A typical Victorian restoration takes 3-4 weeks. Here's what happens during those weeks, using a recent job as a walkthrough — an 1890s six-panel front door on a semi in Surrey, listed Grade II.
The door arrives at the workshop wrapped in blankets and strapped to a pallet. Removal on-site included fitting a temporary door in the opening so the client has security while we work.
Initial inspection: original 1890s six-panel oak door with three bevelled glass panels in the upper half. Overall structurally sound. Damage focused on the bottom 200mm — clear rot on both bottom rails and the lower parts of the stiles. Later modifications include an aftermarket Yale lock (drilled 1960s, no fire relevance for a domestic front door), a poor-quality replacement letterplate, and a coat of what looks like 1970s dark stain over the top of what was originally a lighter finish.
Original ironmongery is largely intact — brass knob, escutcheon, hinges, and a rim lock in the original position alongside the aftermarket Yale.
Paint and stain are removed. This is a workshop tank job — chemical stripper for the bulk, followed by hand-scraping to remove residue from mouldings and detail. Underneath the modern stain we find three layers: a 1970s dark stain (removed), a mid-century oil finish (removed), and an original Victorian shellac finish (preserved where possible on internal faces).
Once stripped, the true condition of the timber becomes visible for the first time in decades. The upper 60% of the door is in excellent condition — dense old-growth oak with tight grain and good colour. The lower 200mm is where the work is needed.
Both bottom rails are spliced. Rotted sections are cut out to solid timber, and matching oak is scarf-jointed in place. The scarf angle is 1:8 — a shallow angle that creates a long glue joint that's structurally identical to unbroken timber once cured.
Lower stile sections receive similar treatment on both sides. The Yale lock hole (drilled aftermarket in the 60s) is plugged with matching oak — the client wanted the modern lock removed and returned to just the original rim lock.
Bevelled glass panels are removed for cleaning. All three are original and undamaged.
Original brass hardware is cleaned in an ultrasonic bath and lightly re-lacquered. The rim lock is opened, cleaned internally, springs checked, and reassembled. It functions perfectly — Victorian rim locks are simple, robust mechanisms that rarely fail.
The replacement letterplate is removed and replaced with a period-correct brass letterplate we sourced from our reclaim network. Fits the existing hole with minor adjustment.
The door is finished with a linseed-oil-based paint in a heritage colour approved by the conservation officer for the client's listed status. Two coats plus a final rub-down.
Door is transported back to site and rehung. New perimeter seals are fitted (a modern touch — the original had no seals, and this dramatically improves thermal and draught performance without altering appearance). The temporary door is removed.
The final door looks, from any reasonable distance, identical to what the property has had since the 1890s. Up close, the joinery repairs are invisible under the finish. The original bevelled glass, brass hardware and shellac-finished internal faces are preserved.
£2,400 including VAT, delivery, temporary door and installation. A new bespoke door of equivalent specification would have been £2,800-£3,200 — and would have lost the character that comes from 130 years of use.
