A concrete walkway leads to a brown Wood Grain Hybrid FRP Door on a beige building with several windows. Benches, leafless trees, and shrubs line the path at this Historic Courthouse.

Case Study: Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future – Wood Grain Hybrid FRP Doors at Historic Courthouse

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The Davis County Memorial Courthouse renovation is an award-winning example of historical preservation and modernization. Spearheaded by Hogan & Associates Construction and completed in 2022, this $9 Million adaptive reuse and seismic retrofit project aimed to return the 20,000-square-foot courthouse to its original 1930s grandeur. It also ensures the building meets modern safety and accessibility standards.

Key upgrades included demolishing two later additions to create a public plaza that honors the original streetscape and historical monuments. It also involved installing ADA-compliant elevators and complex structural reinforcement. This required excavation and stabilization around the original cobble and brick footings.

This was the first courthouse built in the state. Now, it serves as a modern, adaptable office and gathering space for those who work for Davis County.

The project was awarded Restoration Project of the Year by the Associated General Contractors of Utah, Most Outstanding Restoration Project from Utah Construction & Design Magazine. It also received a Rehabilitation/Restoration Award from Preservation Utah, a local non-profit.

Not long after this extensive renovation was completed, the courthouse’s custom-built exterior wood doors became vulnerable. Another solution was needed, one that blended historic appearance with modern durability.

Wooden Doors Fail Under Utah Climate

Two custom wooden doors were built for the courthouse’s exposed southern and western entrances as part of the renovation. While visually striking and consistent with the building’s historic style, these handcrafted doors lacked protection from the elements. Within just two years, the unforgiving Utah sun and Mother Nature had taken their toll—splitting the wood, fading the finish, and compromising the integrity of the doors.

Instead of reinvesting in high-cost custom wood doors that had already proven unsustainable, a new solution was needed. This solution aimed to preserve the courthouse’s carefully restored architectural legacy while enduring extreme weather. It also needed to withstand heavy public use.

Hybrid FRP Doors Preserved History, Solved Durability Issues

A long-time contractor for Davis County, recently retired after 38 years in the industry, was brought in to offer a proven alternative. Duff Ellsworth, former owner of Robert I. Merrill Co., a commercial door, frame, and accessory distributor in Salt Lake City, was inspired by experience with a custom commercial door manufacturer and another courthouse project. This project was the Unita County Courthouse in nearby Evanston, Wyoming. He proposed using the same proven solution—Special-Lite’s SL-19 Rustic Wood Grain Hybrid FRP door.

The ultra-realistic wood grain FRP offered the ideal balance of historical authenticity, modern performance, and exceptional longevity. Designed to replicate the look of traditional oak wood, but with unmatched resistance to moisture, UV degradation, and physical abuse, it addressed all the concerns posed by the failing wood doors.

“No other material looks this close to real wood and lasts this long. FRP just looks better than wood grain hollow metal doors when you get up close—and it performs better, too,” Ellsworth said.

FRP Doors Deliver Timeless Look and Long-Lasting Performance

The newly installed Hybrid FRP Doors delivered beyond expectations. Seamlessly integrated into the historic façade, they enhanced the building’s visual integrity. Moreover, these doors ensure decades of reliable performance, even under direct sun and high-use conditions.

“They love them. It looks great. They couldn’t be happier,” Ellsworth said.

Special-Lite’s Hybrid FRP Doors now stand as a lasting fixture in one of Utah’s most exceptional historic restoration projects. They bridge past and present with security, durability, and timeless elegance.

A beige stone building, reminiscent of a Historic Courthouse, features a central wooden door, a large arched window above, two small rectangular windows on either side, and a concrete ramp leading to the entrance. A wooden door with glass panels and a long handle is set in a stone building facade, topped by a triangular pediment and a round exterior light above—typical of many historic courthouse entrances. Close-up view of two different wooden surfaces next to each other, showcasing grain patterns like those found in Wood Grain Hybrid FRP Doors, alongside a textured gray concrete wall on the right. Wood Grain Hybrid FRP Door with two narrow vertical glass panels, set in a stone or concrete frame, featuring a long vertical handle on the right—an ideal choice for Historic Courthouse case study applications. A wooden double door with glass panels and push bars, leading outside to a concrete pathway and buildings—a design featured in a case study of wood grain hybrid FRP doors used in a historic courthouse. Close-up of a Wood Grain Hybrid FRP Door with a metal hinge and glass window reflecting an outdoor scene with benches and the Historic Courthouse in the background.
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