Considerations for front door

[someonelse]

I posted this on the doors/windows forum but it seems slow over there - apologies for double post, but it's a joinery question really.

My current door below has some rot near the base. Joiner who came says the colour heats up the wood which expands/contracts allowing water to penetrate. It's softwood.

I'm considering replacement, probobly hardwood and varnished rather than painted.

What other factors should I take into consideration and what questions should I ask? Construction method? Wood options? Design? etc etc

And what ballpark figure for supply, fit, remove/replace door furniture, varnish would be reasonable?

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• someonelse
• 5 Sep 2011
• 2

Oh! Supplementary Q! If a varnished door, the black frame will look wierd. I'm reluctant to get into replacing the frame (good condition/hardwood - and who knows what horrors are waiting in/behind the 150 year old stonework around it!) so what's the best way to get the black off, or could I over-paint in white?

 

[foxhole]

Main problem is it's exposed position, colour has little effect , all doors exposed to weather shrink and expand.

 

[^woody^]

Have you thought about replacing that old thing with a nice modern white uPVC one?

Otherwise, if you get the door made from hardwood, and specify "quarter sawn" boards, then they should expand/contract less than if the boards were cut a different way

Also select your coatings carefully. A varnish will just coat the surface and when the boards contract, bare timber may be exposed. And may be prone to flaking too.

An oil or stain preservative may be better as they penetrate more

 

[JohnD]

I'd treat it with linseed oil. You can colour it with a Ronson wood dye first, and use Cuprinol clear preserver before that.

in that position I'm surprised it's not an oak door.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I'm sure that door is Oak. Can you post a picture of the rot.

Andy

 

[someonelse]

Internal shots.....

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• someonelse
• 7 Sep 2011
• 1

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• someonelse
• 7 Sep 2011
• 1

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• someonelse
• 7 Sep 2011
• 1

though now you come to mention it, upvc does sound like a better option - you don't ever have to re-paint do you?

And now more questions!....
Idigbo? Suggested by joiner, but googling it seems to be a) used primarily for furniture b) prone to staining and c) unsustainable and c) threatened with extinction in Africa.