Repurposing Old Garage Doors

Last year, I had my old garage doors replaced. They were wooden and had seen better days. A ground hog had decided to visit one evening and thought it would be a comfortable place for an overnight stay. Unfortunately, his check out time did not coincide with when I would next be opening the garage door. Taking matters in hand (or paw/claw), the ground hog chewed a hole in the bottom of the door. To no avail, it still had to wait for me to open the door. When the guy installed the new garage doors, he piled the panels to the side and said he would take them to the garbage dump for me. Well, I have a difficult time discarding things and told him he could just leave them. He looked at me as if I was a little off, but he was glad he didn’t have to haul them off.

I offered the doors to Hudson Valley House Parts, a local business that recycles many house parts. Reggie, the owner, said sure he would pick them up. I waited and waited, but Reggie never came. Now I am glad he didn’t pick them up.

I took this photo March 18, 2020. This is what one part of the woodland garden looked like, even after clearing most of the fallen trees and branches throughout the garden. There was a big branch from the willow tree and many other branches piled around. It was a mess. Finally, in 2021 I cleaned it all up. I cut up the big branch with my chain saw and carted off the other branches for a bonfire. I had plans not only for the area, but also for my garage door panels.

After the large white fir tree fell this past spring in a gust of wind, I had the tree company save a five-foot section. It weighed hundreds of pounds, and I expended a lot of effort to maneuver it across my yard to this spot and set it into place. It seemed impossible – at least my neighbor told me I couldn’t do it – but somehow, I managed it. On top of the fir log I mounted an armillary, a type of sundial, I purchased at ReStore. For my structure, I dug holes in the ground for cardboard tubes to be filled with concrete. These would be piers to anchor the structure. I did not want the wood touching the ground. Digging anywhere on the property is an arduous task. There are rocks everywhere. This particular part of the yard is not only filled with rocks, but a foot down it is also clay. Just digging the holes took me days. Once the concrete was poured, progress was faster.

Slowly the structure started to take shape. It would be 10 feet tall, 6.5 feet wide and 4.5 feet deep. Because I work alone, I have to invent ways to prop up boards while I fasten them. This becomes a fun challenge of how to achieve the result without either suffering an injury or a collapse of the structure. In these photos you can see the timbers, with a single panel laying to the side.

Once I had the basic structure in place, I added the garage door panels.

The roof was next. I installed rafters for a peaked roof and covered the entire roof with cedar shingles.

One day, a few months ago, Andrew and I were walking in Kew Gardens. I spotted some spindles next to someone’s garbage pile, placed on the curb. The paint was peeling, and some were broken. I couldn’t pass them by, as I could use them for something. Andrew has become used to me reclaiming things and was not surprised when I carted them home. I used them as trim pieces.

More than 25 years ago I bought two iron balcony railings from Eron Johnson Antiques, in Denver, Colorado. I brought them along when I moved to New York. I had paid too much for them to leave them behind and reasoned that with a large yard I would find a purpose for them. It took me while to decide what to do with them. I think they complement my structure in the woodland garden nicely. A little bit of Europe in my backyard.

Never being one to shy away from challenges, one of the most difficult things about the project was working during a heat wave. The temperature was sweltering every day.

Working alone I often have conversations with myself – especially in the heat.

“I’m so glad I’m not one of the people who has to go to work in heat like this!”

“But, you are working in this heat and the people who have jobs are getting paid.”

“Yes, this is true, still I might be adding to my property.”

“What is the value of a superfluous structure?”

“Hmm. Probably nothing, maybe less than nothing if no one else likes it.”

“Maybe you will have to pay someone to remove it.”

“Just stop thinking and get back to work before you make a mistake!”

Finally, with a coat of paint on everything, my garden structure was complete. Andrew purchased a bistro set to go inside. I bought a vintage metal light fixture, candle powered, to hang from the rafters. The only thing we haven’t decided is what to call it. The structure is not a gazebo, it is not really a pavilion – which sounds too grand, it is not a folly – because it has a purpose and calling it a tea house doesn’t seem to fit. What would you call it?

The next time you are in the neighborhood, pack a lunch. Your table for two is waiting. Reservations not necessary. Sit, relax and listen to the birds in the woodland garden.