Damaged door arch: Sourcing replacement materials and fixing

Fevvahz

Gents,

I'm currently in the process of refurbishing my 1928 3 bed semi. Previously, a ghastly UPVC door has been fitted in the arch at the front of my house, giving only around 2' between it, and the original front door and glazing which is set back slightly into the hall. Now, bear with me, due to the angle of the doors, its almost impossible to get any furniture of any decent size into the house, so I'm going to have the front door and surrounding UPVC replaced with a a two door setup.

While I'm at it however, I'd like to replace some of the !!!!!!!ised stones in the arch in said front door. At some point when the UPVC etc was fitted, someone took an angle grinder to them. I'd like to source replacements, or repair them somehow so when the new front doors are fitted and the replacement supports for the overhanging front roof are fitted, that they can be shaped around these original features.

A picture of this can be seen here Clicky

Now I know the stone highlighted at the top is the key stone, but I'm unsure of what to call the two stones either side, and this is making it hard to know what to search for. Can anyone help? Also - can anyone suggest the best way of having these replaced? ....or is there a way to repair them?

leveller2911

Corballed padstones possibly, def a padstone ..... Have to say that uPVC looks hideous as does the front door.Upvc companies should be prosecuted as its criminal whats been done to the entrance.If they can't do curved work then they should have left it alone......

Would just say those Gallows brackets are not an original feature either, modern addition when the pitched roof was pitched.......

You could try reclaimation yards for some original padstones or look for some new ones online, try googling "door canopy padstones"....

Good on you for wanting to renovate it properly......

Fevvahz

leveller2911 wrote: »

Corballed padstones possibly, def a padstone. You could try reclaimation yards for some original padstones or look for some new ones online, try googling "door canopy padstones"

Spot on - I appreciate that, I feel like ive been going round in circles, and can never get people to understand what i mean when I've asked reclamation places.

leveller2911 wrote: »

Good on you for wanting to renovate it properly......

Thanks Leveller! I really like the builds of the era that the house was built in (1928) and intend to be sympathetic to it throughout.

leveller2911 wrote: »

Have to say that uPVC looks hideous as does the front door.Upvc companies should be prosecuted as its criminal whats been done to the entrance. If they can't do curved work then they should have left it alone. Would just say those Gallows brackets are not an original feature either, modern addition when the pitched roof was pitched.

I'm pretty sure your right, I'll be wanting to relocate, or replace the gallows brackets slightly at the same time.

leveller2911

Ive made curved double doors to 1930,s properties and the main thing I notice is in general the doors tend to be quite narrow when in use daily.I guess the reason was back in the 30,s to make a wider pair of curved doors the frame would have ended up much taller and might have interupted the inside ceilings. Much better idea for getting furniture in as you can open both doors but a bit of a pain for every day use.....No real answer to that problem.

Fevvahz

What I'm aiming to do is have two narrow, but slightly curved (with the arch) at the top doors on the outside, hopefully with a subtle, slim frame.

On the inside at the original door, I'd like to refurbish the original door with a triple glazed pane (I've found a local company who take single glazed stained glass units, clean them up and put them into a triple glazed unit), and hang it on the wall side (as opposed to onto the 'inner wall'. as it is now). I'd then like to replace the 'inner wall' with another door, with a plain bottom half, and glazed and leaded to look like the glazing above the 'inner wall', and hung on the wall. So essentially it'll look like it is now, but it'll be double doors, both opening inwards towards each wall if you get me.

Heres a picture from the inside URL="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ZMlAL_sdaF7XwQcO15R4Wg?feat=directlink"]Clicky[/URL

leveller2911

Will look great and also look "right"..........Good luck.....

WillowCat

I had a similar monstrosity in the arched entrance to my last house, a 1920's bungalow. I removed the outer door completely and fitted a double glazed clear panel behind the original stained glass in the inner door for security.

It looked much better from the front with the original archway on view.

ormus

god thats awful!
it needs ripping out completely and reinstating to the original.
the gallows brackets need skipping too.