Services

Metal window or Crittall window restoration usually involves removing the old rusty metal windows including the glazing from either timber frames or stone surrounds, the lower part of the metal window is where most of the damage and rust occurs, The glazing will have to be removed to get to the problem arias, before the window restoration process begins.

All window furniture is removed or protected before the windows are blasted with a fine bead to remove all the old paint and rust
The metal windows are repaired by repairing the damaged metal work or in some cases cutting out the badly damaged rusted aria and re-welding new sections in place.

Missing handles and window stays that may have broken off or lost over the years can be replicated or off the shelf furniture can be adapted to fit.

Windows are then painted, the most common and recommended would be powder-coating which a primer is backed on to the metalwork and the top coat can be any RAL colour you choose, this process is carried out by a trusted and established specialist who we have used for many years. Other paint options can be wet sprayed and hand painted, all processes give different finishes.

The metal window is now ready to be installed back into the existing aperture with its new glazing or leaded lights that have been restored.

The Timber sub frames or timber windows that the leaded lights or steel windows are installed into, will sometimes need replacing or repair. Craft Glass will be able to help either by recommending a local carpenter or using our own, depending on location and size of project.

Whether you need to replicate an existing crittall window or a flat steel casement window, we can replicate exactly, either by casting the exact profiles if not available off the shelf, or by using standard metal sections we can adapted the sections to your requirements.

We also have our own traditional steel window design that can be glazed with leaded lights. single glazed or double glazed.

A range of standard traditional forged window furniture is also available off the shelf or hand forged to match you existing.

New steel bespoke windows can be supplied and installed into stone surrounds or into timber sub frames, our local joinery companies that we use are very experienced and have been working with us for many years.

Craft Glass will be more than happy to advise and discuss your requirements.

Traditional leaded lights and decorative leaded panels are made up of small pieces of glass held together by H section lead and soldered on the joints, the glass is then sealed using a leaded light cement, the cement goes hard and the leaded light or decorative leaded panel then becomes rigid and stops water ingress.

Craft Glass can manufacture new leaded lights for the trade or residential customers in any quantity. The options are endless, with various styles and glass options.

Many of the older style windows will have glass with air bubbles, waves and glass distortion, we have standard restoration glass, Antique glass, P1 glass, mouth blown glass, obscure glass, etched glass and coloured glass we can match glass in most cases.

Although leaded lights last a considerably long time depending on the location and exposure to the elements they will deteriorate over time, this will be clearly visible, the leaded lights may start to bow and distort, solder joints will crack and they may leak and the glass rattle, at this point the leaded lights will need to be refurbished.

Refurbishing Leaded lights entails removing the whole leaded panel from the windows, the panel is then taken back to the workshop where it is completely striped of all its lead, the glass is cleaned and any broken glass is replaced with a suitable match. We use all the existing glass where possible. The new lead known as (lead cames ) which we also match in size are carefully cut and soldered around the glass to create the refurbished leaded light. The leaded light is then cemented using leaded light cement and left to dry before being cleaned and blacked.

Repairing broken panes of glass in situe within a leaded light can also be carried out if the leaded light is in reasonable condition, this terminology is sometimes called lead light repairs or broken quarries.

Decorative leaded panels are a colourful feature in many homes mainly found in doors, over doors and top fan lights. The restoration process is the same for a leaded light as a decorative leaded panel.

Decorative leaded panels can be made up of clear glass, coloured glass or both in many cases they are sometimes mistaken for stained glass panels usually because of the coloured glass.

Stained glass panels have a different process, using the exact technique but the clear or coloured glass is hand painted and fired in a kiln.

Craft Glass are traditional glaziers and have a wealth of experience in all aspects of glass and glazing.We install all types of glass from double glazed units, slim line units, toughened glass, laminated glass, 3mm horticulture glass and the most common 4mm clear glass.

Glazing into a timber window frames with timber bead or putty glazing.

Glazing into a metal window frames, or just re-putting your existing windows.

We have the experience undertake your glazing project.

Craft Glass do get involved in the repair of timber windows, although this will depend on the size of the project and your location, small timber repairs where there are small amounts of rot which we can treat and repair with an epoxy resin are relatively standard, we work alongside a couple of local carpenters who can usually carry out larger timber window repairs when there is a need for replacing window cills and splicing in new pieces of timber, and even replacing the window completely, we have a local joinery company who can produce any window in any size to match you existing windows.

Craft Glass are often asked if you can install double glazed units into Crittall windows or old steel windows, the answer is yes, we have completed many project where double glazing is required and the old Crittall windows or metal windows are retained. We have even adapted flat iron casement to accommodate double glazed units.

Although double glazing metal windows will help with the thermal values usually when you shut a metal window there are no draught seals so you will still get draughts. Draught sealing the opening parts of your window again help, but this is usually self adessive and may need to be replaced over time.

Secondary glazing is a great option to eliminate all draughts and up the thermal values of your property, we carefully measure to ensure your windows line up with the secondary glazing and the secondary glazing can be made in any RAL colour to blend in. we then trim the outer perimeter with a timber bead which can be painted or stained.

Secondary glazing does have a stigma attached in the 80s the secondary glazing was silver and hard to open hard to clean and vey intrusive but all that aside they did actually do the job they were designed to do.

With hundreds of secondary glazing projects completed over the years we have had no complaints; it helps reduce condensation on the windows and it shuts out the draughts.