Hardwood windows in Northumberland

Not if it is specified correctly. Sticking comes from moisture ingress into unsealed end grain, or from solid stock used where laminated sections were needed. Kiln-dried timber, sealed end grain, factory finishing and engineered sections on longer spans between them eliminate it.

Where Building Regulations require background ventilation, we design it into the head of the frame at manufacture. That looks far better and performs far better than a vent drilled through a finished frame on site.

Regularly. Listed building consent turns on detail — sightlines, glazing bar sections, opening method and glass type. We survey the existing joinery, record the profiles and produce drawings you can submit. We will not quote a detail we know will not pass.

Far less than people expect. Wash the frames twice a year, inspect the finish annually, and expect to recoat exposed elevations every eight to ten years. Sheltered elevations often go considerably longer. Modern micro-porous coatings are a different product entirely from the gloss paints that gave timber its reputation.

It depends on the finish. For painted work, Idigbo and Accoya are excellent — stable, even-grained and superb paint substrates. For a stained or oiled finish where the grain is meant to show, European oak and Sapele are the usual choices. We will recommend a species at survey based on your finish and exposure.