company story
Chris Brunsdon's family have been installing windows in Oxford for nearly fifty years. From his conversations with hundred's of customers over the years it was clear that homeowners instinctively preferred timber windows and doors over cheaper plastic alternatives. But they were worried. Worried that timber windows would warp, twist, and rot; letting out heat and letting in draughts. Or worse still they would swell, stick and fail to open at all in the winter months. Plastic windows might not look good, but they do keep you warm. And they do work all year round.
From a professional perspective Chris had similar concerns. Timber windows had always been problematic for the window installation company; time consuming to fit and prone to after sales complaints when the timber shrinks or expands.
Frustrated by the inability of British woodworkers to solve these age-old complaints about wooden windows, Chris started to look for answers elsewhere. The search took him and his team to the continent where he studied the technologies used in the most advanced European and Scandinavian window systems.
In common use throughout the continent, but extremely rare in Britain, was the use of engineered timber for window and door sections. From conversations with joiners across Europe, it was clear that this multi-layer structure was particularly effective in resisting warping and twisting as the opposing grains even out natural moisture movement. Many other technical innovations were apparent too; superior glazing systems, improved drainage and ventilation techniques, modern hardware, advanced paint finishes and simply better build quality. In short, it was clear that timber window and door systems had been developed to a far greater extent in continental Europe than they had in the UK.
Although technically advanced, continental engineered timber window systems opened inwards and not outwards and were wholly inappropriate in style for the English market. Neither did they address some of the fundamental problems of installation specific to English homes. Chris Brunsdon set to work with a team comprised of window installers, production specialists and a consultant architect to re-work continental engineered timber systems to make them suitable for the UK homeowner.
The result, three years on, is a suite of engineered timber windows and doors that combine traditional British aesthetics with all the functional merits of PVCu; quick and easy to fit and trouble free in use with all year round performance and high levels of insulation and security.
Today, manufacture is carried out in Europe by a select number of manufacturing partners, with a principal line in Poland. State of the art computer controlled machinery by manufacturers such as Weinig and GMC is used throughout the process flow. TimberWindows.Com employ their own quality control staff to work directly on the production lines, as well as running a second quality control department from the company's main central UK warehouse.
Since 2004 the TimberWindows.Com Registered Installership has grown to encompass over 70 professional installation companies, all of whom are given training in handling and installing the products.
TimberWindows.Com believe their advanced, engineered timber products represent the 'next generation' of window and door replacement. As PVCu windows installed throughout the 80's and 90's begin to look tired, timber provides a solution for 'replacing replacement windows', thereby reinstating the architectural integrity and restoring value to people's homes.