Wood DG windows

[Kimberley88]

After studying the forum for a few weeks I decided to go with the hardwood double glazing rather than the UPVC. I have found a place to make them and the quality of the workmanship looks good.

I would like to know what questions I need to be asking to make sure I get the right hard wood, thickness of glass etc. Should they be treated before I get them if so how. Any suggestions or opinions gratefully received.

 

[biffvernon]

What sort of 'hardwood' is it. Something grown locally and sustainably like oak or something that involves destruction of the rainforest?

Are the dg units such that the window will conform to Part L of the Building regs? Probably have to be 4mm low-e glass with 16mm argon filled gap, and insulated spacers.

Do you want a wood finish or painted? If painted make sure you specify real linseed oil paint. With oak you have the option of doing nothing - leaving the bare wood to go grey with age or treat with linseed oil.

 

[Kimberley88]

Thanks Biffvernon,

I have been told the wood is Lauan I have the choice of having it stained but think I want to keep the natural wood colour.

and the glazing is 16mm K glass.

Will find out more when I call in at the workshop tomorrow as I want to see where and how they are made plus its easier to ask the guy making it the right questions than asking the shop assistant on the phone.

 

[biffvernon]

Lauan covers a group of timber species mostly belonging to the Shorea genus. Rater reddish in colour. Most of it gets turned into plywood but it is a durable timber. They come from South East Asia, Malaya, Phillipines, Sarawak, Indonesia. It is very difficult to establish that it has been sustainably grown. There is a lot of illegal logging and, frankly, if you care about the planet in general and rainforest in particular, you really shouldn't go near the stuff. Oak is environmentally sounder and looks better.

"the glazing is 16mm K glass. "

K glass is the hard low-e coated glass made by Pilkingtons. The coating goes on the outdoor face of the inside sheet of glass in a dg unit. The glass is normally 4mm thick and ideally for thermal insulation the gap between sheets should be 16mm. So the unit is usually descibed as 4-16-4mm or a 24mm unit. Thinner gaps let warth out by conduction acroass the gap. Wider gaps allow convection to take place within the gap and so it doesn't work so well (though sound insulation improves). Remember to specify the insulated spacer - not just alluminium, which allows heat to leak out round the edge of the window. Not all dg unit makers will give you the argon fill but those that do are no more expensive. It reduces the U-value by another couple of points.

 

[Kimberley88]

Thanks Biffvernon for your information, I will now be better armed for asking the right questions.
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