Week 27-29 - Making and Fitting Windows (1st phase)

We’ve all seen ‘Grand Designs’ and it’s always the windows/glazing that blows the schedule, right? Even the Germans can’t seem to get it done on time, and we all know they are the punctual elite on this planet! So is this problem solved when you make your windows yourself….?

NO, not really, as you’ve got to find the time to actually make them, which isn’t an insignificant amount of hours…. Never mind.

So we are making the first phase of glazing for the build, which is all windows and most doors for the road facing walls. (to follow will be river facing windows and roof lights)

I have decided to leave all external woodwork (windows, doors and cladding) un treated, ie. no varnish, stain etc. to naturally silver with age. Mainly because I think it is a beautiful effect and also its maintenance free – let’s be honest who ever keeps on top of their external varnish recoating, life gets in the way and I hate to see flaking paint.  There are only a few timbers you can actually do this with (oak, cedar and larch) and expect it to last. You need a timber with a high tannin (oil) level to stand up to the rain and sun etc.

 

For our windows and cladding we are using what the wood yard refers to as ‘Capri Oak’ but what I have always called ‘character grade’ oak. This basically means it is not as perfect a timber a furniture grade oak, so will have nots and shakes etc. in it, but is still very much structurally sound. Also about half the price of furniture grade oak. As we are making these windows over scale (extra chunky timbers) to help with the unfinished resilience, that makes a big difference.

The making of these windows has actually been a collaboration between ‘MOS’ and ‘Keswick Joiners’. I know these guys very well and they are extremely good at what they do, their tooling and machines are far better suited to the scale of the timbers we are using than my cabinet making gear. So they undertook all the major joint machining etc and I did the thinner glazing bars, gluing up, sanding and hinges etc.

 Timber all panned to cross sections needed

 Timbers for window frames (not sashes) shaped, groved, mortised and tenoned

 All internal edged need to be sanded before glue up as you will not be able to get into the corner afterwards

 Six window frames glued up and sanded ready for measurement so we can make the sashes (opening sections)

 Pair of glazed doors for the Juliet balcony on the street side of building.