Timber Doors - Atkinson Joiners Ltd

Serving Barnard Castle and the surrounding area for over 60 years.

Timber Doors Made to Order in Barnard Castle

Every door we make is built to order in our Barnard Castle workshop. We've been making timber doors for homeowners and heritage properties across Teesdale for over 60 years — measuring, manufacturing and fitting each one ourselves.

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Built to fit, not forced to fit

Older properties are rarely square. We account for this during measurement and manufacture, so the finished door fits the opening as it actually is — not as it should be on paper.

We can match what's already there

If you have an existing door that needs like-for-like replacement, we can work from the original to reproduce the profile, moulding and dimensions accurately. This matters most on period properties and listed buildings.

Manufactured and fitted by the same team

We make the door in our workshop and fit it ourselves. That means if something needs adjusting on the day, it gets sorted — we're not dependent on a third party to interpret the job.

Types of Timber Doors We Make

We don't carry a range of standard doors. Everything is made to order, which means we can work with you on size, style, timber and glazing from the outset.

Past projects have included:

Front doors for farmhouses and rural properties

Replacement doors for listed buildings, matched to the original

Hardwood arched doors for barn conversions

French doors with toughened glazing

Doors with fanlights built to the original design

Doors with sidelights, where the full frame is built as one unit

Softwood doors made to match existing doors elsewhere in the house

Doors with period mouldings and bolection details reproduced accurately

If the shape, size or detail is outside what you can buy off the shelf, that's exactly the kind of work we do.

Materials We Use

Timber choice depends on the project. We'll talk through the options with you before anything is ordered.

Accoya is our most commonly used timber for external doors. It's a modified wood that holds up well in changing weather conditions — it moves less than standard softwood and has a long service life. It takes paint well and is particularly suited to doors that face the elements.

Hardwoods such as Utile and Iroko are well suited to doors that need a natural, rich appearance — often used on barn conversions or properties where a decorative grain is part of the brief.

Redwood and softwood are used where the door will be painted and needs to match existing joinery in the house. If you've had a door made previously in a particular profile, we can reproduce it in the same material.

We don't use uPVC or composite materials. Our work is timber only.

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Doors for Period Properties and Listed Buildings

A significant part of our work involves older homes, period properties and listed buildings across Teesdale.

These projects need a different approach. The building may have shifted over decades, meaning openings are no longer true. Existing moulding profiles may no longer be available from suppliers. Listed building consent may require technical drawings showing the replacement matches the original.

We handle all of this routinely. We hold over 200 sets of profile cutters, many of which were made specifically to match mouldings from older buildings in this area. If the original profile can be identified, we can reproduce it.

For listed building work, we can produce the drawings and cross-section details needed to support a consent application.

Glazing, Fanlights and Sidelights

Many of the doors we make include glazing of some kind — toughened double glazed units, heritage-style units, leaded glass or decorative glass supplied by the customer.

Where a fanlight or sidelight is part of the original door design, we build the full assembly so everything is consistent in profile and style.

Glazing is typically sourced through our regular suppliers, but customers are also welcome to supply their own glass if they have something specific in mind.

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Making and Fitting

Once we have measurements and the brief agreed, the door is made in our workshop on Montalbo Road in Barnard Castle.

Fitting is carried out by our own team. On older properties this often involves working with openings that aren't perfectly plumb or square — we allow for this in manufacture so the door sits and operates correctly.

Hardware such as locks, handles and letter plates can be fitted as part of the job. Painting and finishing is usually carried out by a decorator once the door is hung — we work regularly with local decorators who can be recommended if needed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you match an existing door that needs replacing?

Yes, this is a large part of what we do. If you have a door that's rotted, damaged or simply worn out, we can work from the original to reproduce the style, profile and dimensions. Where the door has moulded details, we'll identify the correct profile from our cutter stock or have new cutters made if necessary.

What's the best timber for an external front door?

For most external doors, we recommend Accoya. It's a modified timber that performs well in the weather, moves less than standard softwood and holds paint well over time. Hardwoods such as Utile are also a good choice where a natural finish is preferred. We'll advise based on your property and what the door needs to do.

Can you make doors for listed buildings?

Yes. We have a good deal of experience with listed building work across Teesdale. This typically means reproducing the original door as closely as possible in terms of design, profile and materials. We can produce the technical drawings and cross-section details needed for a listed building consent application if required.

Can you make a door to a non-standard size?

Yes. Because we manufacture to order, there's no standard size we're constrained to. If your opening is an awkward height, width or shape — which is common in older properties — we measure the actual opening and build to fit it.

Can I supply my own glass or door hardware?

Yes, and some customers prefer to do this. We work with glass and hardware supplied by the customer regularly. If you've chosen a particular lock, handle set or glazing unit, we can build around it. We'll just need the relevant dimensions and specifications before manufacture starts.

Do you paint or finish the doors?

We don't carry out decorating work ourselves. Painting and finishing is typically done by a local decorator once the door is hung and any sealants are applied. We can recommend decorators we've worked with on previous jobs if that's helpful.

How long does it take to get a new door made and fitted?

We currently work to a waiting list of around two to three months, though this can vary depending on the time of year and what's ahead in the workshop. We'd confirm the current lead time when you get in touch. Smaller or more straightforward jobs can sometimes be turned around sooner.