Tag: windows that look like wood

Which uPVC double glazed windows are the best for me? 🤔

We all want the best for our homes. But if we’re thinking about upgrading our windows, what exactly are the “best” double glazed windows for our home, and why? The best of anything will most likely depend heavily on your own personal needs, wants, expectations and inevitably your budget.

REHAU uPVC windows in oak effect with rectangle leads and traditional hardware.

One of the most popular reasons to invest in new windows is improved energy efficiency. Replacing old, draughty and rotten windows with new, energy efficient windows can make a huge difference to your home. They look better, cleaner, more up to date, and if you want to, it’s a great way to completely “reinvent” and modernise (or even re-traditionalise!) the entire look of your home.

FENSA HOMEOWNER: The best double glazed windows combine your preferred style with high-performance features that improve your home, without compromising on either aspect. Top benefits include improved security and energy efficiency, reduced maintenance, less condensation issues and impressive sound insulation. Discuss what you want from your new windows with your installer, to ensure your investment offers the levels you need and if these are the best choice for you.

There are many different types of uPVC window, so how do you go about choosing the right type of window for you, your home and your budget?

Window styles and different types of window.

  • Casement uPVC windows in standard and flush fit (Rehau) ££/£££
  • Vertical sliding uPVC sash windows (ECOslide) £££
  • Timber replacement uPVC flush fit windows (Residence) ££££

A top consideration for most homeowners is what style of window they are looking for. Keep to the same look, or go for something different? If you’re looking to replace the original windows in your home, in most instances we would advise you to stay as close as possible to the existing aesthetics, as these tend to work better with the style of your home.

If you’re embarking on a major refurbishment project, this is a great opportunity to give your home a fresh new modern look.

However in some cases, particularly with Victorian and Edwardian homes, a previous window replacement may have resulted in the traditional window being lost to a modern casement that looks completely out of place. Reinstating new modern energy efficient sash windows or traditional style casements will make a significant improvement to your home’s visual aesthetics.

1. STANDARD uPVC CASEMENT WINDOWS (££/£££)

A classic 7-sided bay with new replacement REHAU uPVC casement windows. We’ve kept it as close as possible to the original windows, with diamond leaded lower sashes and rectangle leaded stained fanlights. Dummy sashes provide equal sightlines to the exterior.
Standard Rehau uPVC
Flush fitting Rehau uPVC
We install market leader REHAU "A" rated uPVC casement windows and doors as standard. Available in classic casements and the Rio FLUSH fit, our Rehau windows have been tested in accordance with, and meet, the highest requirements of BS7412 for the standard of a manufactured window.

Enhanced security: REHAU windows and doors are tested to the highest security standard giving you an added level of security to your home and family.

Weather performance: Independently tested, REHAU windows and doors achieve the highest BSI ratings for wind, water and air, protecting your home from the elements.

Low maintenance: REHAU windows contain a unique compound that guarantees a smooth, high gloss finish meaning that your new windows retain their pristine appearance for years to come. This also means that they will never warp or rot and, of course, will never need painting.

2. VERTICAL SLIDING uPVC SASH WINDOWS (£££)

Ugly casement windows that are completely out of character from an earlier replacement install are replaced with traditional style ECOSlide vertical sliding sash windows in uPVC with single astragal Georgian bar. What an improvement!
ECOSlide 3-sided bay interior
ECOSlide easy clean sashes
We install the "A+" rated ECOSlide sliding sash window by market leader Victorian Sliders, Europe's largest specialist manufacturer of uPVC sash windows. Available in a range of colours and features such as arched and swept heads.

Weather performance: Independently tested, the ECOSlide sash window has been evaluated in accordance with BS.6375 Part 1 “Performance of Windows: Classification for Weathertightness” and has achieved outstanding results. The figures achieved indicate that the tested Weather Performance Rating for the ECOSlide vertical sliding uPVC sash windows will meet “Severe” weather conditions.

Security: ECOSlide sash windows are designed with security in mind. Manufactured with an extruded anti-jemmy bar in the cill making them extremely secure. They also come with toughened glass, key-operated locks and travel restrictors, for extra peace of mind.

Low maintenance: ECOSlide sash windows feature an inward opening tilt feature to allow for easy and safe cleaning from inside the property. They are incredibly low maintenance, requiring only a quick wipe down with a damp cloth to keep them looking good as new.

3. PREMIUM uPVC TIMBER REPLACEMENT WINDOWS (££££)

A complete change here! From the original crittal leaded windows to new timber replacement Residence 9 flush fitting windows in Painswick woodgrain effect foil. A traditional style that looks fresh and modern.
Oak finish Residence 9 flush window
Residence 9 window internal
We install the premium Residence Collection "A+" rated flush fit timber replacement windows, designed to replicate the traditional timber designs found in heritage properties throughout the UK. 

Residence enables you to replace your windows and doors with an authentic design in heritage colours, without losing the character appearance and feel of the period. It integrates market leading technology into the design using virtually maintenance free materials. Perfect for both traditional and contemporary style homes, the collection offers three options:

R9: Flush fit exterior with traditionally decorative interior that creates a classic aesthetic.
R7: Flush fit both externally and insternally.
R2: Flush fit contemporary style square frame, similar to the style of aluminium.

Check out our Residence teaser video below … go on, we can all dream! 😍

Add a little colour.

Choosing a different colour window can give an immediate update to your home’s kerb appeal. After standard white, anthracite grey is our most popular colour. All of our uPVC windows offer an exciting palette of colour choices, including both smooth finishes and woodgrain effect foils (that resemble painted wood) in the following options:

  • Colour/woodgrain effect foil external with smooth white internal.
  • Colour both external and internal.
REHAU uPVC windows in oak effect and anthracite grey. The mix of colours and the bold shaped windows to the front add a fresh contemporary edge to this property.
ECOSlide uPVC sliding sash windows in black.
The wow factor! Residence Collection uPVC windows and doors in silvered oak and ginger oak.

Recommended further reading:

For more information on our full range of uPVC windows or to chat with us further, please contact us:

Feeling Flush? We check out the new Flush casements that are giving wood a run for their money.

Gone are the days when people had to rely on traditional and expensive materials for older, quaint and period properties. Now you don’t have to compromise on appearance if opting for more efficient and modern uPVC solutions. 

One feature that would always stand out on a wooden casement window was that the casements would sit flush to the frame. This would give a neater, more symmetrical look, and until recently, it wasn’t something that a uPVC could emulate. Opening vents on a uPVC window sat proud from the frame, often creating unequal sightlines, and, if you chose dummy sashes to create an equal sightline (ideal for feature leads and Georgians), the vents could often appear bulky looking.

Examples of timber flush (left) and “lipped” casement windows. The “lipped” casement’s opening vent sits proud of the frame. The flush opening casement sits flush within the frame.

Wooden windows would often have a much more pleasing finish than a uPVC window, which at the time, would inevitably look like the smooth white plastic it was. Over years, the clean white finish would often fade, and take on a more grubby looking appearance.

Even the introduction of so-called “woodgrain effect foils” some time ago now, simply looked like a uPVC window pretending to be wood. It didn’t help that these foils were only available in a limited colour range – including the rather tangoed-tones of “golden oak” and the 80s inspired mahogany rosewood, neither of which looked anything like a genuine stained wooden window.

Example of an oriel bay window in the classic orange tones of Golden Oak, with dummy sashes throughout (so that all the leads line up). Does it look like wood? Not really.

uPVC windows may have been maintenance free with better thermal and security properties, but they were no match aesthetically for their wooden counterparts.

The problem was actually quite simple: that a uPVC window is constructed differently to a timber window. And until the construction of a uPVC window could match that of a timber window, it was never going to cut the mustard.

Finally some innovative companies began to push the boundaries in design and manufacture, producing windows and doors that included genuine timber aesthetics with improved woodgrain foils and traditional ironmongery. These windows, now usually marketed as “timber replacement” led the way in revolutionising the window industry. Consequently today we now have products that much more closely resemble the handcrafted qualities of genuine timber windows, but with none of the maintenance issues – the very best of both worlds!

Deceuninck Heritage flush casement window in English Oak with 90° timber effect corner welds and traditional pewter handles and stays. Does it look like wood? Yes it does!

Here at Ruislip Windows, we have not one, not two but THREE different Flush systems that we can offer our customers – the Heritage Flush from Deceuninck, The Rio from Rehau and our premium windows from the Residence Collection.

Residence 9 Flush casement window in light oak with 90° timber effect corner welds and ovolo putty horizontal Georgian bar. Does it look like wood? Yes it does!

Find out more about our Flush casement windows here and download the brochures from our website:

Want to know more technical details about our Flush casement windows? Then give us a call on (020) 8868 1133 or drop us an email – we look forward to hearing from you soon! 🙂

 

Solutions for planning and conservation areas

Conservation area woes – now you can have the best of both worlds with our Residence 9 windows!

 

“I’d love to replace my rotten old timber windows with a maintenance free option but I’m in a conservation area and need to obtain planning permission. The council won’t allow uPVC windows – what can I do?”

A conservation area is an area of specific architectural or historical interest, the character or appearance of which is desirable to preserve or enhance. Many towns and villages rely on historic windows for much of their architectural impact and character and inappropriate, poor quality replacement windows can easily erode traditional features on historic buildings.

ARTICLE 4
Article 4, as it is known, is when a planning authority applies to restrict development rights in a conservation area and replacement windows will then need to be approved by planning. Some planning authorities precluded the use of modern materials because the window designs were considered inappropriate in size, shape and design. However with the recent introduction of new profiles that are designed to resemble traditional wood, some authorities have now adopted a more modern approach and will approve the use of specific profiles because of their consideration of the Article 4 directives. Residence 9 has been specifically designed to replicate the documented historical window designs from the period.

Looks like wood – Residence 9 Window showing authentic looking ovolo/putty Georgian bars, flush sashes and 45 degree “timber effect” welds.

The design brief for Residence 9 was to extract the key principles, shapes and dimensions from the Article 4 Conservation Area guidelines for windows and integrate market leading technology into the design using virtually maintenance free materials.

Residence 9 is thermally and acoustically brilliant. It features the latest security, maintenance and performance innovations, whilst appearing completely traditional. Your windows won’t warp, swell, flake or need sanding and painting.

  • Residence 9 has nine chambers and is 100mm wide, resulting in superior thermal, acoustic, strength and security performance.
  • Achieves a certified window energy A+ rating
  • Can accommodate 44mm triple glazing and 28mm double glazing.
  • Attains U-values of 0.8 with triple glazing, PassivHaus Standard, and 1.2 with double glazing, far surpassing the British Building Regulation requirements.
  • All of this contributes to lower energy bills, keeping you cosy in the winter and cool in the summer.

Interior view of a Residence 9 window clearly demonstrates the authentic timber styling and feature monkey tail handles.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Residence 9 windows are not only stylish, they will withstand the test of time too. They include state of the art design features and champion British craftsmanship using time honoured traditions and modern manufacturing processes. With a range of splendid styles and configurations, Residence 9 allows you to create an individual design statement for your home – choose from a vast colour palette and a series of decorative options such as peg stays, authentic looking Georgian bars and weather bars to truly personalise your windows.

The devil is in the detail – these small but very important design features create an authentic looking window beyond comparison.

Download our latest Residence 9 brochure from our website here or give us a call and have a chat with John about how Residence 9 could work for you. We hope to see you soon!