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ASK THE EXPERT Shedding some light


Martyn Haworth from Bison Frames answers your questions about the wide range of window and door options available to self-builders, while describing some of the benefits of different styles and materials, and what to watch out for


indows and doors clearly play a crucial part in the overall look of your self-build, so choosing the right products is key. But the vast choice of styles and materials can be pretty overwhelming ,and make it hard to know where to begin.


W WHICH ARE THE MOST POPULAR


TYPES OF WINDOWS AND DOORS? In terms of materials, most modern windows and doors are made from PVCu, aluminium or timber. There are other options available (such as steel or hybrid), but they’re not so common. Of the three, PVCu is still dominant, especially for


windows. At the same time, timber continues to decline. It still has its niche, particularly in the high-end replacement market, but isn’t used so much on new build and self-build projects. In contrast, aluminium declined badly in the 1990s but is making a strong comeback.


STYLES AND DESIGNS SEEM TO BE


CHANGING; WHAT’S AVAILABLE? When it comes to window designs, casements sit in the number one spot, followed by more specialist styles such as sash windows. More traditional styles are seeing a big increase in demand, partly driven by improvements in the versatility


of PVCu, allowing it to be used to create much more authentic looking windows. As a result sash windows have been growing in popularity for several years, and more recently traditional flush casements have burst onto the market. For doors it’s a different story. Composite doors are by far the most popular choice for entrances – their range of styles, colours and designs means that they can cater for almost every taste, at a reasonable price. Around the back of the house bi-folding doors are popular on new builds and extensions, while French doors are often used on refurbishments where bigger doors are impractical. Patio doors, which almost died out completely in the 2000s, are on the rise again as well.


WHAT ARE THE RELATIVE MERITS OF PVCU?


The choice of material is governed by several things – not least personal taste. However, the two biggest considerations are generally style and budget. PVCu is the market leader for a reason. It performs well in terms of insulation (both heat and sound) and security, it requires almost no maintenance and is generally the cheapest option. Its downfall used to be appearance – standard white PVCu was plain and bulky and in the early days earned a reputation for discolouring.


That has been resolved now though; modern PVCu can be made with a variety of woodgrain finishes and in a huge range of colours and shades. It performs better than ever before, the development of UV stabilisation means that it no longer discolours, and it’s fully recyclable up to 10 times, making it more environmentally responsible.


Also, more care now goes into the way it’s designed into windows, with developments such as PVCu sash windows and flush casements accurately mimicking the styles and designs of traditional windows. In short, PVCu has come a long way from the plain white frames of the 1980s and 90s.


WHAT ABOUT ALUMINIUM? The key benefit of aluminium – both in windows and doors – comes from its inherent strength. That means its profiles can be slimmer than other materials,


8 www.sbhonline.co.uk may/june 2018


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