Restoration of a 100 year old doorset
MFM Joinery recently completed the full restoration of a unique set of entrance door to one of Cavan’s famous old buildings. These doors would be very familiar to anyone who attended St Patricks College in Cavan up to 2011, as they would have been the main access point to the original college prior to the new college being opened in 2012.
The building has now been renamed The Conaty Centre and houses the Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre. As members of the Irish Georgian Society, MFM Joinery support the organisations aim to conserve, protect and foster an interest and a respect for Ireland’s architectural heritage and decorative arts.
Restoration
Over the years, we have been involved in many conservation projects, mainly focusing on the conservation and refurbishment of windows and doors in older buildings. We have worked in private homes as well as hotels and other businesses.
This door had been in use for over 100 years as the main door of the building.
The restoration
Each leaf of the doorset was carefully removed and transported back to our workshop in Ballyhaise. The frame of the door was carefully refurbished and decorated on site.
Repair works
Following the careful removal of all the existing paint work the team at MFM were surprised to find little or no decay in the doors. There was also no remedial works present which is rather uncommon in a door of this vintage.
Final product
The door set was fully repainted in our spray shop and was brought back to its original home and refitted using the existing ironmongery, where it will easily see another 100 years.
The team at MFM Joinery take great pride in returning original pieces of joinery to their original condition and always do so in accordance with good conservation practice.
