The Door Restorer

Adaptive reuse drives innovation and social impact. Just look at Sheerness Hugh Broughton Architects’ inspiring reinvention of Sheerness Dockyard Church shows just what historic buildings can contribute if we don’t preserve them in aspic, argues the Architectural Heritage Fu...

'The Sheerness Dockyard Church shows that when heritage, design and community ambition come together, the results can be transformative, for both architecture and society.' @news.architectsjournal.co.uk @archhfund.org.uk www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/opinion...

A little repair to provide a better fixing for the door knob backplate.
Period doors most often have surfaced mounted rimlocks, but occasionally there's a mortice sashlock. This leaves only about 1cm of wood to hold the screws, which tends to be a weakness.
Repair Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️

Pear of escutcheons

I know a BALDWIN hinge when I see one.
I could just work out the moniker under all the paint.
The Baldwin foundry was in Southport, and the firm were the market leaders in cast iron hinges in the 19th century through to early 20th century.
I see more of these than all other makes put together.

The brass front plate of a mortice sashlock, on the door I'm working on today.
About 120 years old.
Latch still works very well, there's no key, but the door doesn't need locking, so that's alright.
Repair Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️ #TheDoorRestorer

Reopening The Crown at Station Street would be a fitting and lasting tribute.

Some lovely feedback from one of my clients.

I believe the doors are of the period 'between the wars'.

Yes. Walnut 'graining'. It's a paint effect. The door is made of pine.

It may be dark, but I prefer the original decorative finish to this door, to the present trend of white.
Discovered in the process of removing the top panels, to convert to glazed doors. Three in all.
#TheDoorRestorer
Repair Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️

It was important that this trio of vintage door knobs remained together, and not sent to different addresses.
It's for that reason it took a while to find the right 'new' home for them.
Reclaim Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️
#TheDoorRestorer

20th century manufacturer SAM PARKES was rightly proud to put his name on the bottom of the brass on these beautiful wooden rim knobs.
And I'd like to believe he would be pleased that they have been saved from landfill and are to be rehomed, reused and admired again.
#TheDoorRestorer ♻️

Salvaged 18 months ago, I've been patiently waiting for the right job to reuse 3 sets of vintage door knobs.
Sympathetically restored, and fitted to 3 reclaimed period doors, they will be located close together in a hallway in the neighbouring county of Surrey.
Repair Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️

Re-furnishing another restored period door. Nothing new.
Reclaim Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️
#TheDoorRestorer

Repair Restore Re-use Re-purpose ♻️

Restoring mother natures artwork.
A U-turn of swirling grain meandering around a knot junction.
On the bench today, a Victorian 4 panel door complete with panel mouldings.
I'm kicking up a dust with sandpaper.
Repair Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️
#TheDoorRestorer

A quiet start to the week at the yard

I've requested joining the group. Pending approval.
I've got around 200 period doors now, donated, salvaged, so I don't usually buy them.
But thanks for thinking of me and for the follow on Facebook. 👍

This evening's reception was to celebrate 30 years of Emmaus Dover.
Held in the Great Tower at Dover Castle.
It gave me the opportunity to take advantage of the view from the roof.
In pic 3 you can see a Roman lighthouse, a Saxon church, the English Channel, even France 🔎 from a Norman castle.

Council Chamber

Stone Hall

Feeling thankful at being a guest at celebratory receptions for two nights in succession.
Wednesday's was for Maison Dieu volunteers.
On the left C19 Council Chamber.
Note the sunburner in the ceiling.
On the right the medieval Stone Hall.
#Dover

Authentic repairs using genuine reclaimed antique materials.
I needed to remove one panel moulding, to close a gap in the panel.
You should be able to see the fixed join (squint and hold your phone away from you)
The original cut nails didn't survive, but I had salvaged some. ♻️
#TheDoorRestorer

It's been mainly all about repairs in the workshop this week.
I'm working on four reclaimed Victorian 4 panel doors, that have had various locks and catches fitted over the years.
For the repairs, I use timber offcuts from trimming the doors to size.
Repair Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️
#TheDoorRestorer

And the screws are good for reuse in no time.
Reclaim Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️

The hinges only take 10 - 15 mins to clean up with a scraper and a wire brush.

Assorted distressed door furniture

Last year I supplied & fitted a couple of reclaimed Victorian period doors, for a client in Folkestone.
This morning said client visited the workshop, bearing gifts!
And it's not even my birthday!
😂
I'm a lucky guy

An interesting High Street property I visited in May, that had been at different times, retail and residential, had this Georgian door.
The top 2 panels, with a glazing bar between them, appear to have been designed for glass.
Don't know if it's ever had glass, doubt I'll ever know.

Looks fabulous!
Nice work 👍

Thank you! ... they'll join the other 150+ homeless doors in the workshop. 😂

Salvaged.
Look at the size of this Victorian hat and coat hook!
It's made of cast iron, and I've cleaned up one of the acorn finials, just to show how beautiful it is under all that paint.
Reclaim Restore Re-use Recycle ♻️
#TheDoorRestorer

Salvaged.
A lovely inch & a quarter brass Victorian cupboard door knob. Caked in paint.
Does my thumb look big in this?