A) Wood is a uniquely beautiful, natural product and offers exceptional variety. It is tough, solid and durable. A good quality wood product when given a little care and maintenance, can last a lifetime. Wood is a material that is easy to use, maintain and repair. As it ages, it develops a patina which is all part of its character. Wood is thermally efficient and acts as a natural humidity regulator; unlike UPVC window frames, wood ‘breathes’ – absorbing humidity in damp conditions and releasing moisture in dry conditions.
Wood is environmentally friendly, having outstanding credentials in being an entirely natural and renewable product. At Wagtail Joinery, we only user timber that is FSC certified and can be traced back to point of origin to ensure it is both environmentally and ethically sound and procured from sustainable forests.. For more information on this, click here: Why Choose FSC
Wood also offers excellent value for money in comparison to other high quality materials. When it comes to choosing your timber, we are here to advise you at every step. We are able to offer a wide variety of hardwoods, softwoods, engineered timbers and treated timbers such as Accoya®.
A) As we specialise in heritage and period joinery, we are very experienced with protected areas, homes of special interest and Grade I and II listed properties. We can offer expert advice and liaise with your local planning office if necessary, so whatever your requirements are, such as replacement windows, external doors or restorative works, we can guide you through the process and ensure all of the necessary planning criteria are met.
If you are a resident of North Hertfordshire and are unsure if your property is within a conservation area, you can find out here: North Herts conservation areas
A) Building regulations cover all aspects of a building’s design to ensure compliance with the Building Act 1984. The Approved Documents that are relevant to windows & entrance door sets include B (Fire safety), F (Ventilation), L (Conservation of fuel & power), M (Access for the disabled) and N (Glazing - safety in relation to impact, opening and cleaning).
All of our windows and doors are manufactured to specification which meet or exceed building regulations. All of our windows comply with FENSA regulations parts L1 and N. We would be happy to advise you on your individual requirements. For further information on building regulations, you can also contact the building control department at your local council.
A) Timber is now broadly acknowledged as the most fashionable, versatile and environmentally friendly choice for the home owner. By using the best class timber and high design specifications in conjunction with superior quality modern paints, stains and treatments, timber windows have the potential to add value to your property and can offer service life upwards of 50 years. Contrary to popular opinion, timber windows are as low maintenance as their UPVC counterparts. Generally speaking, windows should require a light rub down and a new coat of micro porous (breathable) paint every 5 years or so.
A) People are sometimes surprised to find that we offer double glazed windows made from timber, and that these windows often surpass the thermal efficiency of UPVC and plastic windows. We are proud to offer windows certified with an average ‘U’ value of up to 1.2W/m2k. We use high quality Pilkington ‘K’ glass in the majority of our windows – please follow the link for further information Pilkington K Glass
A) We appreciate that many of our customers will be keen to maximise the security of their home, particularly when installing replacement windows and doors. We can provide a range of options including ‘secure by design’ approved locks, multi point locking systems and reinforced frames.
For more information about home security, you may wish to visit www.securedbydesign.com.
From a safety aspect, we can offer toughened glazing extra to building regulations (as a matter of course, some windows and doors are legally required to be fitted with toughened glass) and conform to all regulations for fire escapes. We manufacture both 30 and 60 minute fire check doors. Please ask us if you have any specific safety or security issues.
A) We will be able to advise you on the most suitable options to meet the needs of both your property and your budget; numerous types of soft and hard woods are available as well as engineered and chemically treated timbers. Windows and external door sets are fundamental to the overall look of any building. Whatever you choose, it is essential that the style is in keeping with the building and also takes into consideration the performance requirements (such as thermal efficiency and weather performance characteristics).
Here at Wagtail Joinery, whatever you are looking for, from replacement windows to a one off piece furniture, we approach each job individually and work alongside our customers to create an end product that is uniquely tailored to you and your home.