About Me Hi, I’m Gary — and I built The Door Authority for one simple reason:
I got tired of seeing doors treated like an afterthought.
After years working around building materials, sales counters, job sites, contractors, and homeowners, I noticed something that kept repeating:
People weren’t getting the full picture.
Homeowners were confused about sizing.
Builders were rushing installs.
And doors were often sold as “just a slab.”
But they’re not.
A door is a system.
And when you understand that, everything changes.
How This Started
Working in building materials I’ve seen:
- Doors installed without proper flashing
- Rough openings framed wrong
- Hardware upgrades skipped
- Exterior systems fail in winter
- Homeowners spend more fixing mistakes than doing it right the first time
Especially here in Canada — and in prairie climates — details matter.
Cold temperatures expose shortcuts.
That’s when I realized something:
There needs to be a place where door knowledge is explained clearly — without sales pressure, without confusion, and without cutting corners.
That’s why I created The Door Authority.
What I Believe
I believe:
- You don’t sell just the slab — you sell the full system
- Rough openings matter
- Jamb depth matters
- Weather sealing matters
- Proper installation prevents callbacks
- Education builds trust
Whether you’re a homeowner replacing interior doors or a builder installing exterior systems, the principles are the same.
Do it right the first time.
Who This Site Is For
This site is for:
- Homeowners who want to avoid expensive mistakes
- Renovators learning proper measuring
- Builders upgrading their knowledge
Anyone who wants straight answers about doors
I write about:
- Interior doors
- Exterior systems
- Rough opening formulas
- Hardware upgrades
- Buying guides
- Installation fundamentals
- Prairie climate performance
No fluff.
No hype.
Just practical door knowledge.
Why Doors?
Because doors are one of the most overlooked parts of a home.
- They protect your family.
- They control energy efficiency.
- They affect security.
- They influence resale value.
And when installed properly, they perform quietly for decades.
When installed wrong, they cause problems immediately.
I want more people to understand the difference.
The Mission
To build Canada’s most trusted independent resource on doors.
Not the biggest.
Not the flashiest.
But the most practical and reliable.
If you care about doing things properly — you’re in the right place.
— Gary Smith
Founder, The Door Authority