How to store Louvre doors before installation

Interior louvre doors are becoming more popular and are a great asset to any home. The open louvres in the doors encourages air flow so when used on cupboards or airing rooms it prevents any ‘musty’ smells building up. To ensure you get the best out of your door and to preserve quality you need to give some thought into how you are going to store the doors until you are ready to install them. These are some handy tips to help you:

1) Leave the louvre doors in their individual cellophane wrapping until use. This protects the doors from dust, dirt and grease.

2) Timber is a natural fibrous material that absorbs and loses moisture. Moisture can cause timber to expand and similarly lack of moisture through drying can cause shrinkage. Before installing your louvre doors it is important to leave them in the room they are due to be installed in or a room that has similar humidity for at least 24 hours beforehand. Doing this allows the doors to become accustomed to the conditions and should reduce the possibility of expansion or shrinkage.

3) Do not leave the louvre doors next to radiators, heaters or in front of windows as this will leave them exposed to a heat source from just one side. For example, if a door is leant next to a radiator, only one side of the louvre door will be exposed to the heat resulting in that side getting hotter. This can lead to warp and bow. This is why louvre doors that are built with engineered stiles offer significant benefits. Look here for more information about engineered stiles.

4) If you have purchased your louvre doors well in advance of an installation you should not store them somewhere where they could be exposed to cold or damp i.e. a cold garage, a loft or a porch. A cool, dry place is always the ideal. Just remember to move the doors into the room where they are being fitted or a room of similar humidity 24 hours before installing.

5) If you have recently plastered the room you are installing in then wait until the plaster has dried before storing your louvre door as plaster has moisture in it which evaporates as its drying out.

6) When storing louvre doors ensure you lay them flat. If you leave a louvre door leaning against a wall the weight of the door is rested entirely on the top part of the frame and if left this way will encourage the middle of the door to bow or twist because there is no support beneath it.
7) If you don’t have the space to lay the doors flat place the doors in an upright position but ideally this should only be for a short period of time. Also try to keep the doors as upright as possible.

8) It is not ideal to leave the louvre doors lying on the floor if you have underfloor heating or if the ground is concrete and cold. In this instance find some method of elevating the louvre doors such as a pallet, battens or even books. Ensure each side of the door is equally supported to avoid warping. Doing this also protects the doors from any potential spillages and allows air to circulate.

9) If you have trimmed your louvre doors to size it is important to remember that any unfinished edges should be sealed with paint or varnish to prevent moisture absorption or loss.

Whilst the build quality of the door you have purchased is key to its longevity this is not enough on its own. You have to do your part to keep the door in good condition and to avoid potential problems arising in the future. The simple steps contained in this article should assist you.

For Simply Shutters full range of interior louvre doors click here.