WHY CHOOSE WOOD
At The Sash Window Workshop, we believe that wood is the best option for windows and doors in period properties.
People often assume that double glazed windows need to be plastic, wrongly thinking that wood window frames are only for single glazed windows. However, most of the timber windows that we sell at The Sash Window Workshop are double glazed.
Below are some reasons why you should choose wood rather than plastic for your replacement windows and doors:
LONG LASTING
- Timber windows and doors are a lot easier to repair than plastic. Unlike plastic windows which will fade or discolour over time due to dirt and UV exposure, timber windows can be updated with a new coat of paint or staining.
- Maintenance of timber windows and doors is also not required as regularly as you may think. Depending on the location of your window or door, at The Sash Window Workshop we recommend you repaint your windows or doors up to every 8 years.
- Warranties are generally longer for timber windows and doors, with most plastic companies only offering a 10 year warranty. At The Sash Window Workshop, our new windows and doors come with a 20 year joinery warranty, in addition to the 50 year anti-rot guarantee if Accoya, our preferred wood, is used.
Environmentally Friendly
- Using timber from sustainable forests means that trees are planted to replace any that are cut down. Timber is the most sustainable and the greenest choice of any window material.
- Although plastic can occasionally be recycled it is normally downcycled or thrown in landfill instead. Unlike wood, plastic is also non-biodegradable.
- The manufacturing process to make a plastic window also has a toxic impact on the environment. For every wooden window you install instead of a plastic window, you save around 160kgs of carbon dioxide.
- In a fire, plastic windows will melt, resulting in them give off dioxins and hydrogen chloride that can cause permanent respiratory disease.
Energy Efficiency
Timber is a naturally insulating material. This means that timber windows and doors provide better thermal efficiency than their plastic equivalents, helping protect you from cold winters.
Period Appropriate
- Timber windows and doors can help retain the value of your period property. 82% of estate agents in a survey commented that retaining period features, such as timber windows, added value to a property (source). Plastic timber lookalike windows and doors still often look like plastic close-up and will not feel like real timber.
- If you live in an article 4 Conservation Area, plastic windows are unlikely to be approved as many conservation officers demand authentic detailing and materials.
- Plastic frames are often thicker than timber window frames, so you may get less light into your property and additional building work may need to be carried out to fit the window into a period property. This additional work could end up costing you more than you originally expected.
- Replacement timber windows and doors allow you to retain the authentic traditional details, such as the style of glazing bars, joints and horns, with the same high quality performance that you would expect from a modern window.
To view examples of our previous work, view our gallery pages.
The Sash Window Workshop are proud to be members of the British Woodworking Federation. To be a member this organisations we are required to comply to their strict criteria, manufacturing high quality timber windows and doors.
In addition to replacement sash windows, we also manufacture and install wooden casement windows, external French doors, timber front doors and bi-fold / sliding doors.