Are sash windows on their way out?

The thing about sash windows is that we usually choose them because they stand out. They have been making an impression on people for centuries. So much so in fact that people have taken this once classic design and chosen it for modern housing too. Our job is to ensure they don’t degrade past the point of no return. To this end, we offer the top services for sash window restoration Northumberland has.

An excellent installation

The vertical sliding sash window is an excellent option. It is capable of opening to 50% of its area. Some styles open a little at the top whereas others do at the bottom. Some can also do both. Additionally, the window does not project out or interfere with your curtains. It can retain a really great look for almost any property.

The window style had humble beginnings. However, it eventually transformed into an advanced piece of mechanical joinery. From the 18th century onwards, it became nearly universal in Britain.

These sash windows correlate with the heroic age of Georgian architecture to a certain extent. It was so big that people in Britain saw them as a critical part of classical design. The window’s canonical form included a division into compact panes that were divided by glazing bars. Initially, the bars were thick but became slim narrow profiles.

The pane sizes arose in response to the restrictions of early glass manufacture. Also, with the development of float glass, reworked and new sashes at times only had one or zero glazing bars. The small-pane, three across format is the most common. This is because of the current admiration of Georgian architecture.

A lot of demand

Sash window restoration NorthumberlandThere has been so much demand that, with the introduction of plastic and metal windows, the sashes got reproduced in these substances. Spring mechanisms began appearing too, replacing weights and cords.

Moreover, there were hybrid imitations, at times with tip-and-tilt top sashes rather than sliding ones. Furthermore, bigger upper tip-and-tilt sashes became available. They did so to circumvent the opening limitation on classic models. This entirely contradicted the smaller-than-bottom-tradition of uneven vertical divisions.

At the same time, sealed double glazing units increased in popularity and became mandatory eventually. The result was issues relating to the reproduction of small panes. The visibility and thickness of the glass-dividing seals resulted in either bars stuck on one or both sides of the bigger panes or thicker glazing bars. These might have special spacers inside the double-glazing units. However, you can detect the pretence, not least when your seals fall and the friction gets exposed. Come to us if you need the greatest services for sash window restoration Northumberland has.

A costly solution

There have been persisting demands for top tier imitation Georgian windows. Thus, types have been created to circumvent these problems. These do cost a lot of money though, leading to them only being chosen if customers want to pay a premium.Yet, there are doubts of them becoming widespread.

Extra issues with draught seals in the sliding set ups shall make even these sorts of windows difficult to manufacture. This is with increasing thermal efficiency regulation. Moreover, by 2025, regulation could result in a demand for triple glazing. Alternatively, there may be increasingly engineered double glazing. This can make the issues more difficult to overcome.

The windows don’t appear on every traditional building

These window varieties aren’t by any means utilised on all traditional buildings. They simply became commonplace in Britain. It is the same for Portugal, New Zealand, Australia, The Netherlands, and North America. In other locales, side-hung casements are the normal window variant. You can find them on iconic buildings like Palazzo Rucellai and Palladio’s Villa Rotunda.

As such, the use of sashes isn’t to do with traditional or classical design. Rather, it is about preserving particular national attributes, not universal ones. Effectively, this is the reproduction of Georgian architecture.

No matter the architecture, windows are crucial parts of the design. Also, their form is one of the leading characteristics of building styles. It is unlikely that we would see the end of sash windows. They are such a pivotal part of the buildings they belong to that they would not be the same without them. In fact, they are one of the main reasons why we find these structures so attractive.

Ask us for help with sash window restoration in Northumberland

At David Humble, we take windows showing signs of deterioration and return them to top form. Thanks to the perimeter sealing system, our team can work from the inside. This is a much faster method and does not require any inconvenient or risky ladder use.

So, if you desire the finest services for sash window restoration Northumberland has, please let us know. We can save the windows for you.