Door Style · Period Statement
Arched Doors
Arched entrance doors and arched fanlights for Georgian, Victorian and period properties. Site‑templated and made to your reveal at our Westmeath factory.
An arched door — or more often, an arched fanlight above a rectangular door — is the defining detail of a Georgian or Victorian entrance. Period houses across Dublin, Limerick, Cork and the country towns were built with arched openings, and replacing them with rectangular off‑the‑shelf doors loses the proportion that gave the front of the house its character.
Wright Windows manufactures arched doors and arched fanlights to your existing reveal. We site‑template the arch, set the radius and springing points, and fabricate the door (and any sidelights or fanlight) to fit the original opening exactly. Available in uPVC, hardwood timber and composite — with the R9 Legacy composite system specifically engineered for conservation‑approved heritage work.
- Site-Templated to Reveal
- Full Arch & Fanlight
- Conservation-Friendly
- Made in Westmeath
Three Arched Configurations
Most period openings fall into one of three setups.
Full arched door — the entire door leaf follows the arch profile of the opening. The door swings as one piece. Less common; suits Gothic and Tudor‑style country properties.
Rectangular door with arched fanlight — the most common Georgian/Victorian configuration. A rectangular door beneath a fixed arched fanlight (sometimes with radial astragal bars in the classic “sunburst” pattern). The door operates as a standard rectangle.
Arched composition with sidelights — rectangular door, glazed sidelights one or both sides, with a continuous arched fanlight spanning the whole composition above. The grandest Georgian setup.
Why Arched
Key Benefits
- Keeps the original architectural detail. Restores the proportion of period openings instead of squaring them off.
- Site templated. We measure the arch directly — no off‑the‑shelf compromise.
- Conservation friendly. R9 Legacy composite and hardwood timber are accepted on planning‑controlled work.
- Decorative astragal options. Classic Georgian sunburst astragal bars in the fanlight on request.
- Increases period‑property kerb appeal — and resale value.
Specifications
Configurations & Detail
Arch Types
Full semi‑circle, segmental (shallow arch), Gothic point, or custom radius matching the existing reveal.
Fanlight Detail
Plain glazed, Georgian radial astragal “sunburst”, or custom bar pattern matching original. Toughened safety glass standard.
Process
Site template, drawing review, in‑house fabrication, hand finishing. Lead time typically a couple of weeks longer than standard rectangular spec.
Best Suited For
Where arched doors belong.
- Georgian and Victorian terraces and townhouses with original arched openings.
- Country houses, period detached homes and rectories built with arched front doorways.
- Protected structures and conservation‑area properties — spec timber or R9 Legacy composite.
- Restorations replacing modern square doors that were fitted into original arched reveals.
- New‑build “period‑style” homes wanting historically‑accurate Georgian entrance details.
Recent Work
Arched Door Project Gallery
Arched Doors FAQ
Common Questions
Should the whole door be arched, or just the fanlight?
Almost always the fanlight only, with a rectangular door beneath. A full‑arched door swings as a single arched piece — structurally and operationally more complicated, and historically less common. The rectangular‑door‑with‑arched‑fanlight pattern is the standard Georgian and Victorian configuration. We’ll match whatever the original opening calls for.
Can I get an arched door on a protected structure?
Yes, with the right material spec. For planning‑controlled work and conservation areas, hardwood timber and R9 Legacy composite are the materials accepted by conservation officers. Standard uPVC arched doors may not pass — the off‑the‑shelf plastic look is a give‑away. We’ll provide drawings and spec sheets for your planning application.
Do I pay extra for an arched door or fanlight?
Yes — arched work involves site templating, profile bending or specialist mitring, and dedicated fabrication setup. Expect a setup uplift on top of the rectangular equivalent. We’ll quote the exact difference at site survey.
Can I have astragal bars in the arched fanlight?
Yes — the classic Georgian “sunburst” or radial astragal pattern is the most popular detail for arched fanlights, with bars radiating from a centre point at the springing line. Plain glazed, leaded or custom bar patterns are also available.
Restoring an arched entrance? Send us photos.
Photos of the existing reveal and rough dimensions are all we need to get back with a feasibility and indicative quote. Site templating is included.
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