Accoya® Wood: The Foundation of a Better‑Built Door

The design of a London Door Company door is always exciting, but we know that our clients demand more than just aesthetically pleasing entryways. A well-made door must stay stable through shifting seasons, protect against the elements, and hold its finish for years to come. 

This is where Accoya® wood stands apart. It keeps its form, resists movement, and offers the longterm reliability that elevates a London Door Company design from something beautiful to something enduring. 

Why Material Matters 

When a client invests in a bespoke piece, they expect it to feel not just perfect for their home right now, but dependable in the long run too. This is why we approach material selection with the same care as the design itself. The right timber supports the craftsmanship, protects the finish, and ensures the door feels reassuringly solid every single day. 

Meet Accoya®: A Timber Unlike Any Other 

Accoya® has a reassuring quality that clients feel the moment they use one of our doors. Designers trust it because it behaves exactly as a beautifully crafted door should. It has a sense of material integrity that doesn’t waver through heat, cold or the consistent rhythms of daily life.  

Accoya® starts life as natural wood, but its structure is carefully refined through a process called acetylation. Normal timber contains elements called hydroxyl groups and acetyl groups: 

• Hydroxyl groups attract and absorb water, which is why wood swells and shrinks over time. 

• Acetyl groups are hydrophobic, meaning they repel water. In natural wood, there are far fewer acetyl groups than hydroxyls, which is why wood can warp and be vulnerable to decay. 

During acetylation, the timber is treated with concentrated acetic acid at high temperature to gently replace many of those moistureloving hydroxyls with moistureresistant acetyls. The result is still entirely wood, just with a far greater proportion of the molecules that keep it stable.  

This process gives Accoya® its remarkable dimensional stability and longlasting durability, all without adding anything unnatural. 

The Benefits 

The strengths of Accoya® wood show up in the small, everyday moments that you’ll notice over time. 

Exceptional Durability 

Through the acetylation process, Accoya® is built to last. It has Class 1 durability and a proven service life of more than sixty years, so the door keeps its strength and structure long after installation. Accoya® moves 3-4 times less than traditional timber, so the door stays true to its shape through heat, cold, and humidity. The door opens and closes smoothly in every season, with no swelling, sticking, or twisting over time.  

A Flawless Finish that Lasts 

Accoya® holds a wide range of paints and stains exceptionally well, so the finish stays sharper and richer for longer. Colours remain true, edges stay crisp and the door maintains its premium look with far less upkeep. For homeowners, the design potential of your door is maximised and continues to stand out, even years after installation. 

Sustainability with Substance 

As well as the practical benefits of Accoya®, great care is taken to make sure it is a responsible material choice. Accoya® wood is always sourced from FSC® certified forests and carries Cradle to Cradle® Gold certification, so homeowners can feel confident about its environmental credentials. The timber is non‑toxic, fully recyclable and its acetylation process locks carbon within the wood to offer long‑lasting performance while keeping environmental impact low. 

Low Maintenance, LongTerm Assurance 

Accoya® needs far less upkeep than traditional timber. Because it resists movement and holds its finish so well, homeowners face fewer repaints and less long‑term maintenance. 

What This Means for a London Door Company Door 

Accoya® is our material of choice, as it gives our designers more confidence in every detail they create. Its long-term stability helps every element of the design to stay true to the original design, so the door you choose continues to look and feel brand new as the years pass.  

For homeowners, it brings a quiet certainty. A sense that the door doesn’t just match your style today but will welcome you home time and time again.  

In our workshop, Accoya® becomes more than a highperforming timber. It becomes the foundation for a door shaped with care, precision, and an understanding of how people want to live with it long into the future. 

An Invitation to Imagine More 

A wellmade door should feel effortless to live with.  

Accoya® gives us the foundation to create something that looks considered on day one and continues to feel that way long into the future. It offers strength, stability and a finish that stands up to daily life without demanding constant care.  

For homeowners, it’s a small but meaningful kind of reassurance. A door that stays true to its design and continues to welcome you home in the way it was intended to. 

Take the next step in imagining your new door by requesting a free brochure.