External doors have a long tradition of being constructed from timber. Hardwood doors are by far the most popular choice for external doors, as opposed to softwood doors. External doors are more dense, offer greater stability and have longer life span than softwood doors. External doors are made from many different timbers.

External doors are usually manufactured from Mahogany, Meranti and Oak. Internal hardwood doors are usually manufactured from Oak, Mahogany, Meranti, Walnut, Ash and Beech but also from softwood – mainly Pine.

Despite a multitude of doors to choose from today, contemporary external doors are an ever increasingly popular choice for homeowners. The following are a few of the reasons why external hardwood and internal hardwood doors remains a favourite choice.

Price: The cost of wooden external doors is generally lower than doors made of steel or other materials. Painted, flat-panel external doors are the least expensive doors.

External doors with raised panels are usually more expensive than flat-panel external doors but are still more affordable than doors made of other materials. Homeowners have a wide range of prices to choose from, and there is an external hardwood door to suit every budget.

Wood Choices: External doors are available in different grades of wood. The most popular and least costly choice is Mahogany. Manufacturers usually offer external hardwood doors in several timbers however the homeowner can always choose to paint their external doors instead of varnishing them. Stain-grade external doors are more expensive than primed wood front doors and add an elegant look to a home. External doors can be stained or painted and this is totally up to you. To achieve a natural look most customers would use an exterior standard door stain. Either way, external doors need to be treated in order that the timber is protected from the elements. Extra protection in the form of a porch or canopy is also highly recommended for external doors. Weather bars can also be fitted to external doors.

Insulation: Weather stripping (draught seals) can be added to external doors for insulation. Hardwood doors are excellent choices for external doors for both the front and rear of a property. External doors are usually thicker than internal doors. External doors are usually 44mm (1 ¾”) thick and have wide stiles so that high security locks can be fitted. External doors also tend to feature double glazed glass for additional security and insulation. Part L external doors are weather tested for air and weather tightness and are exposed to the extremes of weather in their testing (these external doors are designed to meet regulation for new builds). Furthermore Part L external doors usually feature low-emission double glazed units. These units, usually pre-fitted in external doors, have an argon gas infill which help prevent heat from escaping during the winter and allows heat to pass during the summer.

Styles: The two basic styles of hardwood doors and these are the solid panelled door or the glazed panel door. Nearly every style of solid panel door has a matching glazed version available and vice versa. This is to help you co-ordinate and match the doors throughout your home.

Customization: The combinations of features for hardwood doors are endless. The following are a few of the features available for hardwood doors.

• Glass: Some homeowners want solid hardwood doors, and others want doors with glass to allow more light to enter from the front of the property. Our hardwood external doors are offered in an array of sizes, styles and choice of glass designs.

• Panels: Homeowners have a choice of panelled doors, rectangular panels, or square panels to the more contemporary flush panels.

The choice depends on the taste of the homeowner. The panel selection should complement the front door features as well as the home.

• Special designs: Stable doors are specialised hardwood doors that give the home a unique look. Stable doors open by swinging the top half on its own and are predominantly used as back doors.

There are many different wood front doors with specific features available from manufacturers. Be sure to consider all the available options before selecting a hardwood door for your home. To replace an existing hardwood door measure the width, height and thickness of your door as this will help us establish what size replacement door you require.