Steel joinery has been experiencing a renaissance of sorts over the last few years in New Zealand, particularly in high-end residential dwellings. “It’s in this area that we are seeing it specified more and more over and above all other sectors,” Crittall Arnold’s Darren Arnold says.
It’s an interesting choice, steel, as it creates a very raw, almost industrial aesthetic, and there is nothing else that quite compares. “The aesthetic of steel is what people are after when they choose it for their homes. It’s a look and feel that you can’t get with any other product,” Darren says.
It’s also something that allows architects and designers much more creative freedom due to its strength and narrow lines. “ The inherent strength of steel allows comparatively slender frames, that can hold large expanses of glass, so the options are opened up vastly in terms of window and door design with steel.”
Crittall Arnold imports its hot rolled steel extrusions from Switzerland, manufactured entirely from recycled steel. “What’s great about steel in this manner is that once it has come to the end of its useful lifespan in a building it can be removed and recycled.”
That’s not to say that any steel joinery would need to removed any time soon, or, for that matter, any that has been looked after correctly that was installed any time in the last century or so. “We’re still seeing steel joinery that was installed in the early 1900s that’s in good order,” Darren says.
Like any product, steel requires maintenance, and if this is carried out as required, the effective lifespan of the product will be extended.
Because of the unprecedented demand for steel joinery in high end homes in the current market, Crittall Arnold focuses mainly on this area of the wider construction sector, but it also fabricates fire-rated steel joinery suites suitable for commercial applications.
“A lot of people aren’t aware of the versatility of steel joinery, and the extent of applications it is suitable for,” Darren says. “We manufacture joinery in all manner of configurations; steel joinery can be used in every format that is available in other forms of joinery including bi-folding, pivot and sliding doors, for example.”
Crittall Arnold steel joinery is normally supplied in a powder coated finish, bespoke colours can be made to fit an individual design scheme. “Most commonly of course, steel is specified in darker tones but that doesn’t mean it has to always be the case.”
If you’re interested in the benefits of steel and its unique aesthetic, get in touch with Crittall Arnold on ArchiPro here to see what’s possible.
