Timber Retrofit Double Glazing

Enjoy the beauty of natural timber joinery and retain the character of your home.

Type of use

Residential, Commercial

Specs

Timber Retrofit Double Glazing - What Changes?
Timber is an excellent insulating material. By retaining your natural timber joinery you can have superior insulated windows. The retroGLAZE® Timber Retrofit Double Glazing solution for existing timber windows and doors enables you to enjoy the benefits of timber and keep the beautiful natural character of your home.

Your poor-performing single glazing is removed and the timber is rebated to provide additional space to fit genuine double glazing. New timber beads replace your old cracked putty along with new stays and hinges to keep your windows functioning smoothly and extend the life of your timber windows.

Removal of Existing Glass:
Traditionally New Zealand homes were glazed with 3mm – 4mm single-pane glass. While intended to keep the external elements out, it would do little to keep the inside warm and comfortable. The retrofit process sees the existing glass carefully removed from the frames and replaced with traditional float glass double glazing or high-performing SuperTherm™ Low-E double glazing.

Joinery:
Using proprietary machinery we safely remove the old single glass and create a deeper rebate in the timber to accommodate genuine double glazing.  Timber joinery that hasn’t been well maintained over its life-span can suffer from areas of rot that can reduce the integrity of your joinery. During our process, if damage or rot is found the timber sash will be repaired. Any timber sash that is beyond repair will be replaced with a new timber sash, extending the life of your beautiful timber windows.

Hardware:
We will fit new hardware such as stays and hinges to keep the system functioning smoother for longer and extending the life of your joinery. You can choose to refresh the look with new additional hardware (e.g. solid brass catches) to provide a better fit and improved function of your windows.

Timber Beads:
Old cracked putty looks unattractive and, worse yet, allows water to access the inside of the frame and damage both the timber and the seal of the double glazing. Instead of replacing the putty, we fit new timber beads to hold the double glazing in place. You can rest assured knowing your timber windows are designed to keep water out, and the tidy bead finish will provide both style and durability.

Draught Seals:
Once your windows have been retrofitted with double glazing, the opening sashes will be re-hung (using the new hardware specified). This will help ensure that they function as they are intended and minimise airflow around the openings. To improve the energy efficiency of the windows, we recommend that you choose to add draught seals to the frames and sashes. This will allow you to have windows that are at the high-performance standards of today, keeping the home warmer, drier, and quieter.

Finish:
All the timber profiles that are added as a part of the process (e.g. new timber beads and weather seal profiles) come pre-primed and sealed. Your timber windows will require the finished painting to be completed within 8 weeks of retrofitting to meet warranty requirements.

From there, all that is left for you to do is enjoy the improved comfort of your new Timber Retrofit Double Glazing.

End your battle with wet windows and chilling draughts.

Get your customised plan for home comfort with retroGLAZE ® Timber Retrofit Double Glazing.

Scope of use

Timber windows and doors in existing homes.

FAQs

Can all timber window frames be retrofitted with double glazing?
You might be wanting to upgrade the comfort of your home with genuine double glazing, but worry that you will have to lose your beautiful natural timber joinery.
Our experience is that most timber window and door frames can be retrofitted, and the outcome may have you looking hard to try and spot the changes. This is because the process makes use of the design of your existing window frames. Read more here…

Should I retrofit or replace my windows?
Deciding whether to retrofit or replace your windows and doors can feel confusing, draining, or even overwhelming.
Retrofit double glazing uses your existing window frames, replacing the old single glazing with new double glazing. In contrast, replacement double glazing involves removing both the existing glass and the frames of your aluminium or timber windows and doors and replacing them with thermally enhanced joinery.  Read more here…

What is "Retrofit Double Glazing"?
You may have heard this term before but be unsure of what retrofit double glazing actually is.  Let us help!
Retrofit double glazing is the process of retrospectively fitting new energy-efficient double glazing into existing window frames that previously held single-pane glazing.  Read more here….

What is the WEERS rating?
Changes to Clause H1 in the NZ Building Code require homes to achieve a minimum energy performance.  WEERS, or the Window Energy Efficiency Rating System, enables you to accurately assess the energy efficiency of the windows or glazed doors you choose. Read more here….

Performance

• Quality solutions built to last.
• Put an end to cold draughts.
• Retain character and beauty.