Retrofit double glazing
Make a big difference to the warmth and quietness of your home by having us retrofit double glazed windows and doors into your existing frames
At Well Hung Joinery, we believe the best way to retrofit double glazing is to replace old single pane timber doors and window sashes with new custom made ones that can carry the weight of the new glass.
This complex, specialist job requires the skill of qualified joiners who are experienced in double glazing timber doors and windows. From the initial consultation through to manufacture and installation, you get that expertise from us.
All new doors and sashes are made from a selection of premium materials, such as Cedar, Pine, Accoya, Thermofixx, along with a wide selection of different glass types, and glazed using the latest glazing design and technology. They come fully primed as standard, but can be topcoated in our factory if you request this. Heavy duty draft seals and stainless steel hinges are fitted during installation. New hardware can be added if you need this.
Following is our retrofit double glazing process. Please have a read and then contact us to get on your way to a warmer, drier, quieter home.
How we work
1. Initial consultation
Give us a call on 04 494 7230 to set up a time for one of our sales team to come to your home. Or…send up a photo of the window/s you want double glazed, and we can provide a quote based off this. Easy!
When we visit, we’ll measure your doors and windows, inspect the existing frames, and discuss the different types of glass and infills available.
For example, using argon gas between the glass can reduce heat loss more than air alone. And adding thermally insulating glass, known as low-E glass, can further enhance double glazing’s thermal properties because it traps heat inside the room.
Your sales person will explain all these options to you before giving you a written quote which itemises each room with its cost. When you accept the quote, we may revisit your home to take final measurement and discuss any changes to your quote. Once this is all finalised, we begin making your new doors or sashes at our Wellington factory.
2. Manufacture
We use premium grade timbers for all external joinery, making sure your new doors and sashes are build using the most stable and weather resistant timber available to us. Once the doors and sashes are made, we order the double glazing units from our glass supplier. When they arrive, they’re glazed by our very own professional team of glaziers, using the very best in glazing techniques. Our glazing system allows for the glass to be fully drained, which is vital to ensure the glass does not fail over time due to trapped moisture. This also ensures you get the full warranty provided to us from the glass supplier.
Once glazed, and if you have asked us to, we will then topcoat all the new doors and sashes prior to installation. This is a unique service we provide, and means you don’t need to do any further painting of the doors and sashes after we have installed them. This is an especially useful service if the windows are up high and are hard to paint later.
3. Installation
When your joinery is made and glazed, we’ll contact you to arrange an installation date. We have our very own team of specialist installers who are dedicated to carrying out quality installations, and they will ensure you get the best final result.
Your old sashes and doors are removed one at a time, and the new ones are fitted into their place. New hinges and new or existing hardware is fitted as part of our service. Our installers will make any alterations necessary to make sure everything fits tightly and snugly. Your sashes and doors are now ready to be painted or stained, unless we have done this for you as an option.
Now you can sit back and enjoy the huge benefits of your new double glazed doors and sashes, knowing they’ve been made and installed to the highest of standards.
Compare Apples to Apples:
Our approach to “Retrofit” double glazing can be quite unique when compared to some other companies. Because of this, it is important that you understand the differences in how we go about “Retrofitting” compared to how some other companies may do this. We know our quotes can be higher than others, but when you understand the method of our approach, you will understand why.
Many other companies will “retrofit” double glazing into timber joinery by simply removing your existing single glazed pane of glass, machining out a larger rebate in the old timber sash, and then fit new double glazing into the old existing sash. The problem with this method is that your old sashes were not designed or made to carry the weight of double glazing. And to make matters worse, the larger rebate that is machined into the sash makes the old sash even weaker than it was when it had the single glazed glass in it. And to then add twice the amount of weight of glass back into a sash that has now been made weaker, is a potential recipe for disaster. Your old sashes are likely at the end of their life anyway, and will be showing signs of the joints cracking and pulling apart. So replacing the sash completely is the best approach to ensure you get lifelong satisfaction.
Here is what one client (not our client) had to say about this method:
“Please be very cautious of retro fitting double glazing (glass) into existing frames (sashes). The weight can’t be accounted for and water penetration over time is inevitable. Check their guarantee, it takes about 5-7 years before the systems start breaking down and by then their conditions don’t cover it.
Total scam, works in theory but not in practice. Not to mention they look ugly af.”
And another:
“Total disaster. Have had them come back twice to fix it up. Silicon smeared everywhere, avoidant behaviour, in the end got a different company to fix their mistakes and then they talked between themselves to settle the difference.
Later they admitted they shouldn't have retrofit our place as the joinery was too old, but they were more than happy to when they came around to quote!
Run a mile.”
Our Approach:
Our approach is considered a Premium service because of the methods we take. We FULLY replace all your doors and sashes. This means the timber “frame” around the glass (called the sash) is fully replaced with a brand new purpose made timber sash. And using modern joints, modern glues and the latest in technology, you end up with the very best. The rebates are made to carry the thickness and weight of the glass. And the glazing method ensures your glass is well drained and complies with the NZ standards for glazing. This ensures you get the full warranty from the glass supplier. At the time of writing this, our method of glazing is the only method that has been tested to comply with NZS:4211, which is the New Zealand standard specifying performance requirements for exterior windows and doors, covering strength, stiffness, air leakage, and water penetration. We feel that this is pretty important…
The end result is virtually the same as giving you a brand new window or door unit. We do it this way as we truly believe that this is the only way to go about Retrofitting timber joinery. Please reach out to us if you have any questions. We are experts at what we do. We have a long history of doing this work, and our Google Reviews are a great way to read what our clients say about us. And please make sure you truly compare apples with apples. Understanding what you are paying for could save you in the long term.
Here is what one of our clients had to say about our method:
“We recently had two large eight panel windows replaced in our house with bespoke double glazed sashes to match the style of our historic house. Stephen was quick to come measure and get us sorted. The windows are beautiful and have kept the character of our home while bringing us into the 21st century! They talked us through all the considerations and things we'd need to do for install, finishing and maintenance.”
And another:
“I had all sashes in 1910 cottage replaced with timber framed double glazed sashes, plus a new glass door installed. Beautiful workmanship, professional friendly staff and great price! Thanks Team”
A word about condensation
Condensation is generally recognised as being caused by the moisture in your home and the difference in temperature between the outside and the inside. The air inside your home contains moisture from your day-to-day activities. Showers, cooking and even breathing will add moisture.
When the inside temperature cools down, the air cannot hold as much water vapour. The result is that the water vapour condenses as a liquid and becomes visible particularly on cold surfaces such as windows.
By insulating your windows with double glazing, you reduce the likelihood of condensation forming on the inside surface of the glass. The moisture is still present in your home though, which is why it is important to also have a well-ventilated house.
Adding in low-E glass, which is a superior, high performance double glazing, will help retain the heat inside your home even more than standard double glazing will. Low-E glass works by reflecting the inside warmth back inside the room.
Because of the nature of this high performing glass, the outside pane can get cold overnight, and in certain extreme situations, can have condensation form on it. This is not considered a defect of the glass, but is actually a sign that this high performing glass is doing its job by keeping the warmth inside the room. As the exterior temperature rises, this condensation should clear up.
Gallery
See some of our retrofit double glazing projects.
