10 Ways To Make The Most
Of Your Timber Doors
Information supplied by JELD-WEN – the UK’s leading windows and doors manufacturer and Ronseal, the brand leader for vanishes and stains
1. Keep your doors well maintained
If your entrance door is unfinished, you should choose a good quality paint or stain and treat it regularly to enhance the natural beauty of the wood and protect it from water damage and the sun's harmful UV rays. This ensures your door retains a pristine look and feel for longer and enhances its lifespan. The new Westbury doors from JELD-WEN are ideal for this as they are supplied unfinished and can be stained or painted to suit the style of your home.
2. Save time with quick drying woodstain
Modern woodstains, such as Ronseal Quick Drying Woodstain, have a water- repellent formula which keeps the wood dry by preventing excess water from entering the wood whilst allowing moisture inside the wood to evaporate. This helps prevent cracking, peeling and blistering. It is rainproof in 30 minutes and can be recoated in four hours and the surface is guaranteed to last for five years.
3. Prepare surfaces well prior to varnish or staining
The more time you spend preparing the timber, the longer it will last. It is also worth checking when you buy a door if it is supplied with a base coat stain ready for final finishing on site – this makes the job much easier. When you do carry out maintenance work on a front or internal door to ensure that doors and frames are lightly sanded. Any dust, dirt or grease should then be removed using white spirit. Consider rounding any sharp edges by sanding them off as these are areas where breakdown of the coating could occur.
4.Ensure all surfaces are fully coated when covering
When varnishing doors, you should pay particular attention to the top and bottom of a door and, if possible, treat these areas prior to installation. Also, don’t forget cut-outs for hinges, locks and letter boxes. It is important to inspect the coating periodically and maintain as appropriate. The secret to a long lasting door is to give it regular care and attention. This is particularly so in areas around the sill, where rain water splashes. A quick once over with Ronseal’s Weatherseal is often enough to ensure a greatly prolonged lifespan of your door.
5. Choose factory finished timber doors to enhance performance
If you are looking for a new entrance door, a timber door with a hi-build factory finish is an excellent choice. Factory finishes include a wide range of paints and stains and offer some of the best performances on the market. Guarantees are available from six years on stain to ten years on paint finishes.
6. Choose sustainable timber patio doors
If you buy timber doors it is worth checking that the wood comes from sustainable sources. Independent certification is provided through the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC). This ensures that the timber originates from well managed forests that have well established replanting schemes.
7. Choose glass to lighten and for stylish effect
‘Daylighting’ is growing in popularity as people look to introduce as much natural light into the home as possible. Glazed entrance doors are therefore a great choice, especially since there are such a wide range of highly secure and decorative glazing options now available. Glass designs for doors have also been developed with new energy efficient options that help reduce fuel bills. Another way to introduce light through the entrance of the house is through side lights to doors or feature windows above the door that let light flood into hallways. Staining or painting your new glazed door is a great way to show off your new glass to best effect.
8. Choose co-ordinating ironmongery
There are so many exciting ironmongery options around at the moment that it is possible to make even a budget door look worth so much more. Choose from a wide range of designs to suit both contemporary and traditional styles, including glass, chrome, brushed steel and silver and gold effect. (see designs pictured)
9. Enhance your home’s security
As many burglaries occur because of inadequate door security, it is worth looking out for doors that meet with Secured by Design standards. This is the standard approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). This normally means that the door comes with security hardware, including shoot bolt espagnolette locking and butt hinges, which are resistant against attack and provide additional peace of mind.
10. Choose doors that reduce noise pollution
It is worth choosing doors that have achieved acoustic performance. This means that they have solid cores and act as a barrier to high or low sound frequencies, depending on your requirements. These are particularly useful if you live close to a busy road or urban area.
For more information or a copy of the JELD-WEN catalogue, contact the sales office on 0845 1222 890 or visit the website www.jeld-wen.co.uk.
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