Doors 1930s house

[chillout]

I have a 1930s house which has original 4 panel doors. I have seen some companies on the web that sell the 1930's type doors for period properties. In yr opinion is it worth taking out the 4 panels and replacing with the 1930's ones? Did builders use 4 panels in these houses, I know they were in victorian houses quite alot.

Does anyone have any pics of the doors in their 1920/30's house?

 

[JohnD]

I used to have a 1930's house with 4-panel doors. They were relatively thin and flimsy compared to the panelled doors in an Edwardian house I had.

Why are you thinking of changing them?

 

[chillout]

Just to go for a more 1930s look really, but unsure as their original doors. May just chnage the architrave to art deco style.

 

[crank39]

Im confused.......

You say have a 1930's house with original 4 panel doors so why do you want 1930's doors if you already have them? Why would you you take out your original 4 panel 1930's doors and replace them 1930's 4 panel doors.

 

[chillout]

Basically in many publications, they show 1930s doors as three panels in the bottom section and plain at the top. My house had the four panel doors that you used in Victorian houses. It looks like they used these when they built my 1930s semi, if that makes sense.

 

[crank39]

All makes perfect sense now. So technically the doors you have NOW although original victorian are not original 1930's doors, seems strange though that the 1930's builder used victorian doors, did he buy a job lot from someone lol?

 

[chillout]

I asked a builder today, he basically believes that they used 4 apnel doors in the 1920s/30s houses also apparently.

 

[TicklyT]

I lived in more or less original 1935 house for many years.
All the original doors had three narrow panels below one square panel.

I have an old DIY book published in 1938. The illustrations showed both styles of doors. Some also had three square panels, one above the other. I thought that style was a response to material shortages in the 40s.

Judjing by the illustrations, a toothbrush moustace, horn rim glasses and a tweed jacket worn with a collar and tie were de rigueur for DIY in those days

 

[chillout]

Cheers mate,
Do you mean some of the doors used in the 1930s house pic's were four panel (victorian style)?

 

[JohnD]

they were in mine

I prefer them to the ones with the big square panel which I presume is plywood.

 

[chillout]

I thought they were the originals, as they had been boarded over. Might keep them then rather than buying they 3 panels and one board at the type ones also used in the 30s.

 

[ollieman]

I would advise you to keep your doors, don't replace them! if you're trying to add character by changing them then you're actually doing the reverse. One thing you could yo is have your existing doors stripped of any paint and then waxed, this'll take them back to as near as possible to how they were orriginally. DOn't spend hours stripping the doors manually, just take them to a yard which dips and strips.

God luck!

 

[chillout]

Cheers mate, I see where your coming from. The skirting is being replaced, as its all odd in the rooms and is plain and very boring. Im thinking of going for an art deco skirting with three steps. Howver this is unlikely to match the original architraves on 2 frames d/stairs (1 was removed) and rest upstairs.
Im tempted to take these out and replace with the matching deco style architrave. Do you think it best for it to look odd and keep original architraves or replace with new and matching!?

 

[ollieman]

Retain as much of the orriginal fabric of your house as possible. Not all rooms in old houses have matching architraves and skirting anyway. The main 'principal room' usually had more grand architraves than the hallway and bedrooms.

I have a house that was built in 1904 and the doors are orriginal vic 4 panel, the panels have been covered and some of the raised beading has been removed on the doors to the living room. I'm going to go to a salvage yard and see if I can find the beading to fit to my doors, I'll not be replacing them but I will have them dipped and stripped of the layers of paint. At some point I'll like to find some old rim locks and wooden door knobs, you can get all these things at salvage yards.

Its amazing what an improvement you can make to your home by restoring and not replacing!

Cheers,

Oliver.

 

[chillout]

Hi Oliver,
My doors had panels over too and when I took that off I discovered they were lovely four panel doors. The house had a fair bit of work done and therefore the skirting had been replaced in places for cheapo stuff as it had been rented out at some time. I think the 'stepped' deco skirting would nicely match the 1930's odeon fireplaces I have sourced from salvage yards. All the fireplaces had been closed up. Avoiding new architrave will save a packet!
Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.