Showroom - Book a Visit
News
News
by UK Oak Doors
on Feb 16 2012
The last couple of winters have been unusually harsh. We've had to contend with heavy snow, gale force winds, severe storms, and temperatures that are far colder than normal. This has caused trouble for a lot of home owners,
News
External Oak Door Frames: Strength, Durability & Style
by UK Oak Doors
on Feb 14 2012
Oak Door Frames
The opportunity to redesign the welcome that your house gives to you and your guests doesn't stop with the choice of door. It's worth thinking about the frame the door sits in, poetically parallelled by this French proverb;
“a picture without the right frame is like a landscape without the sky”
After all, it's worth spending over £500 on something like a nice Cottage external door to garnish the look of the house so it's just as worthwhile spending a bit extra to frame it correctly. Solid oak door frames from UK Oak Doors are manufactured with laminates of solid European oak and are fully reversible. They are pre-machined to fit the Aquamac 21 standard weather seal too (although the seal is not currently included) but what should you look for in a good door frame?
Oak External Door Frame
The main attributes of a winning door frame are strength, durability and style. First and foremost a door frame needs to be strong and our solid European oak door frames are amongst the toughest on the market. This is certainly a requirement if it is supporting something like a heavy duty solid oak external traditional door. Even if an older frame is free from rot or woodworm the joints may well have loosened over time or the frame can work loose within the brickwork. It's much better to buy a new frame when buying a new door rather than having the upheaval of having it replaced at a later date, usually in winter too.
External oak door frames from UK Oak Doors cost around £130 which is the same as the cost of labour you will have to spend if you need to replace the old door frame at a later stage. Fitting a new door frame at the same time as the door will save most of this extra labour cost. A strong frame provides a higher level of security too, after all, the most expensive five lever lock you can buy is only as effective as the door and frame it is attached to.
The second thing to look for in a good door frame is durability. A frame lacking this quality will be more likely to jam or develop gaps allowing a draught or water through not just as a result of wear and tear but also the weather. No wooden frame is entirely immune to changing weather conditions but fitting a new oak external frame from UK Oak Doors along with your new solid oak front door will mean the expansion and contraction effects from changing weather conditions will be synchronised compared to fitting a new door in an old frame.
Then of course there is the look of the frame. A frame supplied by the same manufacturer as the door allows you to match the treatment and natural wood colours perfectly. Even if you sand down an old frame and apply the same treatment such as Impranol Elan and Colour Base coats to the new door you won't get the perfect match you are looking for which would be a shame.
One final note is regarding correctly measuring the frame before ordering. Based on the total outside dimension, if you are selecting a frame to fit an existing hole in the wall, make sure as a minimum you allow door height +85mm and door width +70mm. ( i.e. if you have a door size of 1981mm x 838mm high, then the hole will need to be bigger than 2066 high, 908mm wide). Using these figures still won't allow room for fitting so it's best to check with your builder first.
News
Design Basics: Complete the Look with Lighting
by UK Oak Doors
on Feb 09 2012
So, you've spent most of your time off work re-decorating your home. You've laid new
carpets, painted every ceiling, painstakingly re-tiled and re-wallpapered every room, and put together the perfect set of furniture that matches your shiny new solid oak doors. You want to enjoy your hard work, but something's not quite right. Things don't look quite as shiny or as glamorous as they did in the show room. What's missing? Most likely, the thing behind all your problems is lighting.
News
by UK Oak Doors
on Feb 02 2012
Great to see the team working together.
Being a quick growing online retailer brings many challenges, we have had exceptional, sustained growth over the last 18 months and we have had to cope with a quickly changing retail landscape. New staff have been bought in and new systems have been created from scratch and often many times over until it seems that we have the perfect method of dealing with new challenges.
We have been away for the last 5 weeks and left the business in the hands of our staff, some old and some new, one even starting while we have been away. To say that I have been impressed would be an understatement as the comments from customers and the visual moral in the building is great to see. The team is hugely positive with good results to boot. Older members of staff are helping the newer ones and the newer ones are challenging some of the ways we do things and even pushing out newer and improved systems simply with a fresh pair of eyes.
So to all of our team thanks for your extra effort in January, it is impressive to see what a great atmosphere has grown and the smiles that are beaming.
If this is the start of 2012 then the following months should be really something for everyone to look forward to.
Thanks again from Nick and Claire
News
by UK Oak Doors
on Feb 02 2012
At this time of year, most people turn their minds towards spring-cleaning, but why not go a step further and give your home a new look? While you're at it, you could add some new home comforts too. Here's a few ideas to help you get started:
Double glazing: If you haven't already invested in double glazing, now is a great time to do so. You'll be amazed at how much quieter, warmer, and more comfortable a home with double glazing feels.
Ceiling fans: If you have mixed feelings about the summer months because you hate the heat, then a ceiling fan is a must-have addition to your home. They're less expensive to run than typical air conditioning installations, and they look pretty nifty too.
Oak doors: Are you sick of flimsy looking MDF doors? Solid oak doors are a great option even for your interior - not just for looks, but for comfort, noise reduction, and energy conservation too.
Thermostatic radiator valves: If you haven't upgraded your heating in a while, then you might be missing out on one of the greatest inventions in the world of heating. Thermostatic radiator valves are useful for regulating temperatures on a room by room basis - and they can save you a fortune too.
Spruce up your kitchen: Getting an entire new fitted kitchen is expensive, but you can replace the sink, and the fronts of your cabinets, quite cheaply. This gives you a whole new look, without too much expense.
Bathroom tweaks: Invest in a new bath mat, bathroom set, and a glass shower door (or a stylish shower curtain), to give your bathroom a shiny new feeling without having to re-do the entire room.
Extra-Comfort For the Bedroom: When was the last time you bought a new mattress? If you aren't sleeping well, perhaps it's time to check your mattress, and update it if necessary. Buying a new mattress might seem like an unnecessary expense, but they last many years if cared for properly, and there are few purchases that will have as big an impact on your health and wellbeing.
Curtains and Blinds: Consider investing in blackout curtains or blinds for the bedroom, and something a little brighter and more cheerful for other rooms. Curtains are often overlooked when people re-model, which is a shame because they have a big impact on the overall feel of the room.
Sitting pretty: Is the chair in your study comfortable? Is the sofa in the living room big enough for the whole family? You can never have too much comfy seating!
The above are just a few suggestions. No doubt you will have your own preferences when it comes to what to upgrade or change when you re-decorate. Whatever you decide, try to put your comfort first. It's better to sleep well and sit comfortably than to buy a designer sofa that looks great, but feels like it was designed purely to be looked at!
Thanks to digitalart for the image.
News
Osmo Polyx Oils - It's Not How You Start It's How You Finish That Counts
by UK Oak Doors
on Jan 27 2012
What is it that you really appreciate in the virtues of good wood? What is it that you value or cherish in owning expensive solid oak doors as opposed to choosing cheaper alternatives? Maybe you wanted a certain style of door to accompany the style of your home. Yet, why solid oak? The truth is there are door suppliers that try to mimic the classic styles of oak doors in cheaper woods with correlating results. No, the real reason why real oak is chosen by the discerning home owner is because of the natural qualities the wood has over other alternatives.
These natural qualities are both cosmetic and structural, in fact it is the structural qualities that are the basis for its cosmetic appeal and to expose these qualities whilst protecting them from bumps and bangs you need a superior finish. There is no point spending wisely on the best doors only to neglect them with a finish that doesn't display the full beauty of the wood or fails to protect the wood sufficiently.
So, here at UK Oak Doors we recommend either Treatex or Osmo Polyx Oils to bring out a long lasting golden finish in the oak. The market leading Osmo Oils have garnered their reputation by balancing environmentally sound resources and simple application with a high end beautiful yet durable finish.
To good to be true? Well, firstly the oils are based on Soya, Linseed and Thistle Oils which are more environmentally friendly than other wood finishes, not just regarding raw materials but also when the products are disposed of after use.
Osmo Polyx Oils also do without 'Green solvent' materials which aren't as good as they sound because they are known to cause allergies. Furthermore due to their unusually high content of oils and pigments Polyx Oils also give a stunning natural finish after just one or two coats and usually cover twice as much surface area as a same size tin of other conventional finishes in the market.
Not only do Osmo Polyx Oils not require a primer coat but because of the special selection of natural oils you don't need to sand the surface down between coats either. Yet despite the use of natural oils and ease of application there has been no trade off in the quality of the finish. Osmo Polyx Oils have been developed so they are absorbed into the wood like an oil but harden to provide protection like a wax. This means the beauty of your interior doors will look as good as you had hoped they would, but for longer. It's a fact that these oils are even recommended for use on wooden floors too so their durability credentials are not in doubt either.
“Integrity reveals beauty”.
This quote by American businessman Thomas Leonard succinctly summarises why solid oak is so popular, especially for a natural looking finish. By using market leading natural finish oils such as Osmo Polyx Oils the owner can show off the integrity of the solid oak with its deep honeygold colours of swirling grain and so revealing its beauty.
News
Design Basics: Using Colour in Your Home
by UK Oak Doors
on Jan 26 2012
The impact of colour on interior design is often under-estimated. Not only do some colours look nicer than others; some colours have an impact on your mood, and some colours can make a room seem larger, cosier, or more inviting. Learning how to use colours effectively in your interior design plans will help you to more easily achieve the look-and-feel you want for your home.
News
UK Oak Doors Unveil New Showroom
by UK Oak Doors
on Jan 19 2012
Leading door supplier UK Oak Doors is delighted to announce the opening of its new showroom in Burton Hastings, Warwickshire.
An expanding product range and continued growth have led to UK Oak Doors outgrowing their former combined office and showroom. The old showroom has been converted into a large office space to house the rapidly expanding team. Conveniently, an area below the existing workspace was available to the company and they have transformed the former milking parlour into a showroom for their entire range of solid oak doors for both trade and public visitors.
The Final Result
Established in 2008, the company specialise in high quality solid oak doors made using traditional construction methods from sustainable European oak. People often expect that they'd have to pay over the odds for solid oak doors, but UK Oak Doors have laid down the gauntlet with competitive pricing, offering a superior product at great value for money.
Even though the business operates primarily as an online e-commerce site, the importance of a showroom for visitors could not be overlooked and the business was keen to invest heavily in providing this.
“Selling high quality products online can be difficult as many of us naturally want to touch and feel the doors before investing” comments MD Nick Lines. “Changing the doors in a home can have a huge impact on the character of the property and the decision on which style of door to select should not be taken lightly. In today’s marketplace our customers, whether they be trade or homeowners, require choice, information and certain quality reassurances. The showroom is ideally placed to showcase all our products, allowing customers to see for themselves and buy with confidence”.
Close to the M69 and A5 road networks, yet nestled in the tranquil surroundings of the Warwickshire countryside, the showroom benefits from a central England location allowing easy access from all parts of the UK. The company continues to experience significant growth despite the economic down turn, suggesting that the balance of good value without compromising on quality is still a winning combination even in these tough times.
Address:
UK Oak Doors
Manor Farm
Hinckley Road
Burton hastings
Warwickshire
CV11 6RG
Showroom Opening Hours: Monday – Friday 09:00 – 17:00
Weekend viewings can be arranged by appointment only. Telephone 01455 565 565.
News
My Week with Marilyn: Capture the Look at Home
by UK Oak Doors
on Dec 20 2011
Interior design trends are often inspired by cinema, and the big movie of the moment, ‘My Week with Marilyn’, is certainly a great inspiration. Set in 1950s Britain, but with a bit of obligatory Hollywood glitz and glamour, ‘My Week with Marilyn’ explores the tense interaction between Sir Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during the making of The Prince and the Showgirl.
A New Generation
The 1950s saw a big shift in interior design trends. In fact, the 1950s marked the beginning of the UK’s obsession with interior design. Before then, most living rooms were quite drab and utilitarian, but in the 1950s that changed, as young homeowners looked to make a statement about their identities, and decorate their homes in a bolder, brighter way than previous generations.
The 1950s are marked by bold, bright patterns, stylized furnishings, and abstract prints. Metal tube furniture and futuristic, high tech designs were all popular in the 50s. The booming post-war economy meant that people had more disposable income, and were interested in spending it on expressing themselves through the decoration of their homes.
The Modern Version of 50s Style
If you look at photographs of true 1950s design, you’ll find that the bold colours, Lucienne Day prints, and tripod tables were used sparingly. The modern version of the 50s look is an exaggerated, overstated one – almost “50’s on Steroids”. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however.
Authentic 1950s furniture is quite difficult to find. The revival of that style has meant that antiques are in high demand. Fortunately, 1950’s style furniture is easy to find, with many high street store producing stylized lamps, tables, chairs, and other key items.
Getting the 1950s Look in Your Home
The 1950s look is easy to replicate. Start with oak doors and tiled floor accented by a blue or earthy coloured rug. From there, opt for white walls, and stylized furniture. Bright, bold colours are the order of the day. For an authentic look, don’t go overboard on the geometric patterns. A few simple shapes and contrasting colours is a better choice than an overly busy print.
For a modern twist on the 1950s look, why not add a touch of luxury to your interior, perhaps borrowing from Marilyn’s trademark dress to create a glamorous set of curtains, or using her accessories as inspiration for some decorative accents – for example, using her purse as inspiration for a bold, orange leather footrest,
The look of the 1950s was both optimistic and practical, and it’s understandable that the current generation of designers is inspired to re-visit the 50s during a time when the British economy is struggling. National pride, and a desire for simpler times, can both be satisfied by the simple, charming styles of that era.
Decorating in the 50s style doesn’t have to be expensive. Cheap and cheerful oak doors, a lick of paint, and some brightly coloured, stylized accessories can help to give most rooms a taste of the 50s, without you needing to throw out your existing furniture.
News
9 Frugal and Fabulous Decorating Ideas
by UK Oak Doors
on Dec 09 2011
As Christmas approaches many people like to smarten up their homes and even decorate a room or two before they put up Christmas trees and garlands to welcome the festive season. If you would like to give your home a fresh look but don’t have much money to spare, then try some of the nine frugal and fabulous decorating ideas below.
Add Some Christmas Kerb Appeal
If your home has one of the oak doors at the front and it’s looking a bit tired, why not give it a coat of bright red paint. Red doors are cheerful and inviting and give visitors a warm and welcome feel even before they enter into the house – think how great it will look with a green holly wreath hung on it as well.
Have a Christmas Hanging Basket
If you normally take down your hanging baskets during the winter months, why not consider painting one of them a nice, clean white. Once the paint is dry fill the basket with winter plants and then rehang at the front of the house for a welcoming look.
Make a Feature Wall
When your living room is painted and you want to update and brighten the space, think about a feature wall. You can usually get away with one roll of paper for your chimney breast, if you choose a paper that won’t need a great deal of cutting and matching. Pick a bright stripe or floral paper if you fancy a real change and then follow through that colour with your curtains and cushion covers.
Yes You Can Make Cushion Covers From an Old Summer Dress
When money is really tight but you want to make a few changes unpick an old summer dress that you no longer wear. A good, brightly coloured cotton dress, especially if the material has maintained some of it’s cripness, makes excellent cushion covers – and all they will cost you is the price of the zips a reel of cotton and a little time and patience.
It’s Ragtime
If you are lucky enough to live in a country cottage with a stone flagged floor, or you have a living room with a plain wooden floor, a rag rug will make things even more homely. You can purchase the rug backing quite cheaply from most craft stores along with a strong needle. Use up old curtains, skirts you no longer wear, and last year’s tee shirts. Make sure the material won’t fray then cut into neat pieces and stitch onto the backing, all the pieces of material should be close together and overlapping. Dark colours are best for rag rugs.
Yes They Still Make Fablon
If your kitchen cupboard doors are looking tatty and you can’t afford to replace them, take a tip out of mother’s book and cover them with Fablon for now. You can get a range of effects, including pine wood and granite look. It’s an old fashioned, cheap idea that still works.
Light Work
You’d be surprised at the difference just changing your lampshades can make – even if you can only afford a new one for the living room.
Put it on the Table Mable
If you’ve a beautiful house plant or even a table lamp and nowhere to put it, find an old, scarred side table – you can pick one up second hand for a couple of pounds. Either varnish an old side table or cover it with a cloth that reaches to the floor, as the Victorians did, and you’ve got that extra space.
And Finally:-
When all else fails treat yourself to a couple of poinsetta plants and have one in the hallway and one in the living room for a warm, bright touch.
Thank you to Kittisak for the image.
News
The Habitat Home: Terence Conran’s Legacy
by UK Oak Doors
on Dec 05 2011
If you grew up in the 60s or 70s, then you probably remember the rise of Habitat: the household furnishings chain that revolutionised the way people in the UK thought about their homes.
The first branch of Habitat opened in Chealsea in 1964. Over the next 25 years the chain expanded to include 71 branches spread across Europe, of which 35 were in the UK. Terence Conran’s vision for the chain was to broaden the horizons of shoppers – introducing international tastes to an eager audience.
A Reputation for Quality
Habitat sold exotic products, and designer goods – some lines that Terence Conran came up with himself, others produced by carefully selected designers. Habitat introduced a lot of innovations to British life, from the duvet and the bean bag, to the garlic press and the wok.
The Habitat of old sold designer products that were high quality. They were well made, and long lasting. However, the brand failed to move with the times. Their expensive, futuristic designs went out of fashion, and as consumers moved towards the retro look, Habitat failed to update their product lines to reflect changing interests.
Terence Conran took an active role in Habitat’s product design and selection during the 1960s and 1970s, but when he moved on to explore other avenues of business, things went downhill. Aside from a brief collaboration with Tom Dixon in the early 2000’s, the brand lacked direction for many years, and there was nobody to really capture the imagination of modern consumers.
The current fashion is for wooden floors, big windows, oak doors, and retro furnishings, with World War II slogans and nostalgic paintings remembering a time long gone. Habitat’s futuristic, optimistic designs were simply not in demand.
The Legacy of Conran
Terence Conran has explored many different businesses throughout his life, and has also been a big supporter of the Design Museum. In his honour, the museum is running an exhibition which will explore his career, highlighting the innovations he brought to the country.
The Habitat retail chain may no longer be the success that it was under Conran, but many of his design ideas live on. Habitat’s trademark Black Leather Forum sofa, the Japanese Paper Lantern, the Duvet, and even the futuristic dining chair, are all things that Conran introduced to the UK. All of these things are still popular, alongside the retro fashions of today.
Modern interior design is, as with modern pop culture, a mash-up of designs from many different decades and many different countries. Conran’s personal designs, and his eye for quality produced by other designers, means that he created something that has had a much bigger lasting effect than anything most other designers could ever dream of.
Behind the oak doors and roman blinds popular in so many homes, there’s almost always something of Conran’s legacy. The modern kitchen benefited a lot from Conran’s foresight, and white the bean bag is now relegated to the status of a child’s toy, the duvet is almost ubiquitous in the bedroom. It’s unfortunate that without Conran’s guidance, the retail icon has fallen so far.
News
Oak Door Care - How to Treat Your Newly Delivered Doors
by UK Oak Doors
on Nov 25 2011
We take great pride in our brand here at UK Oak Doors and that shows in our customer feedback, achieving an average approval rating of 9.1 out of 10 stars on Trustpilot. We have found from reading hundreds of frank and honest customer reviews that some of this praise is due to our customer service and reliable shipping. But we know the real heroes are the doors themselves and more specifically the oak trees that gifted us with the wood in the first place. So, as quoted throughout our site we cannot stress enough the importance of oak door care - treating and maintaining oak doors correctly to preserve the beauty and strength of the wood.
All our internal and external doors are supplied untreated but the quality of the treatment is a moot point if the door is not correctly cared for prior to treating and hanging. This article describes essential oak door care and what vital precautions must be taken regarding the packaging, storage, treatment and maintenance of your door.
News
The Sound A Door Makes and What It Says About Your Home
by UK Oak Doors
on Nov 17 2011
It may seem like an unnecessary aspect to consider but the sound a door makes when being used and its noise insulation characteristics say a great deal about the quality of the doors in your home. It’s something you may not even have noticed but at least subconsciously you will have.
Anyone who has the privilege of driving a modern luxury car will appreciate the satisfying ‘clunk’ the door makes when shut especially compared to older cars. Indeed, some of the higher end brands have actually invested parts of their development budgets in perfecting this aspect of the motoring experience.
The solid ‘clunk’ of the door says more than you would appreciate. It affirms the cars build quality impressing upon the owner and passengers of the security and safety of the automobile. The sound of a car door is a fairly well recognised selling point in the industry but it succinctly highlights that the same is true of any door and this is underappreciated when it comes to doors at home.
As a domestic door is closed the sound it makes is made up of several factors, all connected to the quality of the materials used. Firstly, the noise of the door furniture such as hinges and handles, secondly the fit of the door to the frame and floor and finally the construction of the door itself. Of course how these sounds are magnified is dependent upon the characteristics of the adjoining rooms which change the echo and reverberations depending on the contents and shape but the quality of the door will be apparent none the less.
The first two factors are dependent on more than just the original investment of the product but its upkeep and maintenance too. A shabby home is likely to have squeaky hinges and doors that do not properly fit the frame. Both these indicate that other aspects of the home may be as unkempt as the door, it sounds silly but all these small clues let visitors make subconscious assumptions about the home they’re in.
Hinges and handles can be oiled and doors can be adjusted to fit a frame but good quality ironmongery and good quality doors will require less maintenance over time. When it comes to the third factor: that of the construction, this determines the satisfying ‘thud’ when closing. A cheap interior door uses a thin veneer over poor quality woods which mean as it hits the frame the sound is lost and absorbed by the flex of the material. A well-constructed solid oak door doesn’t flex as the joints are stronger and so the sound is reverberated to give a nice, reassuring ‘thud’.
Of course we can’t stop the kids banging doors but the next time you enjoy a good ‘clunk’ or ‘thud’ you’ll know why and it’s probably a very nice place to be.
Information is accurate at time of publishing, however, may be subject to change.
News
UK Oak Doors Customer Photo Competition 2011
by UK Oak Doors
on Nov 08 2011
We’re giving you the chance to win some great prizes simply by sending in photographs of your doors. They can be external or internal doors but they need to be in a setting rather than standing alone in or out of a box! Ideally they would feature oak doors that you have purchased from us, or perhaps some door furniture? It's really up to you.
1st Prize: £450 voucher to spend on our UK Oak Doors site.
2nd Prize: £250 voucher to spend on the site.
3rd Prize: £150 voucher to spend on the site.
Plus we are also offering an extra bonus prize of a digital camera for the most inventive picture with the biggest 'wow' factor!
As well as a wide variety of internal and external doors, UK Oak Doors also sell ironmongery, architrave, skirting boards, designer handles and more.
The lucky winners will receive voucher codes which they can use for any goods on the site.
To enter the competition simply email us with your door pictures and send along with your name, address and telephone number to competitions@ukoakdoors.co.uk.
You have until midnight on the 7th of December to enter. The winners will be notified by email within 48 hours of closing.
As a guide, photos should be high quality and no more than 10MB. Make sure the doors are in situ and best of luck!
Terms and Conditions:
The first prize is a £450 voucher, the second prize is a £250 voucher and the third prize is a £150 voucher to spend at www.ukoakdoors.co.uk. Any spend exceeding these amounts must be covered by the winners. All prizes are non transferable and there are no cash alternatives.
No purchase is necessary to enter the competition.
Entrants must send their picture(s) along with their name, address and telephone number to competitions@ukoakdoors.co.uk. Failure to do both will result in exclusion from the draw.
You must be a resident of the United Kingdom in order to be eligible for the competition.
Entrants can submit up to four photos but only one photo by any individual entrant can be included in the final shortlist.
Images may be digitally enhanced to remove spots or scratches, but not manipulated. Entrants can enhance the picture to make it brighter, clearer etc, but not manipulate the content. UK Oak Doors and the judges reserve the right to exclude any image they believe may have been excessively treated so as to alter its authenticity.
Employees of UK Oak Doors, their immediate families, press, agencies, sponsors and commercial partners or any other persons directly or indirectly connected with the competition are not eligible to enter the competition.
The winners will be chosen from all valid entries. Images will be judged on originality, composition, overall impact and artistic merit.
The winners will be notified by email within 48 hours of the competition closing.
The winners will then have seven days to respond. If the winner does not respond within seven days of receiving the winning email, another winner will be drawn.
The winners will then have 6 months in which to redeem the offer.
The order to redeem the prize must be placed over the telephone and confirmed by email.
The Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The competition will run from 09/11/2011 until 07/12/2011.
All images submitted must be the work of the individual submitting them and must not have been published elsewhere or have won a prize in any other photographic competition. It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that any images they submit have been taken with the permission of the subject and do not infringe the copyright of any third party or any laws. Entrants must warrant that the photograph they are submitting is their own work and that they own the copyright for it.
Copyright in all images submitted for this competition remains with the respective entrants. However, in consideration of their providing the Competition, each entrant grants a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence to UK Oak Doors to feature any or all of the submitted images in any of their publications, their websites and/or in any promotional material connected to this competition.
UK Oak Doors are compliant with the data protection act. Our policy is such that we will not pass on your details to any third party without your prior consent.
Entry and participation in the competition shall be deemed an unconditional acceptance by you of these Terms.
News
How to fit oak skirting boards in a curved bay window
by UK Oak Doors
on Nov 04 2011
This is a question that has cropped up a few times recently with some of our customers so we thought it was time to put a guide together! How to fit your skirting boards into place when you have a curved bay window or other curved wall.
News
The Changing Seasons - What It Means For Your Oak Doors
by UK Oak Doors
on Oct 27 2011
With October coming to a close and the nights drawing in, the temperature is noticably dropping as the season is changing. Now that it is getting cold there may be a temptation to start cranking up the heating. However, if you have solid oak doors in your home (or flooring for that matter) then don't!
Heating your home is fine but try and go for a gradual change rather than suddenly putting the heating on maximum. This type of sudden moisture change can have a serious impact on your oak doors, putting strain on them which could lead to them bending or warping.
If you've invested in solid oak doors then it is important to treat them well and that means applying an appropriate oil or wax finish (such as Treatex for internal doors or Impranol for external doors) and bearing in mind the conditions that will be best suited.
So ease the heating on gradually over the coming weeks and avoid giving your oak doors a shock. With rising fuel costs you'll save a few pounds too :-)
If you have any questions about our doors or need advice on treatments then please contact a member of the UK Oak Doors team - we will be happy to help.
News
Recycling Your Old Doors – Part 3 - Even More Potential Projects!
by UK Oak Doors
on Oct 05 2011
Reclaimed Doors?
Having already gone through some interesting ideas for recycling wood doors, two further uses for them becoming more and more popular are for headboards and garden art.
Headboard
This recycling project can use almost any door. If the donor door is more like a Mexicano oak door with no letterbox then it can be turned on its side, cut to size and then finished in whatever you like. Just make sure you use the door handle edge as the bottom side so it's hidden below the mattress.
Alternatively, if you have a panelled door then you can turn this in to a lovely padded headboard. Measure the width of the bed frame then cut the door to size. Attach a wood veneer across the entire surface of one side using nails. The wood veneer is only needed on one side as the other side will be facing the wall and therefore hidden from view. The door is really just being used as a solid structure to attach the fabric to complete illusion of a very expensive tailored and padded headboard.
Next, lay the door flat on the ground and cover the entire wood veneer headboard with an off cut of new carpet by glueing the carpet to surface. This is best sourced from a carpet store which will most likely give it away for nothing or next to nothing as the area required is only about 3m sq. The style is not important either as this will be covered by you final choice of material, the carpet just adds the padding for the padded headboard.
Finally use black ironmongers tacks around the edges and at even intervals to attach the outer material to the headboard over the top of the carpet. The carpet beneath will give a cushioned look in between the lines of tacks. You could match the outer material to other accessories in the room such as curtains for a really tailored look. Furthermore, it is simple to remove the outer material and tacks to replace with a new style if you decide to redecorate the room with new colours.
Garden Art
Some kids love the outdoors but some prefer home comforts (or xbox). One way to increase their involvement in garden activities is to make them feel like it's a more fun place to be and not just for adults. A common sight in municipal gardens in inner cities are legal murals painted for children but not by children. When it comes to private gardens no homeowner would allow the kids paint on the walls just to involve them in the garden because it's such a pain to remove and would possibly look awful. Hence, old reclaimed doors are being used as garden art because the pictures are easily changeable or removed entirely and yet can be made not to look out of place (unlike random sheets of painted plywood or the like).
The best types of door to be reused for garden art for kids are multi panel solid wood doors because the panels act as natural picture canvases with the stiles and muntins the frames. Once the whole door has been sanded down and treated with a varnish the panels can be painted on. Once the “design” is dry use the varnish over the top to preserve the pictures. To change the pictures sand down the panelled areas and repeat. Maybe change the pictures depending on the season if you fancy it.
News
See UK Oak Doors & Exclusive New Designs at the National Home Improvement Show
by UK Oak Doors
on Sep 23 2011
The 2011 National Home Improvement Show at Earl’s Court is almost upon us. Running from the 30th September through until 2nd October, it’s the UK’s leading event for home improvers and UK Oak Doors will be showcasing an exclusive range of new products alongside some of the classic designs and firm favourites.
News
Recycling Old Doors – Part 2 - Potential Projects
by UK Oak Doors
on Sep 21 2011
Recycling Old Doors: Project Ideas - Room Divider or Coffee Table?
The property boom of the last decade led to millions of remodelling jobs across the country. The following slump has not dampened peoples desire to improve their homes but has merely led them to find more cost effective ways to go about it. Combine this drive for interior design and the current fashion for environmentally friendly sourced materials and you have a recipe for recycling old doors into new furniture (doors usually being the best donor wood items in the house).
Part 1 of the Recycling Old Doors series was concerned with preparation and finishes for finished items and pointed out the importance of using suitable solid door wood. So, on the understanding you've read part one and have found a suitable donor door in good condition we'll look at some of the projects a competent DIYer can consider.
Room Divider
The best donor door for making a room divider is a solid wood 4 panel door. You'll need two doors and to safely take the weight you'll need some fairly hefty hinges too, available from any hardware store. When finished, using two doors, or rather four halves, will make a 'W' shape (when looked from above). The easiest way to go about this is to make two separate folded 'V' halves from each door then bring them together to form the 'W' shape of a room divider.
Begin by cutting the first door exactly in half from top to bottom along the central muntin. Now attach the hinges to the newly cut face at the same height as was originally used when the door were hung to the door frame (normally about ten inches from top and bottom). One door is now cut in half and folds in the middle and should be freestanding. Now repeat the process with the second door.
Some people consider the doors to be too heavy so remove the panels and replace with fabric if you want. The lower panel can be left totally open if using outdoors to allow wind to blow through whilst still offering a good degree of added privacy to a garden. To remove the panels drill a pilot hole in each to allow a jigsaw to cut out the centres so all of the panel can be removed. If you wish to leave the panels open use putty to fill in the grooves where the panels once slotted. Once you have made the two separate 'V' sections you can join them together with another pair of hinges to complete the structure.
On a similar theme, smaller cupboard doors can be reused in this way to make a fireplace screen. See this blog post by Courtney Goodwin for a real example of this.
Coffee Table
Making a coffee table is a flexible project because it can be made using just about any type of door. If the donor door is a veneered flat surface door then the coffee table top can be made from cutting out the desired size of table top and then attaching suitable legs. Alternatively, a four panelled door of solid construction can be used to make a coffee table with storage facility inside.
Cut the lower half of the door off through the mid rail. Then cut this part exactly in two along the central muntins. This forms the side 'legs' of the table. You'll need to find something suitable for a table top as the panelled door won't have the required parts for a flat surface of suitable size. However, by using the panels from the discarded top half of the door to form a shelf twelve or so inches underneath the table top then the basic structure is taken almost entirely from the door. Adding feet to the underside of the leg parts will lift the bottom of the unit off the floor for better cleaning access underneath.
So don't discard those doors that you're replacing - recycling old doors can be a very rewarding thing to do - doing your bit for the environment, saving pennies and creating something new and unique. Stay tuned for part 3 of the 'Recycling Old Doors' series where we look at some more ideas for recycling old doors.
News
Recycling Your Old Doors – Part 1 - Preparation & Finish
by UK Oak Doors
on Sep 12 2011
How to Recycle Your Old Doors
Call it what you will; 'Green', recycling, environmentally friendly, etc. but long before the current fashion for re-using materials took over, people have always found new uses for old wood. Providing the timber is still of solid construction and free from wood pests it can be chopped and changed to suit the competent DIYer.
Because of their size, doors are amongst the best sources of wood for recycling projects and this article looks at the different options for creating new items of furniture from old doors focusing on preparation and finish.
Preparing the wood
Sadly many old doors are left outside to suffer the effects of the elements. This is most prevalent in areas that have the most changeable conditions – that is regions that regularly swap hot and cold temperatures and switch between wet and dry spells. Make sure the door is brought inside for a few weeks if very wet, and allowed to acclimatise. If not, any treatments added to the finish of the door will seal in the damp and the timber will continue to rot. Once acclimatised, sand down the wood. It may be necessary to pull apart door parts to sand in between joints. If you're after for a 'shabby chic' look it is still necessary to sand down the wood, removing the old paints or finishes. If you simply paint over old finishes then once new coats of varnish or paint are applied the top surface will crack after a short time looking only shabby snd not chic.
Lead Paint?
Old doors that were decorated over 30 years ago have a good chance they will be coated in a lead based paint. Extra care should be taken when considering reusing old doors in this case because inhaling the fumes or dust whilst removing the paint is very toxic. To be sure it is recommended you purchase a lead paint test kit which are relatively cheap and easy to use. If you decide against having the door stripped professionally make sure you use the appropriate protective gear and create as little dust or fumes as possible. A chemical stripper gives the most control and never use a heat gun or sand lead based paints. Take care to collect any debris to prevent toxic materials entering the natural environment and ensure all waste is disposed of carefully according to local laws.
Shabby-chic Finish
To successfully get the shabby-chic look sand down all areas of the wood. Then clean the wood with a damp cloth and allow to dry. Apply a primer then a top coat of a different colour. Sand down a few chosen areas to allow base colour to show through. Finally, add a varnish to protect and stabilise the finish otherwise drinks and other mess will penetrate the wood in sanded areas. Applying a varnish makes the look water proof and therefore cleanable and safe in a family environment.
So don't just throw old doors away - creating something new could be good way to save money. In the next article we will consider specific uses and ideas for you to transform your old doors into something wonderful.
Information is accurate at time of publishing, however, may be subject to change.