Adivce on sourcing a reclaimed 1930s front door

[WoolyMammoth55]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone has found themselves a nice reclaimed front door recently and can offer any useful tips?

I'm hoping to put in a refurbished timber and stained-glass door with draught-proofed frame. Have found one I love but the seller's stuff is pricey! He's got the door for sale (refurbed original glass and wood, primed but "in need of some filling and finishing") at £950 and wants to charge £425 for the frame on top.

In contrast our neighbours got one off Gumtree for £175 and had it refurbished locally for £400 - a much better deal... But my builders are keen to get it in ASAP so that they can plaster the rest of the hallway so I feel like trawling Gumtree will take time I don't really have.

Someone on here recommended beautiful new "vintage style" front doors made by Geleta, but they are on a long Covid lead-time of 16 weeks ATM so that's a non-starter.

If anyone has any words of advice or thoughts on the best way to go I'm all ears! Thanks X

look out on, and advertise in, Facebook, Freecycle and Ebay.

The cheapest i ever got a second-hand front door was a pound (I gave the vendor a fiver as I felt sorry for him).

There are still plenty of vandals devaluing their homes by ripping out original features and replacing them with plastic.

Obviously an architectural salvage co will charge you a hundred times what I paid.

A skilled joiner can take apart a wooden door into its constituent parts and reassemble it tightly with new wedges, inserting a Dutchman to repair unwanted holes or damage, and if necessary altering it to fit your own doorframe and fitting new locks.

Damage at the foot can be hidden with a brass or stainless kickplate, and, near the lock, with a fingerplate, or a heavier plate can be used to add strength.

I favour adding laminated glass secured with glazing tape for extra security. This is easier in a thick wooden door as the rebate can be enlarged. There are glazing companies who can use your old stained glass in new units but I do not know how this is done.

BTW, although a joiner can make a new door using nothing but saws, planes, chisels and a pencil, he can make a new frame with enormous ease, and I'd be tempted to get a new one. You will not get Baltic pine today but there are some American or Far-Eastern Oaks that are quite good. A good joiner should know local sources.

in an older house the door (and window) frames are likely to be let into the brickwork so that hardly any of the wood is visible from outside (this is especially so in and near central London, due to Building Regulations introduced after 1666), and you should ask for the replacement to be styled the same.

It is best to have door and frame made and fitted by the same person at the same time, or they will blame each other for any faults.

And I wouldn't worry unduly about the plastering.

most people having replacement door and window frames have them put into already-decorated walls.

new architrave will hide the joins.

joiners are not usually good plasterers or pointers so you may want that done once the frame is fitted.

Hi @PigletJohn thanks for your replies. I can see that you're right - I'm either going to spend a long time trawling online for a bargain or I'm going to spend over budget on the 'easy' option. Grateful for you to take the time to point this out :)

We will definitely be getting a new frame too - the current one is part of the UPVC monstrosity that is coming out. We've got measurements for it - appreciate that it should be the same person doing both and will try to make sure I can get that organised.

Thanks!

Don't let the builders push you! We are just having windows and doors fitted and all the walls were plastered and our builders will just come in and finish when the frames are in. Look on Ebay as well as Gumtree and at reclamation yards and take your time and get the door you want. Then get a good carpenter to make the frame and fit it properly. Don't necessarily get your builder to fit it. Remember you can buy one slightly too small or too big and a good carpenter will make it work.