Timber stable doors really look the part in traditional homes, especially if you live in a cottage or more rural home. They are very convenient for letting in air through your home while keeping small children and pets safe indoors. However, there’s no denying that older and original timber stable doors can be quite draughty – and this can be a real problem if it’s the front or back door of your house.
Why do old timber stable doors let in the cold?
To be clear, it’s only older timber stable doors that have this problem – we’ll get onto how modern ones are better later. There are three main reasons why your old timber stable door is allowing a gale to blow through your hallway:
- The gap between the upper and lower opening. This is the whole point of the stable door – it splits in two so you can open the top while keeping the bottom closed. You can also open the bottom while keeping the top closed. This means that when they are both shut, a gap can appear right in the middle of your door. This will be made worse by old hinges and warped doors.
- The wood is very thin. In some older houses, the door itself is simply made from very thin pieces of wood. It doesn’t provide much thermal insulation like a modern, thicker door. You can test this by seeing if the inside of your door is cold to the touch compared with the walls of your home.
- The door doesn’t fit in the frame very well. Older timber stable doors are susceptible to this because over the years the frame and the door itself may have warped. Old, thin wood and a lack of decent weatherproofing technology mean that the deformation can be quite severe and gaps between the door and frame will add to the draught problem.
However, the good news is that modern timber stable doors have overcome these issues completely and a new one will be just like any other modern timber front or back door.
How have modern timber stable doors improved?
Today’s stable doors use high quality hardwood that’s planed to a decent thickness to give excellent thermal insulation. Modern weatherproofing and high-tech wood paints helps to protect the door from the worst that the British weather can throw at it, which helps to ensure it remains fitting snugly inside the frame to provide a decent seal. But most importantly, the design of the point where the top and bottom halves come together mean that this is completely sealed against the weather when both are closed – ensuring no draughts or rainwater can get through.
If your old timber stable door is letting in the cold, then your best bet is to replace it with a new one, and Woodcraft Windows are experts in bespoke windows and doors for heritage homes. However, if you’re not able to replace it right now, then you could try a ‘stable door kit’ that helps to create a seal between the top and bottom. This could certainly help if your door is letting rainwater in and could be a quick fix until you can get the door replaced.
Timber stable doors by Woodcraft Windows
We make and fit bespoke stable doors for your home, ensuring it’s made to the latest weatherproof and security standards, yet fits perfectly with the look and feel of your home.
