ART & DESIGN: FIRST IMPRESSIONS
PETE CROSS CRAFTS BOLD DOORS AND CABINETS THAT LAST
By Nathan Dell / Photos by Carter Photographics

First impressions are important, but the quality of fine wood doors and cabinets from Pete Cross will endure far beyond the first glance.

A bold and beautiful custom entry door can make a powerful first impression on a mountain home. As both the point of entry and the first look at a home’s quality, a unique, well-crafted door sets the tone for what lies inside and welcomes guests to a warm and hospitable space. For the ultimate entry door expression, it is hard to beat the craftsmanship that is evident in every one-of-a-kind entry system built by Pete Cross of Cross Custom Woodworking. With distinctive designs, hand-selected woods, and the perfectionism of a master craftsman, any custom door that leaves Cross’ shop will not disappoint.

A methodical approach, gleaned from his years as a mechanical engineer in the auto industry, makes it possible for Cross to assure every door built in his Hot Sulphur Springs workshop is ready for Grand County’s dry and varied conditions. The stiles and rails are built with certified green plywood interiors laminated to select wood facings. Cross says this design keeps the door straight and closing smoothly year after year. He uses the best hardware along with carefully placed weather stripping and hearty finishes. Even on smaller wood panels, Cross mills the wood thickness down, allowing him to glue two separate facings together to prevent splitting and warping. Overall, each is a solid, natural doorway perfect for mountain designs.

Nationally registered architect Chris Webber of Architects West, who has been applying his 40 years of design experience to the Colorado mountain region for the last 11 years, points out the prominence of a home’s front door. “It is like a pyramid. The very top of the pyramid – the front door of the house. And everything below that supports that main focus. You really want something that is making a statement.”

Thad Walton, with Sun Mountain Doors, said he believes that a custom front door is “one of the most unique things you can do that differentiates your house from your neighbors.” As Webber listens to his architectural client’s desires and tries to match designs to their personalities, he mentions Cross’ strong communication skills. “When you have a conversation with him it is a two-way conversation. He can add to the conversation relative to how to execute something.”

One of Webber’s recent designs incorporated many Asian elements for a client with Japanese heritage. The goal was to allow the natural materials to shine through. Intricate doors with an Asian look custom-crafted by Cross adorn every doorway, inside and out.

Fifteen years in the engineering industry prior to his woodworking career allow Cross to manipulate his computer aided designs (CAD) with the same prowess he cuts his wood joinery. Master builder Jack Kopp, who has been building in the Fraser Valley since the early 80s, reiterated this. “With his experience with CAD drawings and exact dimensions, he brings to the table drawings and plans that are exacting,” he said. Because there is so much detail work involved, Kopp says he simply introduces Cross to his clients and allows them to dialog. “If you brought in the architect to do all the design work right down to the last sixteenth of an inch, it could get very expensive,” Kopp said. “But if Cross provides the CAD drawings as part of his service with installation and his material, it saves the homeowner in the long run.”

Cross says he has worked with homeowners for up to a year before he even cuts the first piece of wood. His promise: “I give you exactly what you want.” He works and re-works his plans for an entry system or kitchen cabinets until the design meets or exceeds the homeowner’s desires. “There’s no second guessing,” Kopp agrees. “When it comes to the site, it all works and fits, and it’s pretty awesome.”

After several years of dabbling part-time in woodworking during his engineering career, Cross finally went full-time in 1993 with his father and brother. The three built a large woodworking business in Northern Indiana which they continued growing for more than five years. Later, Cross made the move to Colorado to help a friend start the manufacturing arm of Sun Mountain, a custom door manufacturer in Berthoud, Colorado. That business has grown to the point where they are producing around 2,500 doors every month. Thad Walton with Sun Mountain said Cross was key in transitioning their pre-hung door business to the point that they now manufacture 85 to 90 percent of everything they sell. The shop is so adaptable that they can provide any wood species in any design configuration that the client wants at a price that is often not much more than a regular door. After setting up Sun Mountain’s facilty, Cross moved to Hot Sulphur Springs in 2000.

A pole barn on his property just outside of town houses Cross’ workshop. A stroll through the various tables and tools reveals stacks of rich hardwoods along with jigs and templates that have allowed Cross to produce a host of innovative designs. With much of the equipment on rollers, Cross is constantly rearranging to efficiently craft whatever new project he undertakes.

Those projects come in all shapes and sizes and with a wide range of budgets. Cross loves to work for local residents and last year built a custom door for a log home just down the road from his shop. The home eventually sold for around $325,000. In contrast, Cross is now crafting all the custom woodwork in a home whose price tag is well over $3 million.

But if you are looking for budget doors and cabinetry, Cross is the first to admit you ought to look elsewhere. “You want a Cadillac, but you want to pay for a Chevy. That’s not me. I’m not cheap, I’m not fast. But I care what I take out the door. I care.” Within Cross’ shop, he is the one who starts and finishes every project and touches most every step in between. His quality control adheres to the stellar standards of an engineer. “I am my worst enemy,” Cross notes. “I know most people would not even see any of the stuff that bothers me, but it bothers me.” This passion can even cut into his profits. “I could make a lot more money if I wanted to. But I would know it was going out the door the way I really wouldn’t want it to.”

Cross relies solely on word-of-mouth marketing to bring in new business and has become the choice provider for interior cabinetry and trim with Kopp Construction, who has built at least 10 houses in the high-end Pole Creek Fairways development. It is likely that Kopp and Cross get along well because they share the same owner-operated start-to-finish hands-on work methods.

When he needs help, Cross works to install his cabinets and doors with master carpenter Gary Zeigler, who has earned Cross’ trust with his high quality work. “He knows what I’m thinking and I know what he’s thinking,” says Cross. That kind of working relationship is evident when you walk into a house the two have worked on together. Even a trained eye would have a difficult time spotting a mistake. Cross finally had to point out a place where he and Gary covered a mismeasured gap in a cabinet and corrected it with such innovation that it looked like it was designed that way.

First impressions are important, but the quality of fine wood doors and cabinets from Cross Custom Woodworking will endure far beyond the first glance.


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