Traditional External Doors

Timeless Entrances with Real Character

A traditional front door sets the tone for a period or country home before anyone steps inside. These are the panelled and cottage styles that suit a Victorian terrace, an Edwardian semi or a country cottage, in warm oak and hard-wearing hardwood built to weather British winters. The look is all in the detail: raised and fielded panels, cottage boarding, leaded and frosted lights, and the honest proportions that a modern moulded door rarely gets right. Every door is supplied ready to hang and finish, so you can match it to the rest of the house. They sit within our external doors by type range, and if you would rather a sharper, cleaner face, our contemporary external doors cover the modern styles.

Period and Cottage Styles

There is a traditional design here for almost every period property. Classic panelled doors like the York, Warwick, Richmond, Windsor and Colonial give a solid, private face. The Salisbury, Westminster, Winchester and Suffolk pair oak with a glazed top for light in the hall. For period detail in the glass, leaded styles such as the Estate Crown, Derby and Cottage bring a heritage look. The Malton comes clear, frosted or unglazed to suit the setting. Solid unglazed panels keep an entrance private and secure, while glazed lights carry daylight into a dark hallway. For more on the glazed options, our glazed external doors gather the leaded and clear designs in one place.

Oak or Hardwood

Every traditional external door here is real timber, in a choice of two woods. Our oak external doors bring a warm tone and a characterful grain that suits a period entrance beautifully, and most of the glazed cottage styles are built this way. Our hardwood external doors use a dense, dependable timber that takes the weather just as well, at a friendlier price, and cover most of the panelled range. Both are made for years outdoors once they are sealed, so the choice comes down to the look you want and what you would like to spend.

Finishing and Fitting

Traditional doors arrive mostly unfinished, which is what lets you set the exact period look. Hardwood takes a heritage colour in paint or stain, while oak is best sealed with a clear exterior oil that deepens its grain. Whichever you choose, treat every face and edge with a good exterior wood treatment before the door goes into service, and refresh it every year or two to keep the weather out. Hang it in a matching external door frame with a weathered cill, and add your own period locks, knobs and hinges to complete the look.