Citi Homes Windows

Timber doors - bespoke joinery for London properties

A well-made timber door is one of the most enduring things you can put on a building. Each door is made individually to your exact measurements, in the timber species of your choice, with the panel configuration, glazing, hardware, and finish you specify. For London properties – particularly Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian houses where the door is an important part of the architecture – a bespoke timber door is often the only option that looks right.

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Why timber?

  • Appearance

    No manufactured material fully replicates the depth and character of solid timber. Grain, texture and natural variation give a bespoke timber door a quality that composite and aluminium cannot match. For period properties, it is the authentic material.

  • Made to measure

    Bespoke timber doors are made to your exact opening dimensions with any panel configuration, moulding profile and glazing arrangement you require. Standard off-the-shelf sizes and designs do not apply.

  • Repairability

    Solid timber doors can be sanded, re-finished and repaired. A scratch or minor damage in a solid hardwood door can be addressed in situ. Composite and aluminium door surfaces cannot be repaired in the same way.

  • Conservation areas and listed buildings

    Timber is the required or strongly preferred material for doors on listed buildings and in conservation areas across London. Local planning authorities expect new and replacement doors on protected properties to match the original design and construction. Bespoke timber joinery is the standard way to meet this requirement.

  • Sustainability

    Timber is the only truly renewable building material. We use FSC-certified timber throughout. Accoya - the modified timber we specify for external doors - is Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified and fully biodegradable.

Timber species

The choice of timber affects durability, stability, grain character, and maintenance requirements. Bespoke timber doors can be made from several species, including:

  • European Oak

    The most widely specified hardwood for bespoke UK joinery. Dense, strong and durable, with a distinctive straight grain and pale golden-brown colour. Dry density approximately 675 kg/m³. Naturally resistant to decay; suited to both contemporary and traditional door designs. The most popular choice for front doors in London.

  • Iroko

    A West African hardwood with high natural oil content, closely comparable to Teak in durability and appearance. Janka hardness approximately 1,260 lbf; dry density approximately 660 kg/m³. Deepens to a rich golden brown on exposure to light. Highly resistant to decay and insect attack; low maintenance. A popular alternative to oak for contemporary doors.

  • Accoya (modified timber)

    Acetylation-modified radiata pine that performs above standard hardwood for dimensional stability, moisture resistance and durability. The acetylation process changes the cell structure so the timber cannot absorb water. Does not swell, warp or rot. 50-year above-ground anti-rot guarantee; 70-year minimum service life as tested by TRADA. FSC-certified, Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified. The specification of choice where maximum stability and minimum maintenance are the priority.

  • Red Meranti

    A South-East Asian hardwood, lighter in weight than oak and iroko, with a straight grain and even texture. Widely used for painted external doors. Takes paint and primer well. A practical choice for doors that will be fully painted.

Timber door types

Front and back doors

Bespoke hardwood door sets made to the exact opening dimensions in any panel configuration: flush, raised-and-fielded, glazed, boarded, or a combination, with sidelights and fanlights available for front doors. Non-standard sizes common in older London properties are accommodated as standard; all external door sets are fitted with multipoint locking and weather seals.

Sliding doors

Bespoke timber sliding door systems that track horizontally. Suited to openings where an outward swing is not possible and where the warmth of a timber frame is preferred over aluminium. Made to measure with double-glazed sealed units and precision stainless steel track hardware.

Bifold doors

Bespoke timber bifold doors that fold and stack to open a wide rear aperture to the garden. Hardwood frames with thermally efficient double glazing. The warmth and character of natural timber make bifold doors a particularly popular choice for kitchen extensions and garden rooms in period properties.

French doors

Two-leaf bespoke timber door sets in any style – traditional raised panel, contemporary flush, or fully glazed. Available opening inward or outward. A natural choice for rear garden access on period and traditional properties. All glazing is internally beaded.

Patio doors

Bespoke timber patio door sets with large glazed panels for maximum light and garden connection. Made to measure in hardwood with thermally efficient double-glazed units and draught-sealed thresholds.

Looking for something else? Please get in touch with us. 

Finish options

Microporous paint

The standard factory finish for painted doors. Applied in three coats in controlled conditions. Allows the timber to breathe; prevents moisture trapping and blistering. Available in any RAL or heritage colour. Repainting cycle typically every 7–10 years, depending on exposure.

A translucent finish that shows the natural timber grain. Available in a wide range of tints. Suited to oak, iroko, and Accoya, where the natural character of the wood is to be shown.

For iroko and oak, a low-maintenance natural finish is preferred. Oil penetrates the surface rather than forming a film coat; it does not peel or blister. Maintenance is a simple re-oil rather than a full repaint.

FAQ

Oak, iroko and Accoya are the three most widely specified timbers for external doors in London. Oak is the most traditional choice; iroko offers slightly higher natural durability with a striking grain; Accoya offers the best dimensional stability and the lowest long-term maintenance requirement. The right choice depends on the design, the finish and the budget. We advise at survey.

A well-made and properly maintained solid hardwood door has a service life well in excess of 50 years. Accoya carries a 50-year above-ground anti-rot guarantee and a tested 70-year minimum service life. Original Victorian and Edwardian timber front doors - over 100 years old - are still in service on London properties today.

A factory-applied three-coat microporous finish on a quality hardwood door typically requires repainting every 7–10 years, depending on exposure. South- and west-facing doors in full sun require more frequent attention. Accoya holds paint significantly longer than untreated softwood or standard hardwood.

Yes, bespoke means made to your exact measurements. Non-standard heights, widths and shaped tops are all achievable. This is particularly common in older London properties where no two openings are the same.

Yes. Bespoke timber doors are the standard specification for conservation area and listed building projects in London. We supply doors to match original door profiles and can advise on drawings for planning submissions where required.

Bespoke timber doors are made to order. Lead times are typically 6–10 weeks from order confirmation depending on specification and workshop capacity.

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