Door Care Guide

General

• Do not use an internal door for external use (and vice versa). This will create distortion problems as internal and external doors are manufactured to different moisture contents
• Check that the door furniture is suitable for the door e.g. the middle rail is deep enough for the letterbox

When the doors arrive
• As soon as the door is delivered a check for any visible defects, damage, marks or distortion
• Check pairs of doors are correctly handed
• Manufacturer’s specifications can change, and in the case of veneered doors there may be natural colour and grain variation
• Colour matching of veneers is not normally possible
• Issues must be reported to Champion Timber within 24 hours of delivery

Storage

• Doors should be stored in dry conditions, laid flat, off the floor and supported across the width in three places
• Unless factory sealed (check if all round), prime or seal on both faces and in particular all four edges
• Do not expose to extremes of temperature or humidity
• Do not store in a newly plastered room as the door will absorb moisture from the damp plaster
• Veneers can fade if exposed to natural sunlight
• Keep free of dust and site clutter to prevent damage

Glazing

• All apertures vary slightly – do not assume all apertures require the same size glass. Measure each one independently

Preparation for decoration

• Once the door is fitted and operates correctly, take off the door and remove all ironmongery etc. ready for final decoration
• It is important that all exposed edges and cut-outs are sealed correctly

Finishing & decoration of non-factory finished doors

• Whatever type of decorative finish is used
• It is essential that both door faces, all four edges(particularly the top and bottom edges) and all cut-outs are completely sealed in accordance with manufacturers' instructions. This seals the door and reduces the possible ingress of moisture
• The same process applies to internal doors
• Failure to do this will invalidate the manufacturers
guarantee

Engineered doors & non-factory finished veneered doors

• Water-based and acrylic finishes are not recommended for the decoration of these doors.
• Use a spirit or solvent-based product in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
• Light-coloured veneers (especially oak) may fade in bright sunlight

Installation

• Fitting and finishing of all doors should be undertaken by a professional or a competent person
• It is essential to condition internal doors by storing them close to where they will be fitted. Avoid the door being subjected to extremes of heat or moisture e.g close to a radiator, or in a wetroom
• Avoid sudden changes in temperature – especially in a new building or extension
• In centrally heated or underfloor heated rooms take great care to build up the heat gradually
• Do not hang a door in an area that is about to be plastered or have other wet trades applied
• To avoid weakening the door, holes and mortice lock cutouts should be kept to a minimum and not fitted at a rail joint
• Check the door frame for general condition and squareness
• To prevent binding once decorated, and climatic expansion on external doors the door should fit in the frame with at least 3mm but no more than 6mm clearance all round
• If a door requires trimming to suit the frame, please refer to the manufacturer's specific instructions for the door, (normally not more than 6mm from each side is removed)
• Height reductions will depend on the construction of the door and the depth of the top and bottom rails
• On factory-treated or sealed doors it is essential to retreat edges as appropriate
• Generally unless specifically instructed otherwise, external doors should be hung with 3no good quality 100mm hinges
• Internal doors below 20kg can be hung using 2 hinges

Maintenance

• It is inevitable with all timber doors that some movement will occur.
• Swelling may cause the door to bind against the frame. Rectify this as soon as possible by trimming the affected area. Recoat and seal with the appropriate finish
• Shrinkage can cause a minor parting of joints and hairline gaps. These should be filled and recoated as required
• Check to ensure the decorative coating has not deteriorated or been damaged/compromised
• Depending on the product used – maintenance coats should be applied every 2-3 years
• Generally south-facing doors will require more maintenance