Today’s sash windows combine durable smooth-running systems with elegant design to achieve heritage appeal
If you own or are thinking about buying a heritage property, then sash windows will no doubt form part of the appeal.
Their elegant style is pleasing on the eye and complements the qualities and simple symmetry of heritage buildings.
But sash windows suddenly got sassy. The latest versions include curved frames and sealed double glazing units.
Yorkshire based Patchett Joinery has been a family business since 1840, so understand more about sash windows than most. They have embraced the benefits of modern manufacturing to meet today’s standards for thermal insulation, draft proofing and noise reduction. They create wood sliding sash windows to any specification which stand the test of time.
Their leading-edge approach means that traditional designs and operating mechanisms are vastly improved by modern smooth-running systems and durable timber frames, with extensive anti-rot guarantee periods.
Sash windows don’t rely on hinges for opening. Instead they have a clever system of nylon cords and pulleys which counterbalance the weight of the opening sash.
The mechanism gives you control when opening and closing the window – it’s perfectly possible to have your window slightly ajar and locked into place, allowing a draught to come through whilst also keeping your building safe with self-resetting restrictors.
But the simple elegance of sash windows can be overshadowed by their reputation for being difficult to manage. Older sash windows can suffer from sashes that twist, making opening very difficult, and have no form of weather proofing.
A timber box sash window is the traditional sash that most people know.
Designed to replace the originals and found in many Georgian and Victorian houses, today’s weights and pulleys systems are traditionally constructed and designed to incorporate modern technology, meeting today’s energy performance regulations.
An alternative to the traditional weights and pulley system is a concealed spiral balance system.
These still meet today’s high-quality standards but tend to be more cost effective and ideal for new builds where the window can be fitted in between the window reveals.
Instead of the weights & pulleys system, these windows use spiral rod torsion and tension springs in a self-contained balance for smooth and easy opening and closing.
The latest timber technology is central to the manufacture of traditional windows. Accoya is the world’s leading high technology long life wood created from sustainably sourced, fast growing softwood in New Zealand.
Accoya undergoes a non-toxic process that permanently modifies the wood structure to the core, so there is no need to apply additional chemical preservatives. Windows made with Accoya come with a 50-year guarantee against rot.
Engineered redwood is the most used softwood timber for frames and sash. The timber is engineered to remove knots and other unsightly blemishes and defects which reduces wastage compared to natural timber and is much more environmentally friendly. Primers and microporous water-based paint finishes improve the lifetime of these frames, which are guaranteed against rot for 30 years.
Red Grandis is a commonly South American hardwood sourced from sustainable and carefully managed timber plantations. Red Grandis comes with a 30-year guarantee against rot and offers a legal, sustainable and fast-growing alternative to uncertified Sapele or Meranti timber.
www.patchett-joinery.co.uk/
