Journal
Door Stripping Leeds: Victorian Pine Doors, Free Collection
Door stripping for Leeds homes is done at Double Dipper's workshop in Honley, and Leeds is inside our free 20-mile collection area. We dip or hand-strip painted doors back to bare timber, then neutralise and dry them. Internal pine doors start from £60, external doors are £80–£95, and most doors are ready in 7–10 working days.
- Leeds is within our free collection radius, so there's no collection charge on larger jobs.
- An internal four-panel pine door is from £60. A whole house of doors works out at about £55–£80 per door.
- Sound doors are dipped; fragile, veneered or glazed doors are stripped by hand.
- Doors come back bare and ready to wax, oil or paint, or finished in the workshop if you prefer.
Why do so many Leeds houses have painted-over pine doors?
Because Leeds built a huge amount of terraced housing in the Victorian and Edwardian years, and almost every house was fitted with pine doors meant to be painted or grained. Over the following century, those doors picked up coat after coat of gloss. By now, many have paint so thick the panel mouldings have disappeared.
The city's housing is varied, but the doors are often similar:
- Through-terraces and back-to-backs in areas like Harehills, Armley, Beeston and Burley, usually with four-panel pine doors throughout.
- Larger Victorian houses around Headingley, Chapel Allerton and Roundhay, with taller doors, heavier front doors and sometimes stained or etched glass.
- Edwardian and inter-war semis further out, often with panelled doors in the styles of their period.
Most of these doors are solid, slow-grown pine that strips back well once the paint is off.
What does door stripping involve?
Door stripping takes a painted door back to bare timber so you can refinish it. At Double Dipper, we choose between two methods for each door:
- Dip stripping in the stripping bath for sound doors. It clears paint from mouldings, beading and panel corners in one go.
- Hand stripping for doors with loose joints, thin veneer, old glue, or glass that has to stay in.
Every door is then neutralised and dried, and the detail is finished by hand. We tell you which method we'll use before we start. The full process is on our door stripping service page.
How much does door stripping cost in Leeds?
Leeds customers pay the same as anyone who drops a door at the workshop, and collection is free within our 20-mile radius:
| Door | Price |
|---|---|
| Internal four-panel pine door | From £60 |
| External or stained-oak front door | £80–£95 |
| Whole house of doors, stripped as a batch | About £55–£80 per door |
All prices include neutralising and drying. The final price depends on the door's size, the number of paint layers and its condition, so we quote from a photo. See the full door stripping price guide.
Doing up a Leeds terrace? Send a photo of your doors on WhatsApp or call Daniel on 01484 666 333. You'll usually get a price and a collection date within a day or two.
Do you collect doors from Leeds?
Yes. Leeds is inside our free 20-mile collection area, so there's no collection charge on larger jobs such as a full house of doors. For one or two doors, some customers prefer to drop them at the workshop at Unit 3, Crossley Mills, Honley, HD9 6PL.
Before collection, please:
- Take off handles, hinges, locks and letterplates, and keep them together.
- Label each door with the room it came from, so they go back in the right openings.
- Tell us about any door with glass, loose joints or damage, so we can plan the right method.
How long will my doors be away?
Most doors are ready in 7–10 working days. A whole house of doors usually takes about a fortnight. Spring and early autumn are the busiest times, so book early if you're working to a fixed date.
Should I strip Leeds terrace doors myself?
You can, but it's slow and messy. A painted four-panel door can take a full weekend with a heat gun and scraper, and paint usually stays in the mouldings. Older paint may also contain lead, which shouldn't be sanded or burned inside the house. Read our guide to safely stripping lead paint from a Victorian front door before you start.
Sending doors to a workshop keeps the dust, fumes and mess out of your home, and the doors come back clean and ready to finish.
What should I do with my doors once they're stripped?
That's up to you. Many Leeds customers like the look of waxed pine; others paint the doors again, now that the detail is crisp. We can finish them for you in the workshop with Osmo, Fiddes, Farrow & Ball or Little Greene, or you can do it yourself with products from our wood finishes shop. For help choosing, see paint or wax stripped pine doors: a craftsman's guide.
Get a door stripping quote in Leeds
Double Dipper has worked from Crossley Mills in Honley since 2016 and is a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen. We also strip furniture, cast-iron fireplaces, radiators and gates for Leeds homes.
- Call 01484 666 333 or email info@doubledipperpaintstrippers.co.uk.
- Send photos through our contact page.
- Read more about paint stripping for Leeds or see finished doors in our gallery.
