Good quality wooden front door

[Steve_W]

Afternoon all,

When we get our new extension built we want to put in a new wooden front door in keeping with the Georgian period of the property. The existing all glazed thing is neither secure, nor in keeping.

Can anyone recommend a decent supplier (we're near Reading) and give a rough idea of cost please?

As an example, we found these while searching online: London Door Co - solid wooden doors + frame from them appear to be around the £2000 mark which is a bit more than I was expecting! I know you get what you pay for, but that seemed a tad high?

We like the idea of the Regency style with 6 panels and a central door knob.

Luckily the property isn't listed, but original features such as the sash windows are still in-situ so I don't think a uPVC door will be appropriate.

Thanks,
Steve

[mgtony]

If your builder has a trade card for Howdens, take a look at their range. (you can still go into their showroom and take a look but need a trade card to buy.)

http://www.howdens.com/product-range/doors-joinery...

[s1962a]

You can try Howdens or Benchmarx outlets near you, but they may not have the style you're after.

[Blakeatron]

You will find the door itself is not too expensive, but the furniture and fitting costs will be crazy!

We manufactured a set of double doors for a hotel near us, 21/2" solid oak with solid panelled bottom and glazed top.

The doors themselves with glazing were about 1200+vat.

The handles we then put on were £120 each! Then add the brass kickers, closers, etchings etc and you have spent nearly anothe 1k on twiddly bits.

Have a word with a local joinery/furniture manufacturer - they should be considerably cheaper - and you will get exactly what you want.

If you are wanting to paint then sapele is the timber i would recomend.

[ColinM50]

A coiple of builders merchants that come to mind are Ridgeons and Magnet. Ridgeons are very good for this sort of high quality stuff as are Magnet. Ridgeons tend to be East Anglia based, nearest to Reading is Harlow but Magnet are nationwide I think.

Alternatively Jewson do a reasonable range too. Try builders merchants rather than the DIY sheds if you're after quality rather than cheap.

[Nobby Diesel]

Try W H Carden -
http://www.whcarden.co.uk/
You should be able to strike a deal.
For the glass, go to a processor, not the door supplier.
Try Birchdale at Uxbridge. I think N&C may have a branch in Reading actually.

[Steve_W]

Thanks all - some good pointers there.

Blakeatron - interesting re the prices.

[CO2000]

Steve_W said:

Afternoon all,

When we get our new extension built we want to put in a new wooden front door in keeping with the Georgian period of the property. The existing all glazed thing is neither secure, nor in keeping.

Can anyone recommend a decent supplier (we're near Reading) and give a rough idea of cost please?

As an example, we found these while searching online: London Door Co - solid wooden doors + frame from them appear to be around the £2000 mark which is a bit more than I was expecting! I know you get what you pay for, but that seemed a tad high?

We like the idea of the Regency style with 6 panels and a central door knob.

Luckily the property isn't listed, but original features such as the sash windows are still in-situ so I don't think a uPVC door will be appropriate.

Thanks,
Steve

Everest may be worth a quote (they do wooden ones) also have you thought about Composite ?

[Steve_W]

Hmmm - not sure about Everest as no-one I know who has had work done by them has been problem free.

Don't know anything about composite materials - is that some form of resin/plastic mix?

[Wheelrepairit]

We had a new wooden front door fitted 3 yrs ago, pain in the bloody arse, swelled up, took off and planed the bottom as it wouldnt open, then when summer came, door dried out, gap so big the wind howled in.

Now have a wooden effect composite door, 35 yr warranty, wipe it over once a yr with damp cloth, jobs a good un.

More secure, looks the same, less drafty, wins hands down.

My brother is on his 3rd wooden door in 4 yrs at his new build, so its not just me.

[Steve_W]

Interesting - got any links to suppliers?

[CO2000]

Steve_W said:

Hmmm - not sure about Everest as no-one I know who has had work done by them has been problem free.

Don't know anything about composite materials - is that some form of resin/plastic mix?

Have a read of this (I replied on it about mine)
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Roy E6]

Steve, YHM.

[neilsie]

Wheelrepairit said:

We had a new wooden front door fitted 3 yrs ago, pain in the bloody arse, swelled up, took off and planed the bottom as it wouldnt open, then when summer came, door dried out, gap so big the wind howled in.

Now have a wooden effect composite door, 35 yr warranty, wipe it over once a yr with damp cloth, jobs a good un.

More secure, looks the same, less drafty, wins hands down.

My brother is on his 3rd wooden door in 4 yrs at his new build, so its not just me.

same here. front & back doors.

changed to a composite door, no gap problems since. Rightly or wrongly, bought from Anglian Windows. seems a fair price, especially as no further maintenance required.

[essexrobb]

hi, interesting thread, we were just looking at oak veneer doors with a oak fram,e but expensive, about £1500 inc fitting while although expensive seems pretty good compared to other doors, although i think a composite would be good enough missus hates it and wants a oak door.. trying to convince her otherwise but losing!!!

Edited by essexrobb on Friday 4th March 19:55

[CO2000]

essexrobb said:

hi, interesting thread, we were just looking at ok veneer doors with a oak fram,e but expensive, about £1500 inc fitting while although expensive seems pretty good compared to other doors, although i think a composite would be good enough missus hates it and wants a oak door.. trying to convince her otherwise but losing!!!

I was the opposite, glad we went for a composite one & now a year or so down the line.

[essexrobb]

CO2000 said:

I was the opposite, glad we went for a composite one & now a year or so down the line.

lol, yeah well the battle isnt over, next door has composite and it looks ok, ok not as good as oak but it doesnt look as bad a upvc.. this is the sort of thing we were looking at..

http://www.ccdoors.co.uk/popup.asp?start=19&te...

[CO2000]

essexrobb said:

lol, yeah well the battle isnt over, next door has composite and it looks ok, ok not as good as oak but it doesnt look as bad a upvc.. this is the sort of thing we were looking at..

http://www.ccdoors.co.uk/popup.asp?start=19&te...

It does look good, if you have the ££'s & the time to upkeep they are probaly a better choice. I was told I/we didn't on both counts !!

We have a black 6 panel composite one & I did see some cheaper ones that were a bit grey & matt (almost graphite looking) in the paint/coating finish rather than a rich deep gloss black. They also had far too much "grain" on them.

[essexrobb]

CO2000 said:

It does look good, if you have the ££'s & the time to upkeep they are probaly a better choice. I was told I/we didn't on both counts !!

We have a black 6 panel composite one & I did see some cheaper ones that were a bit grey & matt (almost graphite looking) in the paint/coating finish rather than a rich deep gloss black. They also had far too much "grain" on them.

well we havent really but they do look good and its house we will probably stay in til the kids leave and we can then get a smaller one, although the upkeep is something that puts me off if i'm honest, I dont want it swelling and shrinking with the weather although its under a canopy of sorts so its not directly in the weather

[cptsideways]

If your door is exposed to the elements (eg no porch) then go composite/plastic, wooden doors are for barns!

Our house built in the 80's has wooden double glazed fixtures, its totally crap & needs replacing throughout. The wobbly, swelling, shrinking front door went last year & we now have a faux wooden one, its 10 x better.