Clark and Jeff Mitchell work towards creating new doors for the Studio Arts Building. The doors are replications of the originals with small modifications like insulated windows.