Guides

Also known as door mouldings, door frames or door trim - come as a seven-piece set which consists of:

2 x bottom pillars, measuring 66 x 150mm
2 x top corner blocks, measuring 66 x 66mm
1 x 1 metre top piece of architrave
2 x 2.1 metre upright architrave 62 x 21mm
Each set completes one side of a door.

We also sell architrave per metre. As an experienced woodworking company, we can adhere to any specifications you may require.

As a solid oak door expands and contracts this will affect the fit of the door in the frame. Even though the overall door width will only change by a small percentage at the most it is still enough in some cases to affect its use. Gaps between the frame and door may appear where there were none previously or alternatively the door may become tighter fitting in the frame. However, the installation process should take into account the expected small movements the door will experience throughout the year and build these into the calculations to minimise any problems.

All of our solid oak internal and external doors are supplied untreated. This provides you with the opportunity to finish your doors in your chosen tone rather than having it predetermined for you. But before we even get to that stage, your doors need to be cared for from the very moment they are delivered to your kerbside. Packaging, storage, treatment and maintenance are all vital, this article aims to make all of the above nice and straightforward so that you can enjoy your doors quickly and easily in all of their solid oak glory.

As standard all products are manufactured from Character Grade Oak, with a Prime Grade Oak offered if required. All our oak is sourced from sustainable European sources.

European Oak is light to medium brown with a straight, coarse grain.

Prime Grade Oak- Minimal knots and colour variation, with an almost straight grain. There is a tolerance on each face of two intergrown sound knots of 12mm maximum diameter, or this equivalent per linear metre. Not acceptable: sapwood, heart spiral and curly grain deterioration, cross grain, bark pocket, bore holes, warping. Surface checks tolerated.
Character- Some colour variation and knots – there is a presence on each face of small knots without limitation, and of a maximum of three sound knots per metre, maximum diameter not to exceed one half of the width of the timber or 40mm or equivalent.

To install feather edge cladding, start by fixing vertical battens onto the building's framework. Then, attach the feather edge boards horizontally, starting from the bottom and working your way up. Ensure each board overlaps the one beneath it and maintain consistent spacing between the boards for expansion.

How much do I need for my project?

At Wittswood we supply our feather edged cladding in 200mm wide boards with a 25/30mm overlap.

Measure the area that you are cladding, multiply the full width by the height in metres to work out the total area in square metres.
For example: a building 8.3m wide by 4.7m high = 39.01 sqm
Total up the area for all sides of the building
Measure the area of any windows and doors and calculate the square metres using the method above. Total up the square metres for all openings.
For example: there are 2 windows each measuring 1.3m x 1.2m and 1 door measuring 1.6 x 1.2m. This gives a total square metreage of 1.56 + 1.56 + 1.92 = 5.04 sqm
Subtract the sqm of the openings from the total required to give the required square metres.
For example: 39.10 – 5.04 = 34.06 sqm
We recommend ordering at least 10% more cladding than you've measured for to account for the required cutting and shaping.
For example: 34.06 sqm x 1.1 = 37.47sq, round this up:
TOTAL TO ORDER 38sq

Our solid hardwood skirtings are available in a streamlined chamfer or more traditional, ornate Torus style, in a variety of hardwoods and finishes. All our skirting boards measure from 75mm to 200mm from floor to top, depending on the size chosen.

Skirting boards can be used to compliment your decor in a variety of ways. Choose a wood to match your flooring or select a contrasting colour, dark wood skirtings with a light wooden floor for example. You can even mix and match styles and colours for different walls within a room.

Sticking and rubbing doors are a common problem caused by wood movement. High humidity is usually the culprit, so some problems can be avoided or solved by keeping the humidity levels in your house low. But when this isn’t practical, you’ll have to resort to solutions like tightening door hinge screws or planing or sanding the door edge.

Please note applying a finish does not stop movement. While it’s true a high quality finish will slow the rate of moisture exchange, it will not stop it. Material finished on all surfaces will expand or contract at a slower rate than raw wood, but make no mistake—finished wood will eventually acclimate to environmental moisture content levels.

There are many reasons for changes in moisture levels or temperature within the environment but most notably the weather is an over-riding factor. Obviously a door cannot absorb water at the same rate as a living tree but together with changes in temperature it is enough to cause problems as it expands or contracts in reaction to its surroundings, especially if it is not properly fitted in the first place.

Solid oak doors can be expected to expand and contract throughout their life but particularly in the first year of use as they settle. However, even old doors may change slightly in size when moved to a new location as they acclimatise to new humidity and temperature levels. This is why it is imperative they are treated as soon as possible after delivery and are only stored in rooms with a dry atmosphere, even wet plaster on the walls may cause moisture problems in some cases. The best way to minimise the effect of the elements is to treat the doors with suitable treatment.

Solid oak doors are very heavy. It’s part of their charm, that weighty, sturdy feel which can’t be replicated by an engineered alternative. But before hanging your new doors, you need to consider how that weight can affect the door. A common mistake is to stand new doors up against a wall which can cause them to bow in the centre.

Your doors should be laid flat but raised off the ground. They should be supported in at least three areas, with support spanning the width of the door and at very least at the top, middle and bottom. This method will not only adequately support the weight of the door and prevent bending but it also removes the risk of an extremely heavy door falling and potentially causing a lot of damage.

The Storage Environment

If you are not fitting your doors straight away, they must be stored supported above a flat, dry floor. Any untreated doors must be stored in a dry room which is free from any damp. This includes any recently plastered rooms where the walls are still dark and the moisture is yet to leave the plaster.

All of our doors must be treated before they are hung, not afterwards. It is vitally important not to miss areas where the door has been cut for hinges or any other door furniture as this would allow for moisture to get into the door and spread throughout it. Also remember the edges.

As wood is a natural product movement can happen because of the difference between the moisture content of the wood and the moisture content of the surrounding air.

As the porous wood tries to equalise its moisture content with its surrounding environment, it will let out or take on moisture, causing it to shrink and swell and because wood is a natural material, this shrinkage and swelling does not happen perfectly evenly across the width, length and thickness of the timber, so the result can be:

Bending and / or twisting of an individual piece of timber or several jointed (glued) timber pieces
Splitting along glued joints between pieces, as each piece wants to pull away from its neighbour (this often happens first at the end of the pieces where moisture loss is quickest)
Cracking within a single piece of timber as different sections of the piece shrink away from each other creating small island of wood with gaps between them – the gaps are the cracks you see.

Most movement normally occurs in the first 12 months, whilst the wood is acclimatising to the different conditions between winter and summer.

This does not mean there is something wrong with the wood. This is sometimes misconstrued as a fault in the construction of the door but this is exactly as nature intended and as we enjoy the benefits of solid oak so we must accept the nuances of a beautifully natural product. Even the process of kiln drying – which prepares timber for indoor and outdoor use – cannot mimic the many months of warm dry air in a modern, centrally heated home and/or outside elements. In fact, the kiln-drying process itself, even when digitally controlled extremely carefully over a very long period, will cause some cracking, bending and twisting. After all, we’re trying to take something – a tree – that has lived outside its entire life (maybe 80+ years for an oak tree) and very quickly force it to adapt to a completely new environment. Of course there will be consequences!

At Wittswood we manufacture a range of solid oak doors to fit a variety of budgets and requirements.

Oak Ledge and Brace Doors

Characterized by horizontal ledges and diagonal braces are one of our main sellers. Perfect for farmhouses, cottages and converted agricultural buildings, they are custom made in our factory to any size you require. Ledge and Brace doors are a more budget friendly door, which we recommend are only suitable interior doors.

Oak Extra Stiled Doors

Slightly stronger and more durable than a ledge and brace door, with additional framing/stiling. This door is a more affordable version of the fully framed mortice and tenon doors we do, it looks cosmetically and visually the same but has a slightly different construction method and is therefore not as structurally robust or durable. This is ideal for a shed or side/garden gate but we wouldn't advise it to be suitable for an entrance.

Oak Mortice and Tenon Jointed Doors

The ideal door for exterior use. These stylish, strong and durable doors and the perfect door for the exterior (or interior) use at your property. Built to last with mortice and tenon joints these doors are a best seller.

You can buy our solid oak traditional doors in two ways:

Ready-Made Doors – The door delivered is completed, except for the diagonal braces. This allows you to choose which side you’d like to hang your door and attach diagonal braces accordingly.

Oak Door Kits – All the machined parts are delivered to you for you to put them together yourself. This is a great option for the DIY enthusiasts or anyone who enjoys being hands-on!