When UPVC sash windows first hit the scene, they were just a cost effective way of replacing traditional windows. At the start, there was no thought of preserving heritage. In the beginning, people were hasty to buy these windows; even though they were very limited in the models they came in. People were quick to buy because sellers promised them to be secure and maintenance free.

After a short while people started to realize these facts to be false, these windows were discolouring and eroding very quickly. Many models proved to be fire hazards in lower income houses. Windows that do not serve as a fire exit and accidental house hold fires are a horrible mixture. Some house owners who have sash versions, would not replace them for any reason. Very often, Victorian and similar period homes, have old sash models and a history attached to them. A Victorian or similar period home, will be priced based on it’s original features, not it’s newer maintenances. The windows required to keep the original feel and look have to be made of timber, even though these windows waste a lot of energy.

In this day and age we can have both, newer maintenance and original looks. There are brilliant UPVC sash windows being offered now. These windows can be bought in a variety of colours and styles. They are almost impossible to tell apart from timber trimmed models. They do not loose colour and erode like previous versions and your old home will not loose any value if you go with these latest models.

Replacement windows really have progressed a great amount. There are less and less craftsmen every day to do repairs, so a window that is very stable on it’s own, is a necessity. If you are hesitant about moving on from original timber windows, just check out the new selection and see how you feel about it. UPVC windows were always a grand idea; they just had to be perfected. Now these windows have had all their quirks worked out; now they are ready to go in every home.

UPVC sash windows are very affordably priced, they are worth every penny you spend on installation and initial purchase. All users of the new models have had nothing but good things to say about them.

Timber has many intrinsic qualities, its strength and durability as well as its natural warmth and beauty. However there are a number of essential considerations when specifying wood for your windows and doors.

~ What type of wood is best? ~

There are various species of timber. Timber needs to be treated to provide protection from environmental damage, decay and insect attack. It avoids expensive remedial costs and preserves the integrity of the timber for long-term use. Hardwoods tend to have more heartwood and require less protection. Softwoods tend to have more sapwood and therefore need more protection. Consideration must be given to the following types of hazard

1. Internal with no risk of wetting and/or condensation.

2. Internal with risk of wetting and/or condensation.

3. External above damp-proof course – painted.

4. External above damp-proof course – uncoated.

Discuss the type of wood best suited for your home with an architect or a local manufacturer.

~ What effect does climate have on the choice of timber? ~

If you live in an area where the air is dry most of the time you should only choose kiln-dried timber. It has considerable benefits over air-dried timber. Kiln-dried timber is subjected to controlled heat procedures that create a stable moisture gradient throughout the timber. Kiln-dried timber is checked for moisture content between 8%-12%, which is the range allowed by standards authorities. Air-dried timber exposed to hot sunlight dries out unevenly and will tend to crack, twist or warp. Always check that you are supplied with the correct timber for dry air conditions – Kiln-dried timber. Air-dried timber is often used where the air is humid most of the year.

~ How important is the thickness of wood used in window and door manufacturing? ~

Exterior windows can be manufactured in a range of thickness depending on the type of window and quality required. Thick sashes in windows offer a much longer guarantee than thin sashes and are therefore of a higher quality. Exterior and interior doors can be manufactured in many different thicknesses and styles from flush to panelled and it is advisable to make your choice after consulting catalogues from local manufacturers. Generally, the thicker the wood used the higher is the quality and the longer the guarantee. Selecting inappropriate size and thickness of windows and doors can detract from the value of your home. Quality products that combine character and performance will certainly add value.

~ What alternative types of finish are available? ~

Finishing your products is important because it must be done in a timely manner to meet guarantee requirements. Deciding on the type of finish you want well in advance of manufacture is advisable. The options fall into three categories, stains, paints and sealers. Visit your local store or manufacturer for professional advice and recommendations on how to address your specific needs. You need to consider

1. which finishes perform best in my region of the country

2. how does temperature and humidity level affect my choice of finish?

3. should you choose an interior or exterior product.

4. are the prestain, stain and finish coat compatible?

By taking these points in consideration when selecting wood for your windows and doors you will ensure that you will get the maximum benefit out of your wooden windows and doors.

Home improvement projects are an easy way to give your home a face lift and add value at the same time. Replacement windows and exterior home doors will also save you money. That’s one reason why vinyl windows and doors are a popular choice for remodeling projects.

There are many home improvement articles that will guide you if you are thinking of replacing your exterior doors and house windows. A key question when undertaking a home improvement exercise is the choice of material for replacement windows and doors. Whether you’re talking about front entry doors, French doors, sliding patio doors or outside doors, your choice of material is generally between wood and PVC or plastic doors.

Exterior doors made of wood are available in a wide variety of designs and colours, which may be a deciding factor for some home renovators. However, there is no denying that wooden external doors require considerably more maintenance than vinyl or PVC doors. For one thing, wood will eventually rot and will need to be replaced. It is highly susceptible to weather damage and constant weathering means you will need to repaint exterior home doors at regular intervals. With the need for an undercoat and a gloss coat, this can quickly become expensive.

In contrast, exterior home doors made of PVC or vinyl require comparatively little maintenance. They are resistant to weathering, and exterior doors will maintain their finish even after years of constant exposure to the elements. This is one reason why with exterior doors PVCU may be the better choice. In addition to front entry doors, PVCU can also be used for other outside doors, French doors, sliding patio doors, conservatory plastic doors and doors leading to the porch. While the colour choice is not as extensive as with wooden doors, there is still a wide range of designs and finishes, as well as decorative touches such as stained glass panels an frosted glass panels. These let light in while maintaining your privacy and are ideal for doors leading onto dark hallways.

Your home improvement and remodeling project might also include windows replacement. Again, you have the choice of wood or PVCU and UPVC windows win hands down because UPVC double glazed windows are so effective. The membrane that provides the insulation in vinyl windows can be of varying thickness. It is sandwiched between two panes of glass, hence the name ‘double glazing’ or ‘double glass windows’. These windows are weathertight and will reduce heat loss from your home, helping your central heating system to function more efficiently. And in the summer, you will still be able to keep cool. Many double glazing windows allow you to leave a small space for airflow while locking the window for security.

There are several window styles that are available for your UPVC home improvement and remodeling project. Casement windows and sash windows are both options for your replacement house windows and you may also want to consider tinted windows if you live in a sunny area. Finally, to complete your home improvement project, consider adding a conservatory with UPVC windows and UPVC doors. This is guaranteed to add value to your home.

Last week I told you how to remove your old sliding glass door in preparation for the installation of the vinyl replacement door. Let’s go through the installation procedure for both the Retrofit style and replacement style frames.

Let’s start with the retrofit frame. Like the retrofit window, the door will have a 2″ lip flush with the outside edge of the frame. The difference between the retrofit window frame and the retrofit door frame is the absence of the lip on the bottom of the door due to the sill track. Your door will have the lip on both sides and across the top. The majority of the installation process is the same whether it’s a retrofit frame or replacement frame. The first thing you want to do is check the floor for a level condition. If the base is not level, add shims to create a level base. This step is very important, because if you have a sloping bottom, the whole frame will be thrown out of square. You will have problems locking the door as well as air infiltration trouble. So, put down shims to make the base level. If possible, use one long shim to create a solid base for the weight of the door. Before setting the door in place, put down a bead of liquid nails from end to end, set the shims on top of the liquid nails, and run a generous bead of caulk on the outside face of the opening, where the retrofit lip is going to contact the exterior surface. Caulk the sides and the top.

Now set the door in place, being careful to lift the door and set the bottom track on top of the shims, rather than dragging the bottom. Obviously, this requires two people, one on each side. You tilt the top away from the opening as you set the bottom in place. Then, raise the top until the retrofit lip contacts the exterior surface where you applied the caulk. The reason I use liquid nails on the bottom rather than caulk is because I don’t like to put screws in the bottom, and the liquid nails product is as good as screws when it dries. Have your helper hold the frame in place while you go inside to plumb and secure the door. Put a level on the jamb where the slider will lock. Plumb the jamb and install shims where you put your screws. You should put one about 6 inches from the top and one 6 inches from the bottom. A good quality door will have long screws shipped with the door that are replacements for the small screws holding the locking hardware to the jamb. Be sure to shim where these screws install. Now, if you leveled the bottom and plumbed the side, your top and opposite side should automatically be square. Put shims on the opposite jamb, and drive in your installation screws. Put 3 to 4 screws in the jamb. Then, run your tape measure from the top right corner to the bottom left corner. Write down that measurement. Measure from the opposite corners, and the measurement should be the same if your frame is square. Finally, put one screw in the top center You really don’t need any more than one. You don’t need to use shims since there won’t be any load or torque on the top header. Just don’t overtighten the screw, otherwise the frame will bow.

At this point you should have the frame installed in the opening with the fixed panel already glazed in from the factory. Here is where you want to install the sliding panel. It goes in from inside the house. Set it on the side and spray a generous amount of lubricant to the steel rollers to help them spin freely. Wipe away excess before putting the panel in. Remember to raise the top into the header as far as it will go, then swing the bottom over the lip and set it down on the track. If the bottom won’t get over the bottom lip, you will have to adjust the bottom rollers to bring them up into the frame. You should see a hole on the side rail to insert a screwdriver and turn the adjustment screw counterclockwise to bring the rollers up and out of the way. After you set the rollers on the track, be sure to adjust them back down before sliding the door. Have your helper lift the side up while you turn the adjustment screw clockwise. Do both sides, then slide the door closed and check for equal daylight from top to bottom. If there is more daylight showing on top or bottom, adjust the rollers to bring the door panel plumb with the jamb. Adjust the lock. Each door should come with lock adjustment instructions. Install the screen door on the outside. Now seal the crack between the retrofit lip and the exterior surface. Go inside and fill the space between the frame and wall studs with R-13 insulation. The last step is trimming the inside. We sell vinyl trim pieces that are designed to trim the inside without having to paint, stain, or nail. You can see samples and prices for the trim at theshopping pageon the website.

Now, the replacement frame installation process is the same, except there is no retrofit lip. Therefore, when you put the frame into the opening, you have to plumb the side jambs from two places rather than one. In addition to plumbing the jamb left to right in the opening, you also have to plumb inside to outside because you don’t have the retrofit lip to keep your frame aligned with the outside wall. Also, you need to apply trim to the exterior as well as the interior. You can use a basic vinyl flat trim for the outside, and that is available on the shopping page as well. Be sure to caulk the outside trim where it meets the surrounding surface.You just installed a vinyl sliding glass door. I will be on vacation next week, but the following week’s article will deal with the best and safest way to install replacement windows on the second floor.

If you were looking to make a unique statement or enhance the attractiveness of a home’s exterior appearance then French doors would be the popular way to go. Some homeowners elect to install French doors in the interior of their home and use them to provide access to a formal dining or living area. French doors installed for exterior access usually overlook a garden or yard/deck area. In home and garden magazines, it’s common to see French doors overlooking a colorful garden populated by wildflowers, exotic plants and garden furniture.

Lanai doors utilize a similar approach, which is designed to bring the outdoors in. This provides a sense of artistic loveliness that one might associate with a picture. Lanai door craftsmanship is a reflection of the care put into handcrafted materials. The doors can be shaped, cut and measured to fit any opening, which include the corner of a house.

French doors cannot compete with the unique ability of a wrap around Lanai door. Glance at your breakfast nook; imagine the rare experience of a wrap around glass door that fits right into that nook. Lanai doors have the added benefit of their bi-folding application. Opening the Lanai doors can meld the patio and dining area into one. The transition from interior to exterior is seamless.

Fill Your Home with Light

Unlike French Doors, Lanai doors are not limited by the space availability or thickness of the walls. Installation is reasonable in most areas of wall space including around corners. Therefore, Lanai Doors are much more versatile than traditional French doors.

Typical exterior access on the rear of the home often comes from the dining or kitchen areas. Most exterior rear entrances look out over a backyard, a deck or a garden. Because typical French doors swing inwards or outwards, they create a usable space reduction. In the dining area, for example, a set of French doors may inhibit the placement of a dining table and other dining area furniture.

Lanai doors are not similarly inhibited by such special requirements. The bi-folding aspect of the doors allows them to be opened without sacrificing interior or exterior space.

Modern Elegance

Lanai doors offer all the modern elegance of the French door with the unique space considerations that will not limit their decorative options. This becomes even more important in the rapid spread of housing developments, which often feature cookie cutter houses. Lanai doors will make a house stand out in contrast to the details of the surrounding neighbors. French doors are considered an upgrade in most housing developments – the Lanai doors will be an upgrade above and beyond what the French door can offer.

Ultimately, French doors cannot compete with the Lanai doors. This does not make the Lanai door better than the French door – because this is a subjective choice that must be made by the homeowner. Lanai doors offer more in the way of flexibility for both interior and exterior space requirements. They also offer a look that is different and unique. Mixing exterior beauty with interior design is part of the Lanai door.

Homeowner’s Choice

Which door is the best choice for the modern home? Only the modern homeowner can answer that question. Efficient use of space that provides a seamless transition from the inside to the outside is one of the design features of the Lanai doors. A standout home is one that the homeowner invests time and energy into – Lanai doors provide an ideal investment for the homeowner that wants to make their home stand out.

The kitchen is that room in the house where everybody feels the most comfortable. It is also the place where everybody spends most of their time at home. People prepare the food there, eat there and also gather there to discuss various issues and simply to hang around.

This is why it is important that the room is looking and feeling warm and cozy at all times and having the right type of kitchen window treatment is an important part of achieving it. You need window covering that keeps the sun away when the sun glare is too strong but also lets it in when the kitchen needs to have adequate lighting and sun.

One way to achieve this is by having curtains made of light fabric which allows light to filter through but not completely. At the same time it should keep your privacy by not allowing outside views to your kitchen. Also due to the nature of the kitchen, where heavy cooking takes place, the curtains need frequent washing. This is an additional reason for having light fabric curtains at the windows. This is where using heavy drapes should be avoided.

For modern spaces that have metal and reflective surfaces, marble, glass and granite, you can use Venetian blinds, faux wood or hardwood blinds and Roman shades. Having these types of blinds will ensure safety in case of any fire that might destroy the curtains easily.

Some people prefer minimalist treatments with simple Roman shades that can be very easily pulled up to allow sunlight in, or simple swags to give their plain windows some extra color. Other people want more functional types of window covers at the expense of style. Using regular shades and vertical blinds achieves this by giving them control over how much light the kitchen should get at any time. These window blinds are definitely not as fancy as curtains would be, however they do serve the purpose for which they have been bought.

Getting the right type of kitchen window treatment is a personal matter for everyone. We are all different and our tastes differ from each other as well. What works for one won’t work for the other, and what pleases one set of eyes might leave the other unimpressed.

The bedroom doorknocker is an antiquity that has a beauty and a charm that few in today’s world have ever heard of or experienced. But Susan Wells grew up in an old Victorian house that indeed had bedroom doorknockers. They were placed about half way up the center of the door. Low enough that a child could reach it and delight in introducing him or herself to the person behind the door. Each knocker was different. Susan’s was a bloodhound in front of his kennel with a little bird atop the roof. One of her sisters had a delightful little woodpecker.

As Susan and her sisters grew into their teenage years these little pieces of polite request for entry became important symbols of privacy. It was nothing less than rude not to use the knocker and wait for a voice to allow entry.

Many childhood memories fade, but the little bedroom doorknockers were a fond memory. When Susan and her husband went looking for their first house Susan hoped to find one with bedroom doorknockers. Of course she should not have been disappointed not to find any but human nature is what it is. However, they did find a perfect little house in a quiet neighborhood with just about everything they wanted on their budget minus the bedroom doorknockers.

But Susan wasn’t deterred. She started with the Internet and then found a decorative hardware store in town that could special order exactly what she was looking for. Now Susan looks forward to her children enjoying the fun of learning about the importance of respect, privacy and wonderful memories of the little bedroom doorknockers, too.