Southfields Door Restoration in a Conservation Area
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.
Keeping up appearances with regard to the front-facing façade of your property is a paramount concern for any homeowner. But those living in a conservation area are arguably under even more pressure to maintain the lofty standards set by buildings all around them. Add a 100-year-old front door into the equation and it’s easy to see how balancing heritage and a handsome aesthetic could become a tall order.
That was exactly the dilemma facing one Fortis & Hooke customer in Southfields, Wandsworth. Reluctant to let go of the entranceway which had stood her and her family in good stead for over a century, but equally hesitant to simply paper over the cracks with yet another paint job, she contacted our team for a comprehensive restoration job. We’re happy to say we did not disappoint.
INITIAL INSPECTION
After being called out to the Southfields property, our team ascertained that the door was still in good structural condition, but was suffering from having undergone repeated paint jobs over the years. Obviously, the last thing which would benefit the situation this time around would be simply another one. Instead, our Longaevitas technique was clearly what the doctor ordered.
As well as removing the door, reinforcing it in our workshop and endowing it with draught-proofing capabilities, the customer also specified that she would like a complete cosmetic makeover. This included repositioning the door knocker, installing a key lock and upgrading the letterbox – as well, of course, as freshening things up with a smart new lick of paint.
REMOVAL AND RESTORATION
As with any job of this kind, our first priority was to give the best possible end result while causing the least possible disruption to the homeowner’s daily routine. With that in mind, we took the decision to remove the door from its hinges and relocate it to our workshop, replacing it with a temporary wooden substitute in the meantime.
We then stripped away layer upon layer of existing paint and strengthened the door’s structural integrity, before treating it to a new lease of life in the form of an eye-catching grey tone of paint, in accordance with the owner’s wishes. We also reconfigured the knocker, lock and letterbox to produce stunning results that gave the illusion of a new door, all the while retaining the charm of the old one.
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Thanks to the time, care and attention that our team lavished upon the door in question – as they do with every single job they undertake – we were able to deliver results that were both practical and aesthetically-pleasing. The homeowner now enjoys greater security as a result of the new lock and enhanced internal temperature control thanks to the draught-proofed attributes of the door.
Perhaps most importantly of all, however, the door has recaptured its former splendour. In a neighbourhood where history and heritage are such important bedfellows, it was essential that we were able to reinvigorate this 100-year-old access point. Thankfully, the expertise of our team and the ingenuity of our Longaevitas technique meant that it may well see out 100 years more.