CASEMENT WINDOWS

Casements permit the directional streaming of available breezes and are simple to operate. They project beyond the outside wall and can be a hazard to pedestrian traffic when used at ground level or on decks.

AWNING OR HOPPER WINDOWS

Traditionally an awning window was top hung open out and a hopper window was bottom hinged open in but the two terms are now both used jointly for top hinged open out windows.

hopper window

gas strut window

SLIDING WINDOWS

2 sash
sliding windows

Horizontal sliding windows have similar characteristics to vertical double hung sliding windows but are not as secure or economical. Woodworkers sliders feature brass track top & bottom and all rollers are adjustable stainless steel, making them the best available.

BI-FOLD WINDOWS

2 sash
bifold window

Horizontal sliding windows have similar characteristics to vertical double hung sliding windows but are not as secure or economical. Woodworkers sliders feature brass track top & bottom and all rollers are adjustable stainless steel, making them the best available.

LOUVRE WINDOWS
Louvre windows are generally expensive and have a number of inherent safety, security and screening issues but are popular for architectural situations where fully adjustable ventilation is required.

glass louvres

timber louvres

jalousie louvres

WHAT TYPE OF GLASS DO YOU USE IN WINDOWS?

All glass used in both windows and doors needs to comply with the Australian Standard AS1288-2006 if your building is to pass the certification process. In windows this standard requires that glass deemed to be in a 'human impact' area needs to be safety glass depending on its size and position (particularly for bathrooms, rooms with a spa, stairwells, items 600mm off the floor and full height items. For further clarification see our separate FAQ sheet on timber + glass or consult with our sales staff. There are issues in matching most of the heritage obscure and coloured glasses commonly found in restoration work as most of these glasses, if still available, are usually 3mm thick and therefore not acceptable under the current codes. Ask our sales staff if the glass you propose will be compliant in any particular situation, as the onus is on the buyer to correctly advise the supplier if glass is to be installed in any locality where building code restrictions could apply.

WHICH GLASS OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

Clear Glass
For most general work 4mm clear annealed glass is used. Size restrictions apply to the use of 4mm annealed glass depending on the wind rating of your property e.g. for suburban areas N2/W33 max size is just under 2m². For safety glass 4mm toughened or 6.38mm laminated glass is used. For louvre windows requiring safety glass 6mm toughened is used.

Tinted Glass
There are inexpensive generic tinted glasses called Austints which come in Bronze, Grey and Green in both laminated and normal sheet glass form. There are also more expensive proprietary tints in Arctic Blue, Evergreen and Super Grey, the latter usually requiring toughening to give it stability. Tinted glasses in general do not give significant thermal protection but they do provide some UV protection and aesthetically colour the outlook from inside.

Performance Tints
There is a range of performance tints that have significant thermal properties by limiting the amount of heat that passes through the glass that also generally block up to 99% of UV radiation. Generally they achieve this through a surface coating which, although very tough, needs to be handled with care a little more than other glass types. These glasses are much more expensive than normal tints.

Translucent
Glass can be made obscure by surface treatment such as sandblasting, acid etching or printing, or by laminating clear sheets with a translucent silicone core. Sandblasting leaves the surface rough and makes cleaning difficult unless oversprayed with a clear protective finish. Laminated translucent gives a modern look and comes in partly translucent forms such as soft white or shoji (a rice paper glass) or full block out white translucent.

Obscure & Patterned Glass
There is a very wide range of patterned glasses which obstruct the transparency of clear glass. The minimum thickness of the glass anywhere in its pattern is taken as the thickness for purposes of compliance with the Glass Code. As a consequence, many obscure glasses are no longer compliant with current regulations as most are deemed to be only 3mm or less. Cold laminating processes exist to beef these glasses up to compliance thicknesses but the cost is high and the maximum size is very restricted.

Reflective Glass
Reflective glass rebounds the sun's rays and thereby limits heat intrusion. At night the process is reversed and the glass becomes a mirror to the inside which can be disconcerting. Permanent one-way mirror products e.g Mirror pane for special applications are also available.

Coloured Glass
There is a large range of special coloured lead lighting glass available in 3mm thickness which can be used in small areas (up to 0.1m2) for accents, depending on the position. They can be cold laminated at great expense for wider architectural use if necessary. Woodworkers only carry the arctic range of blue, amber, wine and green as standard. All other colours and patterns of coloured glass will have the additional cost of having to purchase a full sheet of each glass type added to the joinery cost.

Self Cleaning
Yes - self cleaning glass does exist and uses a special surface film to repel dust etc. Its cost is somewhat prohibitive at about $300 per sq m. It may be useful for inaccessible applications where maintenance is broadly impracticable but note that it only works if it is exposed to regular rainwater.

WHICH SAFETY GLASS DO YOU USE?

Safety glass can either be tempered glass (which breaks into harmless glass confetti) or laminated glass (which does not disintegrate when broken). Laminated glass usually comprises two layers of 3mm glass sandwiching a central silicone core which binds the panel together. It is usually 6.38mm thick but much greater thicknesses are possible for acoustic situations. It is used for most modern car windscreens and though relatively simple to break has the advantage that the panel remains intact after breaking due to the cohesiveness of the silicone core. Laminated glass significantly reduces sound penetration and can be easily cut and is therefore used by Woodworkers for most general fabrication work. Tempered glass, also known as toughened glass, is a process of reheating and cooling standard glass to make it more flexible and harder to break. It has approximately 4 to 5 times greater breaking strength than standard glass but cannot be cut or machined after toughening. It is easier to scratch than normal glass but is much lighter than laminated glass. Woodworkers use toughened glass in many of their stock doors but do not use it for general joinery fabrication work.

DOES WOODWORKERS USE PUTTY OR BEADS TO FIX THE GLASS?

Both. Traditionally linseed oil putty was used for glazing external joinery in either white or brown tint. Putty is extremely weathertight but has the disadvantage that it will commonly take 10 to 15 weeks to become firm and it is prone to site damage through incorrect handling. It cannot be used with acrylic paints and is very attractive (while soft) to birds and animals for its oil content. It requires several days to 'set' before it can be transported and may sag in hot weather. As a consequence of all these disadvantages (and the invention of glazing silicones in the recent past) timber beads are now preferred for most external glazing. Timber beads are easier to remove to replace glass and are durable and aesthetically more attractive. Timber glazing beads are always on the outside face of the joinery and should be clear or paint finished so that the coating runs approximately 1mm onto the glass all round. Woodworkers will glaze custom joinery with putty or beads at the same cost except for curved work where putty glazing is substantially less expensive. Putty is used as standard for all curved work unless otherwise agreed as curved timber beads are both dangerous and expensive to produce.

WHAT IS THE WARRANTY ON DOUBLE HUNG SPIRAL BALANCES?

Woodworkers uses Whitco Spiral Balances which are warranted by their parent Assa-Abloy Australia Pty Ltd in accordance with Australian consumer law. If spiral balances become inoperative the onus to repair or replace them rests firstly with the hardware manufacturer. If it is faulty, it is the manufacturer that warranties it, not the department store. Assa Abloy warrants its Whitco branded products to be defect free in material and workmanship including mechanical parts for 10 years from the date of purchase by Woodworkers, subject to limitation and exclusions set out in their warranty (a copy can be viewed on their website Warranties and Guarantees).

Faulty/broken claims can be made by contacting Assa Abloy direct on
https://www.assaabloyopeningsolutions.com.au/en/contact/
Ph: 1300 LOCK UP(1300 562 587), Outside Australia:  +61 3 8574 3619

Whitco spiral balances are pre-fitted to manufacturers specification according to the size and weight of each sash under factory conditions. Removal of the sash and balances on site for painting or in some cases re-glazing and then the refitting of this product by inexperienced installers is a major cause of failure due to over or under tensioning. If you feel the product has a legitimate defect, Assa Abloy will repair the problem but will invoice the work if the cause isn't covered by their warranty. Woodworkers retains responsibility to ensure the warranty claim is fairly assessed.

The Woodworkers Company sell replacement spiral balances and have a video on their website explaining the process of removing and replacing spirals but do not undertake site repair work unless defects are advised at the time of delivery. We also have independent contractors that undertake this kind of work, which you pay directly to undertake replacement or retensioning work, where replacement isn’t a warranty claim.

CAN I HAVE A WINDOW OVER MY COOKTOP?

During the design process this should be cautiously considered as there are a number of drawbacks. Different appliance manufacturers may have different guidelines regarding the placement of windows near stovetops. Gas burners get particular attention due to the naked flame heat source. Generally the cook-top should be at least 200-300mm horizontally from any combustible material, and gas cook-tops require 500-600mm of clearance vertically. Remember to include your architraves (if any) when considering your window placement. The glass preference is for toughened glass because it is heat tolerant, but be aware that toughened glass is more easily scratched than ordinary float or laminate glass and therefore additional  care would be essential when cleaning. Given the nature of oily grime build-up likely in a cook-top window, the cleaning process will be at once more delicate and more arduous. Avoid low-E glass as the pyrolitic coating may be compromised during heavy cleaning. If the window is operable (rather than fixed) it may have an impact on the effectiveness of exhaust fans and the advantage of ventilation can be lost if gas burners self extinguish.

OPENING RESTRAINTS ON WINDOWS

The National Construction Code was amended from 1 May 2013 to require new buildings to be fitted with window opening restraints in bedrooms of residential buildings and early childhood centres. The requirement applies when the potential fall exceeds 2 metres and does not apply where the window is positioned 1.7 metres or higher above the internal floor. Windows affected must be restricted from opening with a mechanical restraint or screen so that a 125mm diameter sphere cannot pass through at any point. The restraint needs to have a child resistant release mechanism (e.g. a key lock) which can enable the device or screen to be removed, unlocked or overridden so, for example, the window can be cleaned. Woodworkers can advise on suitable options for window restraints but the final acceptability is at the discretion of the certifier.