Timber Garage Doors

Garage Door Centre has supplied thousands of timber garage doors over 37 years and many of them have been bespoke in design and sizing too. 

We supply many housebuilders and offer a full survey and installation service for replacement garage doors.

We offer several major brands, who generally build their doors using a steel chassis method, so the door panels are more of a decorative panel within a steel chassis, available in mainly standard sizes but some designs in made to measure. The alternative is the more traditional joinery made door panels, using traditional mortice and tenon jointing methods and giving the options for made to measure sizes and also bespoke designs using various timber species.

We advise looking at hardwood species because Oak, Accoya, Idigbo and Iroko are actually very good value right now and far better than some of the others for longevity and durability, as well as looking great too. We offer one of the widest ranges of bespoke hardwood timber garage doors in the UK.

There are so many different types of timber in the world but there are more limited options when the use is for external joinery products. The UK has a particularly harsh climate compared to many other countries, because of the massive fluctuations in temperatures and air moisture content throughout the year causing any external timber to expand and contract constantly. It is important to use the right type and the right treatment all in harmony with correct construction processes to allow tolerances and movement to occur naturally without spoiling the door integrity.

Up until recently the most common species used for garage doors was Western Red Cedar but because of many worldwide issues the price of cedar is now comparable to far better and previously more expensive hardwood timbers such as Idigbo and European Oak. We have seen a marked increase in our sales for garage doors in Oak, Idigbo, Iroko and Accoya, one reason being the price is now similar to cedar but also because people understand it a little better as well. Why wouldn’t you have an Oak garage door and all the beauty and kudos of this timber when it isn’t much different in price to a basic cedarwood door?

Here are some basic facts on popular species we offer:

• Oak -  The ultimate species for a traditional visual appearance, Nothing can truly replicate the natural beauty of oak and we use only prime grade air dried European Oak with a very straight grain and minimal knots. The colour is very consistent and of course as it is very durable to daily knocks and dings.
   
• Idigbo - A more cost effective timber than Iroko and the colour is again, very consistent. It can look very much like Oak, especially when stained. It is a lighter weight option making it more suitable for up and over garage doors as well as entrance gates.
   
• Accoya - A 50 year guarantee when used above the ground!! Extremely durable and absolute minimal movement from shrinkage and swelling due to the acetylation process it is put through which realigns the cells in making them face all the same way, thus preventing movement.
  A very good external timber for painting but can also be stained if required. Used for up and over and side hinged garage doors.
   
• Iroko - With the natural tannins, it is super stable and has minimal issues with any warping or twisting in atmospheric changes. This type will give many many years of life, even when left untreated. It is a timber used extensively in boat building because of its natural tannins and resistance to water. Left untreated it will weather to a silvery grey, so is better than any other timber if this is an effect you wish to create.
   
• Cedar - This has been used for many years in building garage doors because of its light weight and also its light colouring generally, making it possible to stain in a wide range of shades and colours. It is more synonymous with cladding and is perfect for using on any of our steel chassis systems for up and over doors as it will stay below the maximum weight per square metre possible on these systems with the spring lifting mechanisms. With recent price increases on this species being so high we have found the other species are often better to review and consider.

Timber is perhaps the most versatile of materials available for a garage door. It can be cut, turned, planes into different thicknesses, screwed, nailed or glued together with varying size sections for designs and profiles and generally shaped to suit whatever style is required.

Obviously the majority of garage doors in timber are generally in a few traditional designs with small variations in design, such as the width of boards used, giving either a modern or period look to the door. The small details can make all the difference.

We can offer timber garage doors in all the door types in standard end bespoke designs to suit the property style or size and proportions of the door. Small details such as the width of the timber boards used or the size of the outer sub frame and the material for the sub frame all make a massive difference to the final appearance and effect.

These kinds of variations are general not available in any other material used for garage doors, the profile sizes are set at one size.

Whether you require a panelled ‘Georgian’ Style timber door or a simpler vertical boarded design, or maybe a door with windows and those windows are to work with other windows on the property, we can usually help with your requirements.