Firstly, the door is in an awkward position, behind a brick nib outside and a fairly narrow hallway inside, with a low threshold, all of which make weatherproofing challenging. Secondly, the lock was set deep into a narrow stile to accommodate the rebate and handle. The depth of the lock set had compromised the strength of the door, causing problems with opening and closing.

We strategically beefed up some of the components to accommodate the lock, handle and rebates and took advantage of the increased thickness to fit the latest super-efficient double-glazed units with Georgian glazing bars. We built the door in Accoya; firstly, for its stability and warp-resistance, secondly for its rot resistance. We didn’t want a repeat of what had happened to the original door.

Lastly, we finished the door with a 10 year life paint to ensure it gives many years of trouble free service.

We were back in Chesham to replace these French doors. Unfortunately, it was a similar story to the window we’d replaced earlier. A combination of poor material choice and bad design had meant that the originals had failed within 10 years.

For the replacement, we opted for a pressure treated pine frame, paired with hardwood sill to stand up to wear and tear. For the doors themselves, we always recommend Accoya wood for its 50-year rot resistance and amazing dimensional stability against the elements which makes it the perfect choice for larger exterior joinery like doors.