Repairing original joinery
Original panelled doors, shutters, skirtings, architraves and staircases are part of a period home's character, and on a listed building they are usually protected. A specialist joiner can often repair split panels, loose joints and worn treads, and piece in new timber where rot or old damage is limited to one area. Paint stripping needs care, as dipping whole doors in caustic baths can loosen joints and raise the grain, and old paint may contain lead. Ask how any items taken to a workshop will be protected and refitted.
Matching mouldings and missing parts
Where pieces are missing, such as balusters, a fanlight, a door case or a run of moulded skirting, joiners can make replacements to match. They take a profile from a surviving piece and reproduce it with cutters or hand planes. Matching the timber species and the way it was worked helps new pieces sit comfortably beside old ones. If you're unsure what originally existed, look at neighbouring houses of the same date or at old photographs, or read your council's conservation area appraisal, which may describe typical features.
Front doors, fire safety and consent
Replacing a historic front door, removing internal doors or opening up rooms in a listed building usually needs listed building consent. Where fire safety matters, for example in a house converted to flats, original doors can sometimes be upgraded with intumescent strips, seals and coatings rather than replaced, but this needs agreeing with building control and, for listed buildings, the conservation officer. Front doors on unlisted houses in conservation areas may be affected by an Article 4 direction, so check with your council before replacing one.
Jobs we can find a restoration specialist for
- Panelled door repairs
- Staircase, handrail and baluster repairs
- Window shutters and panelling
- Matching mouldings and architraves
- Fanlights and door cases
- Fire upgrading of historic doors
Get a quote for period joinery, doors and staircases
Available across Kent
Other services
Sash window restoration and draught-proofing · Lime pointing, lime render and lime plaster · Brick, stone and flint repairs · Timber frame and weatherboarding repairs · Listed building works and consents