Every material has a job it does best. This is our working reference — what we recommend when, and what to expect from each.
The default for period restoration, listed buildings and high-end residential entrances. Solid hardwood is unmatched for character, refinishing potential and long-term service life. Our workshop mainly uses six species.
The classic UK hardwood. Attractive grain, well-known, forgiving to work with, moderate cost. Best for period restorations and cases where a traditional look is wanted. Density 670 kg/m³. Colour ranges from pale honey to mid-brown; darkens with age.
African hardwood similar to mahogany. Reddish-brown, attractive interlocked grain, excellent dimensional stability. Widely used for Victorian and Edwardian door replacements. Density 640 kg/m³. Popular for stain finishes that show off the grain.
Modified pine — chemically treated softwood with dimensional stability better than any tropical hardwood. Rot-proof (50-year warranty on external use), takes paint finishes brilliantly, sustainable FSC-certified sourcing. The pragmatic answer for painted external doors on modern properties.
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. Common on mid-market bespoke work.
Dark, rich figuring for premium interior and entrance doors. American black walnut is workshop standard. Higher cost but visual impact justifies it on high-end residential work. Not usually recommended for external use without extensive finish protection.
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.
Most modern bespoke doors use engineered cores wrapped in solid timber lippings. The engineered core (typically LVL — laminated veneer lumber, or laminated softwood block) provides dimensional stability that solid timber can't match at scale. The lippings and outer faces are solid hardwood so the door still looks and finishes as a solid timber door.
Benefit: doors up to 3m high and 1.2m wide can be built without the warping and twisting that would affect a solid timber door of the same size. External doors last dramatically longer without going out of true.
Solid timber core (usually 70mm laminated pine) wrapped in glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) skin. The GRP mimics woodgrain with impressive accuracy from a distance and is virtually maintenance-free.
Best for: modern homes where hardwood's aesthetic is wanted without the maintenance schedule. Secured by Design certified. U-values 0.8-1.0 W/m²K. Manufacturer warranties typically 10 years on skin, 25 years on core. Not usually appropriate on genuine period properties — the aesthetic doesn't quite work.
Extruded aluminium profiles with thermal breaks. Slim sightlines (down to 47mm on bi-fold and sliding systems), excellent for large openings, contemporary aesthetic.
Best for: modern extensions, commercial fit-outs, architect-led residential where large glass area is wanted. Aluminium bi-folds and sliders are the workhorse of contemporary residential architecture. Powder-coated in any RAL colour, 10-year finish warranty typical.
Steel frame with hardwood or aluminium infill panels. Used for very large openings (arched doors over 2.4m high, 1.5m wide) where dimensional stability of other materials is compromised.
Best for: crittall-style arched doors, industrial-loft aesthetics, exceptionally large openings. Modern steel-framed door systems are thermally broken and reach U-values of 1.4-1.8 W/m²K.
Polyvinyl chloride profiles with steel reinforcement. Lowest cost, virtually maintenance-free, excellent thermal performance (U-values 1.2-1.4 W/m²K).
Best for: budget-sensitive projects, back doors, garages, outbuildings, and modern properties where aesthetic isn't the priority. Not suitable for listed buildings, conservation areas or genuinely period properties. UPVC arched doors are a valid choice for modern homes wanting the arch aesthetic economically.
