Door Care & Installation Guide

Uneven expansion or contraction of component parts is the most common reason for a timber product to fail or underperform. This movement is caused by changes in moisture levels within the product. To protect against it, the timber must be fully sealed before installation, as detailed in the finishing sections below.

Please also keep the following in mind:

• If a door needs to be trimmed, reduce it equally from both sides. Each side can be trimmed by up to 6mm on doors with a lipping of 10mm or more, and up to 3mm on doors with a 6mm lipping. Further reductions may be possible on non fire-rated doors, but be aware this can expose the engineered core, which will then need to be sealed or re-lipped.
• Avoid cutting or fitting locks and latches at a rail or glazing bar joint, as this weakens the door.
• FD30 fire rated doors must be installed in line with the relevant fire certificate. It is the responsibility of the person fitting the door to ensure the intumescent strips or seals are fitted in the door, frame or lining as stipulated.

• Untreated products must be fully sealed before fitting. This applies to all surfaces, including tops, bottoms and any recesses cut for hinges, locks, and handles. Waxes and oils are not suitable for sealing our timber products, and using them will invalidate the guarantee should the product later fail.
• Please avoid water based sealants. If applied too liberally, they can penetrate the veneer and cause bubbling.
• Pre-finished products must be re-sealed as above wherever timber has been exposed during alterations. White primed products should be finished with a final top coat, paying particular attention to any areas where the priming has been removed.
• For the best finish, lightly sand, de-nib and wipe clean all surfaces before the initial sealing and again before applying the final coat.

1. All our timber products must be stored dry and flat.
2. All our timber products must be treated correctly, without delay and before fitting. It is essential that every product is completely treated before installation, including all faces, edges and any cut outs. Take particular care to fully protect the end grain, as this is where moisture penetrates most easily, causing swelling, splitting and warping.
3. If the door needs trimming to fit, reduce it equally from both sides.
4. Three coats of a proprietary branded finish will usually be sufficient, but always treat the door in accordance with the instructions of your chosen finish manufacturer. Please note that waxes and oils do not properly seal the timber and are not recommended. Water based systems are also not recommended for our timber products.
5. Timber is a naturally grown product and responds to changes in humidity and temperature. While we prepare our timber carefully to make it suitable for use, we cannot know the circumstances in which every product is stored and installed. For this reason, we are unable to guarantee against shrinkage, warping or splitting.
6. Regular maintenance is important to prevent the paint film breaking down and to protect the timber fibre from deterioration. The finish seals the timber and prevents moisture movement, which is the main cause of swelling and shrinkage leading to splitting and bowing. If the finish is incomplete, or breaks down through poor maintenance, the performance of the product will deteriorate.