Your Guide to Choosing a Bespoke Door

You want a new door, but you want it to be that little bit more special than the average door. Perhaps you feel that your home is so beautifully built that you’d like one to match it. Maybe you want your door to not only reflect your own personal style but that of your home, so they marry perfectly on style, period and material. And as we all know, a stylish well made bespoke door will add value and curb appeal to your property.

A guide to help you make those all important choices.

We’re going to guide you through your choice of bespoke door, giving you enough information so that it is a better, more well-informed and comfortable experience for you in the future. We know how stressful it can be, especially if you don't have much experience in this area.

No mistakes, not out by inches, made-to-measure is the best.

You want to make sure you have the right size and shape of door to fit the doorway. This sounds pretty obvious but sometimes it’s easy to make a mistake and get it wrong, even by a few inches. Those few inches can make all the difference. If they’re made to measure you are likely to get a better fit of door, after all if it’s tailored to your exact requirements the installation process is going to be far smoother.

The right size and shape is crucial.

The right size door means that not only does it fit better but it gives better security and is harder to break down by burglars, it will maintain better insulation levels and help reduce noise considerably. 

Whether it’s indoors or outdoors - because after all, you could be out to renovate the entire interior of your property as well as the exterior, the style of the doors you choose to hang should be a high priority. 

New trends or simple classic designs - it’s up to you.

There are so many trends to go with, but keep in mind the style and period of your home. You don't want something that’s completely out of place. Stick with something that reflects the style and period, but also gives you that individuality and character you’re looking for. You could try searching online to find some ideas, and once you have those in place take them to someone who can create a bespoke door on your behalf incorporating your ideas.

We have a wide range of materials to work with.

Whether it’s outdoors or indoors, your door or doors can be made from a variety of different materials. Here at The Replacement Door Company we have a wide variety of materials including composite and uPVC. These are every bit as strong and as attractive as wood, however, if timber is something you’d prefer then keep in mind there’s lots of different choices here too, from finished to unfinished. From different types of wood such as walnut and oak or pine, and then of course you have those lovely little extras like glass panelling, and here you can have either frosted or unfrosted.

The Replacement Door Company - Quality Bespoke Doors.

Whatever you decide to go with, if you’re looking for a quality made bespoke door that will last you for many years to come, you won’t find better than at The Replacement Door Company where we supply a fine range of bespoke fire, shop, exterior, interior and kitchen cabinet doors for your home. Take a look around our site then contact us, one of our friendly team members can talk you through your ideas.

Choosing a Colour For Your Front Door

It may seem very simple, choosing a colour for your front door, and hardly worth the effort for other seemingly more important things like the aesthetics of the rest of the external and internal part of your home. However, we feel these things are important because the colour of your front door can make such a difference, the material of the walls that surround it and the type of house you live in. What you don’t want is to create a really harsh contrast of colours and textures. 

Strong, bright and full of personality.

Strong bright colours are a great choice, but make sure you choose something that you actually like and not something that’s in fashion. Choose a colour that fits in with your personal style and the design of your house. You could go for dark shades, or simply settle for black or brown, as these are common door colour choices.

Online colour wheels

These are a great way of helping you to choose a front door colour and most paint companies should have one on their website. Also, consider a little psychology - how would you like people to feel when they visit your home? Would you like to make them feel calm and serene, welcome? Yellows, blues are great for this, and people are drawn to these colours, so this is something to consider. 

Choose external paint that’s designed to withstand the elements.

You’ll naturally want to choose external paint colours carefully, ones that will have been treated so they last throughout harsh British weather conditions. Weatherproof paint is a good choice as it will give your door the protection it needs and prevent it from becoming cracked, flaked, stained and peeled from the weather.

Stylish colours and symmetrical additions.

You want something simple yet stylish at the front of your choice as first impressions count when people visit. Your front door and the front of your house then is the first thing they see. Symmetry around a coloured door could be something like a plant either side or a miniature tree, or possibly a light either side. 

Flowers for your front door area.

Flowers for a splash of colour can also make your front door area look amazing. You could use flowers that match your door, or maybe just pick certain shades that match the door colour amongst others that don’t. You could try hanging baskets or window boxes. Make sure you keep the area around your door devoid of clutter and mess, remember as we've already mentioned, first impressions count so you don’t want to make a bad one.

Keep your front door clutter free.

Keep the area around the door clean and clear of debris that may have blown in from other gardens and try and invest in accessories for your front door that makes it look really good. Items such as quality door knobs or knockers and letter boxes that marry well with the style and period of your house.

The Replacement Door Company - External Door Experts

Whether it’s a timber door or a composite front door you're looking for, you’ll find plenty of choice on our website and all made from good quality materials. Take a look around and good luck with the colours!

When is the Best Time to Replace Your Front Door

You want to replace your front door, but unsure of when is the best time to do it. In winter it’s really cold and in summer, well it might be warm, but it’ll be harder to get hold of someone to fit it. If you’re doing it yourself, you’ll be working in the heat. Spring is also a time of year when an independent contractor may be difficult to get hold of as they get busier. Don’t leave it until your door is practically falling off its hinges though. We’re going to go over the best times to replace your front door.

Winter

In winter it’s very cold and you may experience below-freezing temperatures. However, if you’re thinking of hiring someone to come in and do it, you couldn’t choose a better time than winter because independent contractors are usually at their quietest. You’ll be able to get someone in time to put the door up before they get busier. This is much better than waiting until spring or summer when they’re usually at their busiest.

Spring

You’d think this would be a great time to have your door fixed when the weather is warmer and you can just about stand having the doorway open to the elements. However, a lot of independent contractors will see more work come their way and it may be difficult to slot you in. However, you might be lucky or perhaps you’re going to fit the door yourself. There’ll be some rain because as well all know spring can be unpredictable in terms of weather but it’ll be warmer for sure. Also, you won’t have to worry quite so much about heat loss due to an upturn in the overall temperatures across the country. 

Summertime

Summer brings with it warmth and busy contractors. However, although you may be waiting a while until you can get hold of someone, you may be lucky enough to get an independent contractor, or you’ll be planning on doing it yourself. Keep in mind that if it is hot you may get all kinds of insects, flies and midges coming into the house and it may be difficult to keep your house cool if you’re in the middle of a heatwave. If you’ve hired someone, they will probably do all they can to keep the discomfort levels to a minimum.

Autumn

This might be a perfect time, the weather is still mild, the busy season has drawn to a close and there won’t be too much of a fight to hire someone to fix the door for you. However, the weather is unpredictable at this time of year and you may find it’s a little colder too. Although there are more reasons for the process to be slowed down, there’s nothing to really stop you from having your door fitted at this time of year if it’s what you want. 

The Replacement Door Company - Front Door

If you have any questions about what we’ve discussed don’t hesitate to get in touch. If you’re looking for a new front door for you home, then why not take a look through our website and check out our versatile range of doors. We’re sure you’ll be impressed!

Use Glazed Internal Doors to Maximise Light

As you may know already, replacement doors, especially glazed, can have a really gorgeous impact on the home, making way for light and allowing sunlight in. We can’t always control the amount of light that comes into our homes, but glazed doors give you the ability to make the most out of it, especially if parts of your home are especially dark.

Take away the gloom of winter and add some much needed light

The gloom of winter brings with it rain, wind and frost and can make the inside of your home seem dark and uninviting. Glazed doors however, can add that element of daylight that lightens it up and gives it a beautiful ambience.  

Add value to your property

If you’re thinking of selling, you’ll find that a set of beautifully glazed doors could seal the deal.  Allowing more light into a room with glazed doors can make rooms seem more spacious and give better views of your gardens both front and back. If you’re thinking of having sliding doors or bi-fold doors to divide a room, these too could be good at providing space and extra light. It also provides easy access from one room to another rather than having a more traditional open and shut door. 

Choose From Our Range

Here at The Replacement Door Company we have a wide selection of internal glazed doors so you have plenty of options. This means that you can make an educated choice on works for you, your personal preferences and what will look good in your home. We hope that by looking around through our range of doors it’ll give you some inspiration. Panel doors are a popular choice, and again with the glazed option, they add style and elegance, as well as giving that extra little bit of light to make a room seem brighter and warmer. Glazed panel doors are great for contemporary homes and work well with neutral colours from white to beige. 

Let there be Light

Of course glazed replacement doors can work in any home, although you may be slightly more restricted with a listed heritage, period property but if you have a slightly newer build that’s older but not listed, you could still have glazed doors if that’s what you really want, especially if you find it too dark and want to introduce more light.

Do take a look around our website and if you feel there’s something you like but you’re unsure or have any questions, why not get in touch and ask one of our helpful team members, we’re always here to help and we all have a breadth of experience you can rely on. Give us a call today!

Sliding Wardrobe Doors vs Hinged Wardrobe Doors

We’re looking at the advantages and disadvantages of hinged versus sliding wardrobe doors. Some of you may be purists and very traditional when it comes to your wardrobe doors and prefer the more classic hinged variety. I mean, you get to see the entire contents of your wardrobe when you open the doors and everything is where it should be. However, you may be one of those people that prefer a sliding door, for a smoother more contemporary feel. It’s the type of door that will make a great impression and allow for a clearer floor area.

Mirrors, accessories and cut to fit - the world of the hinged wardrobe door.

On the back of the doors you can hang a mirror or some hooks for belts, handbags and other accessories. Wardrobes can fit, or cut to fit any number of small areas such as in angled areas, under stairs or corners. You will need the space needed in a room though for the doors to open out, traditional wardrobes work best in more traditional homes where this type of classic wardrobe looks amazing.

Modern, for more contemporary builds.

Sliding doors on the other hand are a more contemporary design and look best in more modern builds. They’re a great option for cutting back on clutter and if you don’t have much space, because the doors open side to side, which allows for smaller rooms without much room for other furniture. They're really good at the end of a bed with just enough space to walk in and out of the room. 

Larger, less clutter and mirrored doors that make your room seem bigger.

Sliding doors are larger normally, so there’s much more space for clothing, accessories and any other belongings, so there’s nothing lying around on the floor. Sliding doors can make your room seem bigger, especially if you choose the option of having mirrored doors. As you can imagine sliding wardrobe doors are brilliant if you live in a room with confined space and a modern home. 

The Replacement Door Company - Sliding Wardrobe Door Specialists

If you’re looking for sliding wardrobe doors, you’ll find a versatile range of internal doors here at The Replacement Door Company. We can help you choose the right ones if you’re struggling to decide, and we have plenty of options and the experience to help you make the right choice, so give us a call today!

Door Parts Explained

Ever wondered what each of the parts of a door are called and what they mean? You may now be in a position where you have to know, for whatever reason, and the door parts names and functions are necessary to some DIY or the purchase of a part. You may be on the cusp of repairing your own doors, fitting a new one either for yourself or for a friend, and now you need to know the ins and outs. Well, we’re here to help. 

As you can imagine there are many different parts to a door. Knowing the names for each one and what purpose it serves is useful if you need to replace one without replacing the whole door. Let’s take a look at the individual segment then, and by the end you’ll be a little bit wiser as to what goes into the making of each part!

Door Head

The door head is the horizontal part of the actual frame. This is at the top of the door with 2 grooves where the jambs of the frame will fit.

Sill/Threshold

This is at the bottom of the frame, and sits below the door. In the main, it’s mostly exterior doors that have these. It helps support the door and also helps to get rid of any excess moisture by draining off water from the outside before it can get in.

Door Stop

This is a door frame or door frame stop. This is on the inside of the door rather than the outside.

Door Jamb

These are the vertical parts of a door. It will run on either side of the door and connect to the head of the door sill, that’s if the door has one. A jamb will hold on to the door through the hinges on one side and then provide a hollow or groove on the other side so your door can close.

Door Leaf

This is the door itself and that’s without everything else that comes with a door, such as the handles and the hinges. Once these have been added you have a door set.

Architrave

This is part of the casing of the door and is a decorative trim around its frame. You will normally purchase it separately and it is part of the moulding. You can remove it and attach it quickly, and it won’t impact on how the door works.

Door Lipping

This is an edge that will run around the bottom of a door and the two edges. It protects another piece of the door known as a particle board. It’s thick and solid so you need to keep this in mind if you decide to cut it.

Door Lining/Casing

This forms part of a door frame and will encompass the head, jambs and the sill. You can use it to hang the door and also use it to dress the door opening and hide the plasterboard and the stud wall.

Sash Door

This bit is partly made of glass and always refers to the glass part of a door. The sash part may be a set of frosted glass panels or smaller ones that form a pattern. If it’s sash then it’s glass. They’re often used to bring light into a hallway or porch.

Door Lite

This the name given to the individual glass panels we’ve just spoken about above. They’re either frosted or clear and they can be in internal or external doors. If you have lites on an exterior door they will normally be double glazed.

The Replacement Door Company - Quality Interior and Exterior Doors.

If you’re looking for replacement doors of any kind whether it’s interior or exterior, uPVC or traditional timber, composite or aluminium, we’ve got a wide range of styles and materials that will suit most budgets. Contact us if you have any questions and enjoy browsing our range online.

Home Improvements to Add Value to Your Home

If you’re thinking of selling your home in the not too distant future then getting any home improvements done before-hand then is a great idea. From the outside to the inside, your home is more likely to sell if it looks it’s very best for potential buyers. Adding rooms, extensions, garages or a conservatory would be a real boost to the value of your property. You might be thinking that you don’t have the money or the time for that, but there are some things you can do to make your home easier on the eye.

Even if you were to simply redecorate your house and do some general maintenance, it would go a long way to making it more of an attractive proposition to those interested in buying. A paintbrush and some modest repairs could go a long way to giving it a new lease of life.

Repair Work

If you see any slight, minor repairs that need carrying out, then do them. It could be a small thing, but even something seemingly small could be all it takes to make a difference. This could be anything from repapering a wall to repairing peeling paint. Cleaning dirty walls perhaps or repairing leaking taps, cleaning and replacing sealant in bathrooms and kitchens. Make sure all lightbulbs are working and look at badly painted or papered walls and flooring.

Damp

If you have serious mould or damp problems, these are not issues that can be simply covered up because they will rear their ugly head again at some point. This is something you can’t really skimp on so getting any damp or mould repaired is a crucial no-brainer. 

Doors

Doors from the front and back of your property are the first thing people see when they visit, especially the front of the house. You want to make sure all doors are clear of dirt and peeling paint and that they’re clean. Remove any weeds or random clutter from around the bottom of the door and keep that area clear. If you’re not in a position to replace an old door, simply repaint, and apply a new varnish if it’s made from timber.

Kitchen Renovation

Kitchens make such an impression on guests. This means they are a focal point for any interested buyers. Renovate before you have interested buyers viewing. If you can’t afford to completely renovate, then repaint doors or replace them with new ones rather going for a complete refurb. Even replacing door handles can go a long way to making the kitchen seem brighter. Make sure you have good lighting and clean surfaces, giving a fresh and streamlined look to the area.

Refresh Your Bathroom

Bathrooms can also be touched up if you can’t afford a complete refurbishment. Replace taps, replace a shower curtain or if you have a glass cover make sure it’s clean and give it a polish. Make sure the rest of your bathroom is clean and hygienic looking because it will make a massive difference to your bathroom.

Outside

It goes without saying that your garden should be as clean as possible so make sure you tidy it up if necessary by trimming the borders of your lawn, tidying up pathways and clearing up decking or patios. A quick power wash and clearing away any moss, weeds and grasses around your decking or patio is going to make a world of difference to how it looks, so it’s worth spending some time on it. 

The Replacement Door Company - Exterior and Interior Doors.

If you’re thinking of improving how your home looks, and you feel that some new replacement doors might be just what your house needs to spruce it up, why not explore our website. We have a wide range of doors to fit all needs and requirements so please take a look around, and if you have any queries about what we’ve talked about in our blog post, get in touch, we’ll be happy to help.

Your Guide to External Door Maintenance

External doors are prisoners to the elements, and let’s face it they see a lot of action. They need to be strong, secure and be able to withstand anything the British weather throws at it. Of course, we have to play our part too, for in order for our external doors to help us fight off the elements we need to take good care of them. This post is all about maintenance and how you can keep your external doors in tip-top condition. 

External Door Treatment

To kick us off, we’re going to look at sealing and treating your external doors. By doing this you’ll be giving your doors a fighting chance of surviving whatever the weather throws at it. As you can imagine there’s always going to be little cracks around your doors, especially over time, so it’s therefore important to seal them in and stop any leaks before they happen. Measure frame, and width of your door and make sure you cut the appropriate amount of seal for it. It should fasten to the door relatively easily, make any adjustments where you see there are still some potential leakages. You also need to make sure your door is still able to close and open properly. 

Wooden External Doors

Wooden doors are always going to come with a necessary amount of treatment and maintenance because of the very nature of the material it’s made from. Many think it’s worth it though, and rightly so. Wood is sustainable, beautifully hard wearing and can be made to fit in with a contemporary or more classic architectural style. What can you do to maintain its appearance though?

Treatments for wooden doors can either be a water-based on or oil-based. Oil will last longer and offers added protection from the sun and looks beautiful once it’s dried, giving a waxy, glossy appearance. Varnish is great for wooden doors made from oak but will need an annual application to keep up its appearance. Oil will last longer so the choice is up to you.

Once you’ve applied your treatments you’ll need to paint them. It should be a fairly simple job but it’s all in the quality of paint you use and whether it’s the right one for the right type door. A layer of primer is best for wooden doors before applying the paint, you can also get paint that provides a waterproof seal so that’s something to consider.. 

Security

This is of paramount importance as an external door may be tried by burglars before they go near the windows. They should be secure and tight and you can do other things to do improve the level of security they provie. A five lever mortice lock is popular because of its inability to be broken through. You could also add a spy hole because these provide an excellent way of seeing who’s at the door before opening it. A door chain is another excellent way to give you that added bit of security if you open the door and the person isn’t who they say there then you at least have the chain to prevent entry.

The Replacement Door Company - For Quality External Doors

If you want to replace your current external doors for whatever reason, take a look around our website to see the wide variety of quality external doors we provide. You could go with a uPVC or composite door which will require very little in the way of maintenance apart from cleaning, or you may prefer a wooden external door. We can help you with your style choice, and answer any questions you may have regarding maintenance. Take a look around, and then contact us with any queries or for a quote

Considerations When Replacing Kitchen Cabinet Doors

When you think about your kitchen, are you dreading the thought of refitting it? You know how much mess this is going to bring into your home, the upheaval, the change, the chaos. However, you could make things easier. This could be something as simple as just replacing the kitchen cabinet doors. 

If you are competent when it comes to DIY in your home and you’ve repaired, replaced and created stuff for your home before, then this should be relatively straightforward. 

Naturally, there are a few considerations to think about before you start. The basics before you begin is that choosing the right doors for your home is important. You really don’t want to jump in and buy doors without having given it some serious thought first.

Take your time choosing your doors

What colours or finish would work best for your kitchen and tastes? Just as importantly, how will the new doors fit in with the rest of your kitchen’s fixtures and fittings? Create a mood board on Pinterest and collect some images of the cabinet doors you see.

Think about the current style of your kitchen

If you’re keeping your kitchen and only changing the doors then you’ll be limited as to what type of kitchen doors you have. For instance, if you have a thoroughly modern fitted kitchen then traditional style doors aren’t going to work and vice versa.

Kitchen Cabinet Door Colours

If you do have a traditional kitchen, consider the colours you choose for your kitchen cabinet doors. We’re talking neutral colours or more muted shades with different types of wood and traditionally cut wood in shapes conversant with a more peasant or country style. 

More contemporary kitchen cabinets

These may come with glass or gloss and a door handle already on it, or ones with just the doors, leaving you to choose your own handles. Grey, white and cream amongst other muted colours have been the norm for a while now, but you can go your own way and buy doors which you can paint yourself if you fancy brightening up the kitchen and giving it a pop of colour. You can also have matt finish doors as not everyone is keen on the high gloss look.

For modern kitchens you can also consider grain finishes, as well as choosing different colours as we’ve mentioned above. Texture and colour give your doors a really different, modern feel so this is definitely a much bolder daring look.

Measuring your doors

The doors on your cabinets will be smaller than the cupboards - standard. This helps them to avoid rubbing against each other. The difference isn’t that much but it’s good to take note of this when measuring. Mostly, in our experience the difference in size is usually around 5mm to 4mm, width to length. Don’t be alarmed by this, it's normal. 

By rights, you should be able to get the right kind of sized doors from wherever you go for your replacement doors (hopefully us). Once you’ve got them it’s also relatively easy to fit them. 

Upgrading existing appliances

You may want to use this opportunity to upgrade your existing appliances, such as ovens, freezers, fridges etc. Many of them are integrated which means they’re either hidden behind doors or sit within a unit. You may be concerned about how hard it will be to fit doors over these appliances, but the sizes are standard and any door you buy to fit over it should be wide enough and long enough to fit. 

The Replacement Door Company - Quality Kitchen Cabinet Doors

If you’re looking to replace your kitchen cabinet doors then why not get in touch with us here at The Replacement Door Company. We have a wide selection of doors, both traditional and contemporary, and we’ll be happy to talk you through the process as well as help you to choose the right ones for your kitchen. Give us a call today.

When is the Best Time to Replace Doors?

We’re looking at when you should replace your doors. You might think that any time is a good time, but there’s more to it. We don’t want to tell you what to do, after all, it’s your decision as to when you to change them, but in the main, the evidence bears out that spring and summer is a better time to do it. In the winter is when you will need strong doors that can handle whatever the weather can throw at it in terms of low temperatures and cold winds, so it makes sense to change them when the weather is calmer and warmer. If you need doors in winter it can be done as well, it just might cause a bit more of a chill, but we’ll make sure the work is carried out quickly to minimise disruption.

Winter brings its challenges

The last thing you want to do is to have any of your doors, especially exterior ones changed when the weather is at its worst. Imagine the doors being completely off their hinges while somebody, either a member of your family, you, or a professionally trained person install the new doors, while you freeze slowly wrapped in blankets waiting until it’s over. If this scenario plays out you’ll be wishing you’d had them replaced sooner when the weather was still warmer. 

Thermal properties ready for the winter

The majority of our doors are built to withstand the cold and wind so you definitely want to take advantage of this when the weather is warmer. And once you have your doors installed in the warmer months, you can then take advantage of their thermal properties once the colder weather sets in. The benefits of your new external doors will be immediate, and all that investment poured into your new doors will pay off in reduced utility bills and the added security they offer in terms of strength and durability.

Internal doors

Yes, internal doors, are, er, internal but it will still mean the rooms are wide open with doors off their hinges for a certain amount of time. If you’re having matching internal doors in your home, then naturally you’ll be having all your doors changed so there’s symmetry throughout. This will allow heat to escape no matter how high you have your central heating turned on. Again, even for internal doors, it pays to have this done in the summer. Also, are you considering redecorating the house after your house has had its shiny new doors? When the days are longer, redecoration is always an easier and more enjoyable task than trying to do it with less light and shorter days. 

Consider your budget

Winter includes Christmas, whether it’s before or after, and your budget will be put aside to cover it or will it will have been spent. You may not have as much as you’d normally have for doors and decor. Penny pinching does not make room for allowing you to make educated and considered decisions about your doors, whether they’re internal or external. 

The Replacement Door Company - Internal & External Door Experts

We have a great range of doors in a wide range of beautifully designed and robust materials that will withstand any challenges the winter can bring. Naturally, we’d love it if you made us your door supplier, simply because we believe we have the best range of doors with the best finishes and styles. Take a closer look around our site and then get in touch if you have any questions.