New Garage Front and Door in West Kilbride
A complete garage front replaced at a property in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire. The old front was stripped out, a new front formed in channel lining, and a ledged and braced door hung to suit the opening and fitted with a 5-lever Yale lock.
External joinery — West Kilbride, North Ayrshire
Project overview
The original garage front had reached the end of its life — you can see the old door in one of the photos, split and weathered through. Rather than patch it, the whole front came out back to the opening so the new work could start from something square and solid. Everything in front of you in the finished photos is new.
A ledged and braced door
A ledged and braced door is the traditional construction for a garage or outbuilding: vertical boards held together by horizontal ledges, with diagonal braces running from the bottom of the hinge side upwards. Those braces are not decoration — they carry the weight of the door back to the hinges and stop it dropping on itself over time, which is exactly what had happened to the old one. The door was hung to suit the opening and finished in the same boards as the front, so the whole thing reads as one surface.
Channel lining across the front
The front itself was clad in channel lining, which gives the vertical shadow lines you can see running the full width. The door was made in the same boards so the whole front reads as one surface, with the door only showing itself at the joint and the handle. Shown here after painting, the shadow lines do the work — a flat sheeted front in the same colour would look like a box.
Security
A 5-lever Yale lock was fitted. Worth checking on any garage or outbuilding: insurers commonly ask for a 5-lever lock rather than a simple latch, and it is a small difference in cost at the point of fitting.
Scope of works
- Existing garage front stripped out back to the opening
- New front formed and clad in channel lining
- Ledged and braced door hung to suit the opening
- Door finished in matching channel lining boards
- 5-lever Yale lock fitted
- Hinges and ironmongery fitted and door hung to swing clear
The job
Photos from this project
The finished front Before — stripped back to the opening New door alongside the old one Finished in bare timber Channel lining and ironmongery
Common questions
What is a ledged and braced door?
A solid timber door made from vertical boards held by horizontal ledges, with diagonal braces running upwards from the hinge side. The braces transfer the door's weight back to the hinges, which is what stops it dropping and catching over the years. It is the traditional construction for garage, shed and outbuilding doors.
Can you fit a door to an unusual opening?
Yes. Older garages and outbuildings are rarely a standard size and the opening is rarely square, so the door and the frame have to be worked to suit what is actually there.
Do I need a 5-lever lock on my garage?
Many insurers ask for one on garages and outbuildings, so it is worth checking your policy. Fitting a 5-lever lock at the same time as the door costs very little more than a basic latch.
Read more about our external joinery across Ayrshire, see what else we do for homeowners in West Kilbride, or see more completed projects.
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