Co-ordinating the Perfect Door Restoration in Dartford
Original features are at the very heart of a heritage property. Unfortunately, many property owners rush to replace period features when age starts to take its toll. At Fortis & Hooke, we think there is a better way.
As a team of timber restoration experts, Fortis & Hooke is able to help customers bring their original doors back to life. However, some projects need more than our expertise.
Beautiful glass, intricate metal features and of course the sturdy hardwood – most doors are made up of several components. So, when a customer in Dartford got in touch about their door, which also needed leaded glass windows and new locks, we knew our expertise wouldn’t be enough. After all, the very best restoration results require specialists in different areas.
Read on to see how we co-ordinated a multi-faceted restoration on an original wooden door.
INSPECTING THE WEAKENED DOOR
When our Dartford customer originally contacted us, they were concerned about the state of their door’s appearance. On inspection, it was clear that the door had simply become worn over time. A lack of protection had led the beautiful panelling to weather, while the wooden mullions in between the windows had weakened.
This was also impairing the function of the door. With the wood slowly decaying, the door was no longer providing adequate insulation for the customer’s beautiful period property.
We recommended our Longaevitas system. This is a comprehensive door restoration solution, comprising a complete stripping, repair, repainting and draught-sealing, maintaining the original timber.
REMOVAL AND RESTORATION
The door was carefully removed from the property and replaced with a bespoke wooden replacement for the time-being. In our warehouse – the perfect environment for a thorough door restoration – we were able to completely strip the door and repair problems with the wood directly.
While doing so, we also filled all of the holes for locks, including the letterbox. This allowed our customer to completely redesign their door and its features without damaging the timber. They chose to remove the letterbox completely and reposition their door knob centrally.
Once the door was prepared, we hand-painted it with expert precision to provide a long-lasting protective layer for the original wood. Our customer chose Farrow & Ball Purbeck Stone in Estate Eggshell for the interior and Farrow & Ball Downpipe Eggshell for the exterior. To complement the door’s appearance, we also re-painted the door frame, replaced the hinge and catch on the fanlight and painted the fanlight frame.
CO-ORDINATING WITH THE VERY BEST
As well as the beautiful original timber, this door stood out because of its stunning leaded glass windows. After discussions with customer, we decided that the windows also needed restoration. We put our customer in touch with a leaded glass specialist who replaced some of the broken and damaged glass.
We also co-ordinated the installation of the restored door with Banham, who installed new locks. Thanks to our co-ordination with two other companies, our customer now benefits from a door that’s restored across the board. Flawless wood and glass, highly-efficient draught-proofing and maximum security.