Timbawood, a leading manufacturer of bespoke timber windows and doors for period, conservation, and listed buildings, recently completed an extensive heritage restoration project at Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey.
As one of the UK’s prestigious independent boarding schools founded in 1611, Charterhouse School boasts a rich history and architectural significance.
Timbawood’s involvement in this prestigious project featured a combination of specialist services, including new timber sashes and casements fitted to the existing window frames, as well as exact-match full replacement sash and casement windows. These bespoke timber windows, handmade at Timbawood’s West London workshop, used Accoya timber, renowned for its exceptional durability and stability.
A key challenge in heritage window restoration lies in upgrading performance while preserving the original heritage design. An innovative example of this was the design of a bespoke ‘concealed trickle vent’ solution. Trickle vents are mandatory for new windows to allow for ventilation when windows are closed. Modern plastic trickle vents, however, clash with the elegant design of heritage windows.
Timbawood’s CAD designers devised an ingenious solution that uses the box frame instead of the sash itself to create a more discreet, hidden vent. This approach has been well-received, offering an elegant and effective ventilation solution for heritage projects.
Ian Selby, Managing Director at Timbawood said, ‘With the right level of creativity and skill, improvements can be made to window performance that are appropriately discreet and don’t impinge on the authentic, elegant style and character of heritage windows.
One feature of our restoration work at Charterhouse School was the inclusion of 14mm slimline double glazing, which looks just like single glazing and is ideal for heritage properties. It uses denser, more thermally efficient gases than standard double glazing, to meet the performance requirements of modern building regulations.
We are very proud of our work on some of Britain’s most beautiful, prestigious properties such as Charterhouse School. By upgrading the window performance while preserving the original designs, we aim to provide students at Charterhouse School with a more comfortable and historically enriching learning environment.’
