Secondary Double Glazing

[Felix]

Does anyone know of a company that supplies secondary double glazing at a realistic price!!  We had a French company give us a quote and we nearly fell over.  Our french doors and windows are slighty curved at the top which of course makes it more complicated.  We are in the Dordogne. 

[Théière]

Not a great lover of secondary glazing as it doesn't come up to spec compared to the proper gas filled low emissivity versions we have now and triple glazing is better again. The frames on the glazing is often the cold bridge as everyone focus's on the glazing.

[Felix]

Agree that secondary glazing is not the best option, but when you have lots of very good quality French doors which are arched to suit the frames it is not an option to replace them - not to the pocket anyway.  Some smaller windows on the rear we could probably change.  Will have to search the net for a supplier in the UK as people often have no choice there with the listed buildings etc.   Thanks anyway. 

[woolybanana]

Agreed about cold plastic frames, but what to do about it post installation?

[idun]

[quote user="Théière"]The frames on the glazing is often the cold bridge as everyone focus's on the glazing.[/quote]

We had good quality wooden window frames in France and these plastic ones in comparison are cold and pretty useless. However, the budget said that they were all we could afford, so that is what we have now. For anyone who can afford wood, that is what I would always go for.

If the OP needs to change them all, what about getting the tax rebate if it isn't a holiday home, and I take it isn't???? Do they still do it?

[Théière]

[quote user="Felix"]

Agree that secondary glazing is not the best option, but when you have lots of very good quality French doors which are arched to suit the frames it is not an option to replace them - not to the pocket anyway.  Some smaller windows on the rear we could probably change.  Will have to search the net for a supplier in the UK as people often have no choice there with the listed buildings etc.   Thanks anyway. 

[/quote]

I had a similar problem on a listed building in Hackney.  After researching and talking to Pilkinton's technical department we found out that thin panel glazing units would pass the test and satisfy building control.  The carpenters were delighted as they could offer double glazing on the restoration frames they were manufacturing.

Not an advert, we didn't use this company but it gives an over view of what is possible.

http://www.slimliteglass.co.uk/construction-guide.html

[BIG MAC]

Many years ago we restored some original side hung windows by removing the front of the rebate to make full thickness then fitting  an external beading (pinned and glued with polyester glue)  which created a slot large enough to permit double glazing in the 'new rebate' retained by matching  internal bead but only pinned , not glued.

The solution gave us the look of an old window with at least some of the insulation offered by double glazing.