External shutters

Luca_Festa

Also in Italy we have windows built in Middle ages...my speech regards quality and performance of a window!
I also think that you are right when you said that some kind of wood like douglas fir or, in general, hardwood are very good, but which windows producer can guarantee his windows for 20/30 yrs?

I think that Accoya it isn't the "panacea for all bad things", but when a material like this it is guarantee also 25 yrs below ground level.

So, you're a windows supplier?

Luca_Festa

Wait a minute...I don't say that wood windows are worse than Accoya (surely wood is better than uPVC)...

Sometimes it is not the material that makes the product different...but the producer!

leveller2911

Please_change_usernme wrote: »

So, you're a windows supplier?

Yes and no.

I have a small joinery workshop making doors,windows,staircases,kitchens, wardrobes and coffins....:D

In the UK when we make windows we have to achieve a U value of 1.5 or below for replacement windows and 2.0 or below for new houses. Most of my windows the U value is 1.1 - 1.2 and theres very little savings to be made in making the U value below 1.1 but thats just my opinion.

I also think trickle vents are like Panda bears.........

Both pointless

Luca_Festa

Hi Quizzical Squirrel, believe me in Italy all house have external shutters and you can fit them where you want (with brick wall you can easily use screw and injection mortar).

Luca_Festa

leveller2911 wrote: »

Yes and no.

I have a small joinery workshop making doors,windows,staircases,kitchens, wardrobes and coffins....:D

In the UK when we make windows we have to achieve a U value of 1.5 or below for replacement windows and 2.0 or below for new houses. Most of my windows the U value is 1.1 - 1.2 and theres very little savings to be made in making the U value below 1.1 but thats just my opinion.

I also think trickle vents are like Panda bears.........

Both pointless

Completely agree!! In particular about trickle vents (horrible)!
A question: in UK do you have to provide some kind of certification about your windows?
In Italy you must have CE marking and to sell the products you must have certifications about wind, water, thermal value and so on!

leveller2911

Please_change_usernme wrote: »

A question: in UK do you have to provide some kind of certification about your windows?
In Italy you must have CE marking and to sell the products you must have certifications about wind, water, thermal value and so on!

If you are a large company then yes you do need the CE marking but if you are a small workshop you don't need to because there is a clause whereby they understand that small businesses like mine make 100's of different types of window mouldings rather than the large companies who maybe only make 4 or 5 different types of mouldings/windows. If a company makes "unique/1 off" type windows they don't have to comply with the CE marking.

The CE marking is in my opinion more EU bureaucracy we can do without and it costs a lot of money too and If I had to pay for every single different type of window I made it wouldn't be viable to work.

We don't need the CE marking scheme its yet another aspect of the EU we can do without. We use to have British Standards certification which worked perfectly well.

In the UK if you're fitting windows you either have to be registered with FENSA (where you say your windows comply with regulations) or the Local Council Building Notice system where the local building inspector visit the house to check that the windows comply with the regulations.

Luca_Festa

In italy it is a little bit different quite similar to Germany and France.
We work on the thickness of the windows: 68mm, 70mm and 90mm (we work only with the 1st and 2nd).
In particular we have to reach 1.6 (new or refurb project) and starting from 2017 the value change to 1.4.
The CE certificate it is only a document as you said...it is the other documentations (like fensa in UK) that is very complicated.
We are a little factory and we work for recommendation! Asap I'll write my email and website to you via PM!

leveller2911

Please_change_usernme wrote: »

In italy it is a little bit different quite similar to Germany and France.
We work on the thickness of the windows: 68mm, 70mm and 90mm (we work only with the 1st and 2nd).
In particular we have to reach 1.6 (new or refurb project) and starting from 2017 the value change to 1.4.

Always interesting to see what other countries regulations are.When I travel to another country I like to look at their windows,doors,staircases to see how they make theirs. I've been to France,Spain,Belguim,Malta,Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam and there is some nice woodwork everywhere but also some very poor work too.

I've not been to Italy yet but I will get there,love the food..:D.
This Summer we are off to Croatia and next year Thailand/Vietnam so that will be interesting looking at the temples , boats etc.

The CE certificate it is only a document as you said...it is the other documentations (like fensa in UK) that is very complicated.

If you are only making the windows you don't need to be FENSA registered. If you are making and fitting them then you could join FENSA but I use the Local Council Building Notice scheme..FENSA is not a good scheme because the man who fits the window signs the certificate to say his work conforms to the regulations and they are very rarely checked to see if the work is correct.

We are a little factory and we work for recommendation! Asap I'll write my email and website to you via PM!

Small companies tend to make better quality windows,doors,staircases etc.

Furts

Please_change_usernme wrote: »

Also in Italy we have windows built in Middle ages...my speech regards quality and performance of a window!
I also think that you are right when you said that some kind of wood like douglas fir or, in general, hardwood are very good, but which windows producer can guarantee his windows for 20/30 yrs?

I think that Accoya it isn't the "panacea for all bad things", but when a material like this it is guarantee also 25 yrs below ground level.

So, you're a windows supplier?

A note regarding guarantees. Leveller2911 is correct with his reference to vacuum treating timber. There are countless homes near me, all in an exposed, wet and windy location in the UK. All had softwood vacuum treated fascias, bargeboards and windows. Some timbers and windows have been replaced but those with Sadolin or Sikkens finishes have remained durable for 30 years most often having received little, or no, decoration, since they were fitted. Even the white painted fascias and bargeboards have survived.

I took out my windows and replaced them - but there was not a speck of rot anywhere after 25 years of variable, or no, maintenance

Luca_Festa

Furts wrote: »

A note regarding guarantees. Leveller2911 is correct with his reference to vacuum treating timber. There are countless homes near me, all in an exposed, wet and windy location in the UK. All had softwood vacuum treated fascias, bargeboards and windows. Some timbers and windows have been replaced but those with Sadolin or Sikkens finishes have remained durable for 30 years most often having received little, or no, decoration, since they were fitted. Even the white painted fascias and bargeboards have survived.

I took out my windows and replaced them - but there was not a speck of rot anywhere after 25 years of variable, or no, maintenance

Absolutely Furts! Take into account that also the hinges plays an important role into the entire "window system". Accoya has decided to use Tricoat hinges by Maico (German company) a particular kind of galvanizing hinges.
The guarantee on this product is 10 years.