Timber species selection is more consequential than it appears. The right species for a project is a function of the property, the finish, the exposure and the budget — not personal preference. Here's how we make the call.
Six species cover 95% of our external door work: European oak, sapele, accoya, idigbo, walnut and ash. Each has a specific job.
The default choice for heritage restoration and period property replacement. Dense (670 kg/m³), attractive grain, well-understood by every joiner, moderate cost. Takes stains and oil finishes brilliantly. Weathers to a silver-grey if left unfinished.
Downside: dimensionally less stable than modern alternatives. Solid oak external doors need engineered cores to prevent warping over decades. Also has tannin issues with modern fixings — stainless steel is essential to avoid black streaking on light-finished timber.
African hardwood, similar to mahogany but sustainably sourced. Rich reddish-brown, interlocked grain that catches light beautifully with a stain finish. Excellent dimensional stability — better than oak in most external applications.
Sapele is what we specify most often for Victorian and Edwardian door replacements where the client wants a period-appropriate look with modern performance. Cost is similar to oak. FSC-certified sources are widely available.
Modified pine — chemically treated softwood with dimensional stability better than any tropical hardwood. Rot-proof (manufacturer offers a 50-year warranty on external use), takes paint brilliantly, sustainable FSC-certified sourcing.
Accoya is the pragmatic answer for painted external doors on modern properties. The client wants a maintenance-friendly door that looks freshly painted for decades — accoya delivers this in a way no other timber can. Cost is between softwood and oak.
Not suitable for: clear-finished doors where the timber grain is on show (accoya doesn't have grain worth showing), or listed buildings where "modified timber" isn't accepted by the conservation officer.
West African hardwood. Golden colour resembles light oak, excellent for painted or clear-finished doors. Cheaper than oak or sapele. Slightly coarser grain but takes finish well.
We specify idigbo when the budget won't stretch to oak or sapele, but hardwood is still wanted. Very common on mid-market bespoke work. FSC-certified sources are available but need specific sourcing.
Dark, rich figuring for premium interior and entrance doors. American black walnut is workshop standard.
Walnut is a project-specific choice — high-end residential entrances where visual impact justifies the premium. Not usually recommended for external use without extensive finish protection. Almost never used for external front doors in our workshop; better options exist for the same budget.
Light-coloured, straight-grained hardwood. Excellent for internal doors on modern properties, particularly in Scandinavian and contemporary aesthetics. Density similar to oak, but a very different look.
We use ash sparingly on external work — it's not naturally rot-resistant and requires more finish maintenance than sapele or accoya. Internal doors are where ash shines.
Tropical hardwoods without FSC certification: mahogany, iroko, teak. These are sometimes still available through non-certified channels but we don't specify them — sustainability and legal supply are non-negotiable.
Softwood external doors: pine, redwood, cedar without modification. Untreated softwood has a limited external service life in UK conditions. Accoya modification changes this — modified pine can outlast tropical hardwoods — but unmodified softwood is a false economy on external doors.
Property character, finish choice, exposure, budget and — increasingly — sustainability requirements all shape the species decision. On listed buildings the conservation officer sometimes dictates the answer (usually oak). On modern properties the practical answer is often accoya for painted work, sapele for stained work.
If you're not sure, tell us the property type, finish preference and budget — we'll recommend the right species and explain why.
