CHOOSING TIMBER DOORS & WINDOWS
Chris Bates takes a look at the key design and specification options that will help you add character and style to your home’s fenestration
Selecting windows and doors is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make on your project. These elements not only make up a huge proportion of your home’s architectural aesthetic, but they’re vital for bringing in light, providing natural ventilation and connecting indoors and out. And they need to do all of that while promoting good energy performance and security.
Wood-framed options are incredibly popular among self builders, renovators and home extenders – and for good reason. They combine the innate charm of textural timber with impressive insulation qualities and design flexibility. In fact, you can specify them for everything from wow-factor picture windows through to wide spans of sliding doors and fabulous entrances. And you can access all of that in engineered softwood, statement-making hardwood and a huge array of painted and stained finishes.
What’s more, many suppliers offer an all-in-one package for your project. So you can source your timber windows, doors and installation service from one company – giving you peace of mind, should anything go awry, that you’re dealing with a single point of contact.
Windows
Engineered softwood is a popular, durable and costeffective option for new or replacement installations.
Today’s versions use slow-grown treated timber to deliver an impressive lifespan, similar to hardwood, while typically offering better U-values than their aluminium counterparts.
Timber windows are available in the full range of opening styles, from traditional sliding sashes through to casements, top-hung and the latest tilt-and-turn versions (which offer secure ventilation and easy cleaning in one unit). What’s more, high-quality designs can be made with pleasingly thin sightlines – maximising daylight and views.
Switching between configurations can transform how you interact with your home: a large top-hung window with the handle at the bottom could be much easier to reach over deep kitchen worktops, for instance. And it doesn’t have to look architecturally different to standard casement units, so you can preserve a coherent aesthetic. Timber also lends itself well to large-format fixed windows, as well as curved, triangular and other bespoke designs.
If you simply can’t resist a premium product, then you can always upgrade to oak or another hardwood – but you should expect to pay about twice the price for the privilege. Alu-clad wood is another great choice (also available for sliding and bifold doors) that combines the character of timber with a low-maintenance aluminium finish.
Front doors
In combination with the main facade’s windows, your entrance will set the tone for the rest of your home in terms of style, quality, energy efficiency and more. Many entrances are now sold as factory-made doorsets, with the frame and opening panel provided to the required size as an easy-to-install, pre-hung unit.
While solid wood doors still have their place, particularly for heritage renovations, these days the standard option is a composite unit with a durable, high-performance engineered timber core that provides excellent insulation and noise reduction qualities. A composite product can be veneered in just about any finish, from painted wood in any RAL colour through to stunning hardwoods (such as oak,
iroko and walnut). And some suppliers offer matching units for garage doors, too. So there’s plenty of design choice – potentially more than with solid versions.
Most standard entrances come in heights of 1,981mm or 2,032mm, and widths from 700mm to 920mm. But many manufacturers offer bespoke sizes, too, sometimes enabled by the inclusion of steel reinforcement within the door. Opting for an oversized timber model can make a dramatic design statement, perhaps alongside structural glass panels to create a light-filled hallway.
You’ve even got choice when it comes to the hinging mechanism. If you’re after something a little different, then pivot doors (which rotate on a spindle embedded into the opening leaf) can deliver real wow factor. Do bear in mind, though, that they’re slightly more difficult to make weathertight and airtight than standard designs.
Glazed doors
We don’t have room here to solve the conundrum of exactly which glazed doors will work best for your project (see www.self-build.co.uk/bifolds-or-sliders for more on this hot topic). But whatever style you’re after, timber units could be a high-quality option for your project.
Engineered softwood offers a great balance between strength, stability, good sightlines (though not quite as slim as aluminium) and plenty of opportunity for personalisation – all while delivering the opportunity to blur the boundary between indoors and out. And you can expect all of that at an accessible price point for your bifolds, sliders or French doors, with the option to upgrade to engineered hardwoods if you want a more unusual look. And, as with windows, you can switch to alu-clad versions if you want a modern and low-maintenance aesthetic.
Sliding doors offer the opportunity for the best glassto-frame ratio for maximising views, but bear in mind that bigger timber units can be quite heavy. So, you may want to opt for a lift-and-slide mechanism. With this setup, the door sits directly onto the track when closed (for the best seal). Turn the handle, and it is raised onto heavy-duty running gear to allow for smooth operation.
One caveat with timber sliders is that you can’t achieve quite the same spans as you would with ultra-strong aluminium designs. This is less of an issue with bifolds, which typically use fairly standard-sized door panels.