1930s door restoration

Rishi2020

Hi, 

I inherited an original 1930s door from the previous owner of my house. I would like to get it dipped, stripped and sanded. However the beading seal around the window on the inside isn't in great shape and will probably fall off during stripping/sanding. I'm worried about spending money getting it stripped/sanded for the window to fall out or be too loose.

This isn't the 'front' front door, there are solid porch doors in front of this door so I am wanting to keep this one for style and aesthetic purposes, so not too worried about security and insulation. Please see photos below.

Any ideas how it can be repaired or secured? Do I speak to a carpenter or a window fitter or door makers? Or would you dump the door and replace? Any help much appreciated.

gwynlas

It would be best to remove beading and leaded light prior to dipping as they are unlikely to want to dip a door with glass in.

FreeBear

Take a look at the door from outside - You may well find the glass is held in place with old fashion linseed putty. Carefully chip out the old putty. Quite likely there are a few diamond shaped "nails" that were put in before the putty got slapped in. It looks like the glass panel was bedded in on putty, so this is going to make it very difficult to get the glass out without breaking it. Carefully remove the glazing bead from the inside and then running a sharp knife round the glass.

Find a length of timber moulding (B&Q have a half decent selection). Soak it in hot water, and it should become pliable enough to clamp in place round the curve. You might find it easier to make a jig and get creative with clamping options - I needed to do something similar to get a curved strip to finish off my staircase. Cut a curved bit of timber to the radius I wanted, screwed it to a flat board. After soaking the moulding, used an assortment of modesty blocks & scraps of wood to hold it in place. Once dry, it was close enough to glue/nail in place.

Albermarle

We had similar ( although the glass was not as nice ) also with a porch with double glazed doors, and as part of other work had the whole lot taken out.

It made the hallway feel significantly bigger.

Rishi2020

Thanks a lot for the above replies! They are more helpful than you think. I have been advised by a couple of others against sending it off for dipping so I will avoid this and do the hard work of stripping it down myself. 

I think I know exactly what I need to do or exactly what to brief a carpenter to do now (thanks FreeBear!). A friend has also suggested pliable moulding which I didn't know existed.