Tips and inspiration for your windows

If you’re a fan of TV homebuilding shows then you’ve probably seen the VELFAC system being installed in some of the UK’s more interesting self-build projects.

A firm favourite with architects across the country, VELFAC windows and doors are also a popular choice for self-builders and renovators, who like the system’s clean lines, contemporary design, and composite frame construction. They also appreciate the system’s eco-friendly performance, and the VELFAC commitment to sustainable manufacture. Here are just a few of TV’s ‘grand designs’ which feature VELFAC:

Choosing the right type of window for your project can make a big difference to the comfort of your home, your energy bills and your ongoing maintenance costs.

Here’s a quick guide to the different window materials currently available, to help you start the decision making process.

Wood

Advantages:

Warm, natural wood has always been a popular choice of window frame. It adds character and style, inside and out, and has great design flexibility as wood can be painted, stained or varnished, and can be used in both traditional and contemporary projects. In terms of window performance, wood is a good insulator, and is also an environmentally friendly, renewable building material.

Disadvantages:

Wood has a naturally short lifecycle, and wooden window frames need regular repainting or repairs, especially in exposed locations, such as on the coast. Timber frames often feature thicker sightlines (frame width) which reduce the amount of natural light entering a room, and also reduce acoustic insulation.

Windows today are available in a multitude of different colours. The VELFAC system, for example, comes in every Classic RAL shade, and can feature different colours inside and out. But how do you choose the right colour for your home?

Summer holidays, Easter breaks, Christmas with the family – popular times to go away are also popular with burglars. So don’t make it easy for thieves to target an empty home by taking a few sensible precautions before you start your journey:

Did you watch the Grand Designs series on Channel 4 featuring the build of an entirely new, sustainable home in Hertfordshire with VELFAC windows? Here, Facit Homes took on the role as both design studio and contractor.

Part Q compliant and SBD accredited

VELFAC composite windows and doors guarantee the safety performance required to meet new Part Q regulations, and the exacting standards of UK Police flagship initiative Secured by Design (SBD) – and all without any change to the distinctive ultra-thin frame design.

This means the VELFAC system can be used in SBD developments – regarded by potential purchasers as a guarantee of additional safety and security both in and outside the home.

Read more about Part Q