Doors & windows
For inherent charm and natural beauty, consider timber fenestration for your home. Sophie Vening discusses the options
If you're looking for a hardwearing, sustainable option, timber fenestration could be the best choice for your scheme
Whether you’re self building, renovating or extending, you’ll want beautiful windows and doors that will look great and provide the practical performance you need. There is a lot to consider when specifying these components, and you’ll be living with your purchase for a long time, so it’s important to do your research. Read on to find out what you need to know about choosing timber fenestration.
Benefits of timber
Windows and doors in this material can offer natural aesthetic appeal, design flexibility and amazing insulation qualities. Timber is naturally more thermally resistant than metal or PVCU, which gives it the edge on efficiency. Plus the material itself, whether softwood or hardwood, is taken from sustainably-managed sources, further enhancing your eco credentials. Wood units are also easy to repair – hence why some centuries-old fenestration is still in good working order. Upkeep is a little more involved than with some materials, but you can opt for composite designs, which feature timber internally and a low-maintenance aluminium external finish, to get the best of both worlds.
Windows
Engineered softwood is a popular, cost-effective choice for windows. This option is stable and durable, and the wood can be stained or painted (factory-finished options have lengthy guarantees). Upgrading to a hardwood such as oak can give you a premium look, plus the timber is even stronger and promises a longer lifespan, but you’ll pay for the privilege (typically around twice the price of softwood). Composite units are great for use in harsh weather environments and on modern-style homes, and are likely to come in at a similar cost to hardwood.
Once you’ve chosen the material, you can move on to styling. Outward-opening casements are a familiar choice. Large single units in standard sizes tend to be affordable, but split styles are available – perfect for cottages – and bespoke sizes can be achieved, too. Tilt-and-turn designs offer extra functionality, as you can tilt them open for secure ventilation, and are great for modern homes. Sliding sash windows are ideal for Georgian and Victorian properties.
Internal doors
There’s a lot on offer when it comes to choosing interior doors. Panelled units tend to have a traditional look, while flush versions – potentially featuring decorative inlays – are great for contemporary homes. You can choose solid wood for its natural beauty, or have a hollow core clad in moulded facings or finished in a thin timber veneer. If lack of space is an issue, sliding or pocket versions are a great idea as they don’t project into the room on opening.
Front doors
Your main entrance will set the tone for the rest of your home (see page 76), but it’s not just about style. A well-
fitted, strong model adds security, improves energy efficiency and can insulate against outside noise, too. What’s more, all of this can be achieved with today’s highperformance timber designs, ranging from affordable softwood products through to bespoke options featuring luxury hardwoods such as iroko or idigbo.
There’s no uniform door sizing, but most standard units come in heights of 1,981mm and 2,032mm, with widths ranging between 700mm and 920mm. You can choose from a standalone door or a doorset, which is supplied with its matching frame – great for consistency of materials and design (a pre-hung set is supplied with the leaf already mounted in the frame for a precision fit).
Glazed doors
Bifolds and sliders are great for achieving indoor/outdoor living. Sliding versions tend to offer the largest expanses of glass (the typical width of a folding panel is 1.1m, versus 3m for a slider). Consider a lift and slide mechanism for easy manoeuvring. Bifold leafs all slide to one side or can be split down the middle, and can stack internally or externally. They can also be used on a corner configuration to open-up two sides of a room. Timber and composite makeups are popular choices for both glazed door types, and units are available in a range of standard and bespoke sizes.
Installation
This part of the process is critical: after all, a door or window will only perform well if it’s correctly fitted. Many companies work on a supply-and-install basis, which gives you a single point of contact and responsibility – so your manufacturer can’t really blame your trades, or vice versa, for any issues. Key things to look out for are that the frame is packed, sealed and insulated correctly to achieve the intended level of energy efficiency; and that the units are positioned correctly (front-to-back) within the structural opening to avoid thermal bridging.
One way to give yourself greater certainty that your installation will be up to scratch is to work with firms that are registered with the Fenestration Self Assessment
Scheme (FENSA). If you’re renovating and your contractor or supply-and-fit company isn’t registered, you’ll need to get the installation approved by a building control officer.
Costs
While you can expect to pay more for timber than materials such as PVCU, you’ll be investing in a characterful, durable option that offers good value-formoney. Expect to pay from around £200 per m2 for softwood casement windows and from £350 per m2 for hardwood versions. Timber front doors can cost from £250, but will run up to £2,000 or more for a bespoke model. For internal wood units, expect to pay from £200. Bifolds start from around £1,500 for a simple threedoor run, with sliding setups coming in at a similar price, depending on spec.