Hardwood windows in Henley-on-Thames

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.

Accoya is timber that has been acetylated — chemically modified so it no longer absorbs water. It barely moves, does not rot, and carries a 50-year above-ground warranty. It is the single best paint substrate available. For exposed elevations and coastal sites the premium usually pays for itself.

The guide price tool gives you an indicative range in a couple of minutes. If that range works, we book a free survey — measurements, profiles, exposure, access — and issue a fixed written quotation with a drawing. Nothing is manufactured until you have approved that drawing.

Ten years on the joinery and the manufacture, and the sealed units carry their own manufacturer's warranty. Accoya frames carry the 50-year above-ground timber warranty from the material supplier. All of it is confirmed in writing with the quotation.