Recommendations on handling doors
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Storage
Doors should be stacked flat, raised off the floor on not less than three bearers on a level surface and protected by waterproof coverings on all sides.
Veneered doors should be stored so as no part is exposed to the light as this would result in fading and disclouration.
Doors for polishing should be stored as no part is exposed to the light as this would result in fading and disclouration.
Handling
Doors should be handled using clean gloves to avoid finger marks. Care should be taken due to the weight of the doors. At least two people should be used to lift a door.
Water content
On leaving our workshop , doors have a moisture content of between 8%- 14%. this should suit the intended eventual use and all precatuions to ensure that this remains the case should be taken.
As timber doors are hydroscopic they will absorb or lose moisture after leaving the factory if not properly protected. care should be taken to enusre a relative humidity of between 40%-60% and that the doors are maintained in a clean and dry enviroment while in storage, during installation and thereafter. Any variation of the above will cause the door to absorb or lose moisture which will result in core telegraphing and shadowing. furhermore, if moisture is not equal on each face of the door, it will case distortion.
When to buy?
Doors should be orderd so that the period of storage on site before erection is kept to a minimum. The building programe should be planned so that the period between the fitting of the door and occupation of the building is kept to a minimum.
Ensure that doors are not taken on site before the building is roofed and glazed.
Heating
If heating is to be introduced it should be gradual and equal to all surfaces of the doors, otherwise serious distoration of the leaves can result.
Heating should be switched on initally at low levels and gradually raised to desired level over a period of time.
Care of timber doors on site
Care of timber doors on site
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How to get the most out of your Timber Doors after delivery
Doors and doorsets manufactured by Lewis Aldridge are designed and manufactured using the best available techniques to produce performance rated components. After delivery it is vital that doors are correctly treated to ensure that the moisture content is appropriate for the situation and that they are not physically damaged in unloading, storage and installation. Good practice avoids damage, maintains quality and saves money. Internal and external doors and doorsets may be supplied 'in the white', with a primer or stain base coat applied or as fully finished components. Each type needs careful handling and protection although the actual requirements vary slightly.
Delivery and storage
Check doors at the time of
Delivery
All components should be checked at
the time of delivery to ensure that
they are in accordance with the order
schedule, the delivery is complete
and that the components, including
any protective packaging, are not
damaged.
Timber used in the manufacturer of
doors will be graded in accordance
with BS EN 942:1996 Timber in
joinery - “General classification of
timber quality” and the workmanship
will meet the requirements of BS
1186 Part 2:1998 “Timber for and
workmanship in joinery” -
Specification for workmanship.
The moisture content of timber in the
doors should be in the range of 10%
and 16% depending upon their type
and location.
For long term performance of the
door and finish, it is important that
the appropriate moisture content is
maintained during storage on site
and during the construction process.
Wherever possible the sequence of
deliveries should be co-ordinated to
site requirements in order that doors
are not kept on site unfixed for
longer than necessary.
Handle doors carefully
Doors and doorsets should be
handled carefully to avoid physical
damage (do not lift by glazing bars)
and to keep them clean.
When door leaves are protected by
shrink- wrapping or other packaging
this should be kept in place as long
as possible.
Doors delivered in the white should
be sealed and primed on all faces
and edges immediately after delivery.
Protect Doors During Site
Operations
Ensure that the moisture content of
the wood is kept close to the level at which it was when the door was
manufactured.
Internal doors must be conditioned to the service conditions before fixing.
They must be protected from
Fire Resisting Doors should not
be altered on site
Fire resisting doors and doorsets
need special consideration when
fitting
Fire resisting doors and doorsets
need special consideration when
fitting
abnormal heat, extreme dryness,
humid conditions or sudden changes
of temperature or humidity.
Doors should not be stored or fitted
in the building until the wet trades
are finished and the building has
dried out.
Treat Prefinished Doors like a
Piece of Fitted Furniture
Factory finished door frames or door
linings should ideally be fitted into
pre-formed openings and not built
into masonry walls.
Pre-finished doors should retain their
protective packaging until the latest
possible time, ideally until after
internal decorations have been
completed.
If it is necessary to separate the
doors from doorsets each door and
frame should be given an identification mark so that the correct
door is returned to the frame.
Installation
Doors should be fitted square
Doors should be fitted square, true
and plumb and fixed in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions
or the project specification.
Three hinges should be fitted to all
external doors, doors weighing more
than 20 kilograms and internal doors
where large differences of
temperature or humidity on opposing
faces can be expected (e.g.
bathrooms and airing cupboards).
Ideally, external door frames should
be set well back from the outer face
of the wall or else be protected by a
canopy. If not, the head of the frame
should be provided with a projecting
head drip.
External doors opening outwards
should be particularly well protected
by finishing as these are the most
exposed.
Mortices for locks must not be
cut through joints in the door
framing
Cutting through joints in the door
framing will impair performance of
the rail joint. If any part of a previously treated external door or door frame is cut or
drilled, swab the newly exposed
timber with a suitable organic solvent
preservative treatment and re-coat
with primer or stain.
Use good glazing practice
Glazing rebates and backs of beads
should be sealed with an appropriate
sealant. Glazing panels in doors must satisfy
the requirements in respect of safety
glass. Bead glazing must be correctly fitted
using compound or glazing tapes to
both sides of the glass
FINISHING
Start finishing as soon as
possible
It is recommended that decoration be
commenced as soon as possible after
installation (preferably within days).
Prolonged exposure of bare timber or
priming/base coats will effect the
long term performance of subsequent
coats. External doors and frames with
factory applied primer or base coat
stain should have at least one of the
finishing coats applied as soon as
possible after delivery or installation.
The back of external frames should
be coated before installation.
Ensure surfaces and edges are in
good order before applying
finishing coats
If the primer or base coat stain has
deteriorated, or the surface has been
exposed to light for longer than three
months, it should be re-coated before
further finishing coats are applied.
Finishing of external doors and
frames should be carried out in dry
weather using only good exterior
quality materials in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions.
On external doors, the finish should
be an exterior quality paint or a 'high
build' stain. ('Low build' types of stain
should not be used on external
doors.)
It should be noted that the use of
dark coloured paint or stain finishes on external doors, particularly if located on the south or south west elevations of buildings, will result in high surface temperatures on the door and can increase the risk of distortion and of resin exudation through the finish.
Ensure all surfaces and edges
are painted
It is important that all surfaces of
doors are painted. For external doors
or other doors subject to high
humidity or take up of moisture it is
especially important that the full
finishing system is applied to the top
and bottom edges of the door leaf.
The bottom edge should be coated
before fitting the door.
Factory finished doors should be
checked for damage to the finish and
any small areas made good in
accordance with the manufacturer's
recommendations.
The door manufacturer may disclaim
responsibility for any defect or failure
that may subsequently occur which is
attributable to non-compliance either
wholly or in part with the advice
given in this information sheet.
Store Doors Under Cover in a Dry
Ventilated Building
Doors should be stored flat (never
On edge or on end) on a level surface and kept clear of the floor on at least three level bearers. The bearers should be longer than the width of the doors and the gap beneath the doors should be at least 90 mm.
Doors should be protected from dirt
and damage but without restricting
air circulation. Natural finish doors should be stacked so that they are not partly exposed to daylight and opaque wrappings must not be torn. Exposure to ultra violet light can cause fading or discoloration of
timber and veneers.
Whenever possible store doors and
doorsets in the sequence they will be needed with codes or identifying
marks visible to avoid double
handling. Avoid dragging them across each other in the stack.
Doorsets which have projecting sills
or have the hardware fitted must
have spacers between them in the
stack to avoid damage.
