Timber joinery is a beautiful choice for windows, because the result is so versatile. You can choose to leave the natural grain exposed for a touch of the outdoors, or you can paint over the frame for a smooth, modern finish. Regardless of how you treat your windows, you need to maintain them properly to make sure that their original finish lasts through the years.
It’s not as time-consuming as it sounds, and establishing a routine to maintain your windows is easy if you know what you need to do. From the experts at Atlas Glass, here is a breakdown of how to care for your timber windows.
Dust and bacteria will accumulate on the wood over time, which can cause mould or mildew to start growing (especially in humid subtropical climates like New Zealand). These pesky growths will grow into the grain of the wood, rotting away at it until it’s weakened and unsightly. To prevent this, you just have to wash the timber regularly without drying it out.
You’ll need:
Simply mix a small amount of detergent with a large amount of warm water and sponge away the dirt on the frame. If you’re washing your windows at the same time, make sure to wash them first, otherwise the dirt from the windows will drip onto the frame and you’ll have to start all over again.
Most window companies recommend that you wash your windows twice a year to keep them in good condition (especially if they’re old glass), so it makes sense to do some maintenance of the frames at the same time. After all, they’re the things holding your windows steady.
Wash your windows first, then follow up by washing the timber with the method described above. Check the wood over for any noticeable chips or scratches, and if you find them, repair them fast! Leaving these cracks to their own devices will cause them to move up the wood gradually, splitting it and making it vulnerable to damp and rot. Use a high-quality wood putty to patch the cracks and re-coat the wood once applied and dried.
New Zealand is a subtropical climate, so it is humid and carries a lot of moisture in the air. It’s important to note that this moisture will cause expansion and contraction of the timber, which wears it over time, but if you care for it properly a timber joinery frame will last a very long time.
Furthermore, if you live closer to the coast your wood will be exposed to a higher salt content in the air. This ages the wood at a rapid pace, so if you live coastally you should inspect and wash the timber once a month to keep on top of the salt build-up.
Designing and customising your home is one of the greater joys in life, so take the time to add a personal touch that will last you for years. Talk to Atlas Glass, the favourite Auckland glaziers, about retrofitting your existing windows or rebuilding them from scratch today.
Evolutions in modern glass are giving homeowners a lot to think about these days. You can now choose windows that keep your house warmer, reduce the UV radiation that makes it inside, and even eliminate noise pollution.
If you’re looking into replacing your windows and you’re wondering where to start, this is the blog post for you. Choosing the right material is all about assessing what you need in your home, then choosing the glass that will get you there. Read on to find out what each kind of specialty glass does, and how you can use it to design the ideal home for you.
Double-glazing your windows means placing more than one pane of glass in the same window frame, isolating a layer of air or inert gas (e.g. argon) between the two panes. Instead of passing through a single pane, heat has to pass through two panes and a layer of air, which drastically reduces the amount of heat that makes it through.
On its own, glass is usually fairly conductive, but with double-glazing implemented you’ll find that your house stays cooler in summer and warmer in winter. This option is great for anyone in a cooler climate, or if you’re looking to save on your electricity bill. If you’re truly in a chilly spot, you can double-down on your double-glazing with the inclusion of low e glass to further reduce any heat transfer.
Low e glass is short for “low emissivity glass”, which means that this kind of glass does not radiate absorbed heat energy as much as regular glass does. Microscopic pieces of silver and metal oxide float in an extremely thin polyester coating, drying down onto the side of the glass and working to reflect (rather than absorb) any heat travelling through the air.
Instead of absorbing heat from one side and radiating it out the other, this kind of glass will reflect radiant heat thanks to a thin low-emissivity film coating one side of the pane. In mild climates this kind of treatment is ideal, as it is less expensive than double-glazing but will help your home to retain heat in the winter months.
If you live in a particularly cold climate then coupling low e glass with a double-glazing method will put up a nigh-impenetrable barrier against the cold outside, and will prevent any heat from escaping from the inside.
Finally, we have acoustic glass, which is ideal for anyone living near a motorway or on a busy street. Sound travels via vibrations through air and solids, and the key to stopping noise getting in is to stop the vibrations in their tracks. That’s where the mechanics of acoustic glass come into play.
Acoustic glass is created by bonding two panes of normal glass together using polyvinyl butyral (PVB), creating a membrane that prevents sound vibrations from travelling freely through the glass. The vibrations get through the first layer as normal, but once they hit the PVB membrane and the second layer of glass they are significantly reduced.
You should consider having acoustic glass installed in your home if you live in a noisy environment and crave a quiet, peaceful home that feels removed from the chaos outside. You can bolster the effects of acoustic glass with double glazing as well, quadrupling the effects and reducing sound even further.
No matter which of these glass solutions work for you, Atlas Glass has you covered. We’ve been in the business of window-making for many years, so we can recommend the ideal choice for your home, source the glass, and install the windows with minimal hassle. Curious about where to start? Just get in touch with our friendly team today!
