December 2023

Our Insulated Clad Door is one of our more popular designs. We've always got at least one on the go in the workshop. In the video below, join Steve in the workshop—narrated by Thor’s Hammer designer David Scerri—to learn about the process of designing and making our Insulated Clad Door.

Insulated Clad Door Design

We’ve developed the Insulated Clad Door design over a number of years. It’s a clever design that combines the strength of a traditional framed panel door with the look of a solid timber door and it often forms a hero piece in people's houses.

There are a few key techniques we’ve used in this design to keep it strong and sleek, as well as adaptable to temperature and humidity (a key consideration when working with timber).

Firstly, we combine full thickness stiles and internal half thickness cross rails with vertical lining boards (internal cladding) on both sides. This gives the appearance of a simple series of vertical boards while still retaining the strength of a traditional mortise and tenon door.

Secondly, we use CNC-milled double tenon joins (rather than a single tenon). The double tenon is stronger than a single tenon because no matter whether the timber expands or contracts—and it’ll do both over time—the joint gets tighter. The single tenon joint, on the other hand, will get looser if the timber shrinks.

All of this allows for the natural expansion and contraction of the timber, keeping the door from cupping or twisting over time.

We also fill the spaces between the cross rails with a highly fire resistant wood fibre insulation that gives this door extra high insulating value.

Efficiency & Accuracy: 5-Axis CNC Machine

We manufacture the components of the door using our 5-axis CNC machine, which is both very accurate and very efficient. The CNC also allows us to program a range of designs into it, meaning that we can make doors of many different sizes with a number of different rails and different spacings.

After the rails and stiles come out of the CNC, we fit them together (nice and snug!), and then add the insulation and vertical cladding (adding special packers to space the boards apart to allow for timber expansion and movement)… et voilà!

Interested in a bespoke door for your home or business?

[Enquire via the button below]

We can custom design and make recycled timber doors in a range of sizes, with a range of custom add-ons. We’ve been doing this for 30 years, so we know the finer details and complexities of door design and construction intimately. Get in touch if you’d like to work on something together.

TIMBER SPECIES

[Not all timber species are available all of the time. Get in touch via the enquiry form to find out what’s currently available]

Words: David Scerri & Ellie Keft

Video & Photos: Eva Davis-Boermans (Tideline Productions)

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