Whether you're tidying up a terrace house or restoring a heritage-listed civic building, period-correct doors and windows are a vital ingredient.
We've all seen a glorious Victorian terrace house or double-fronted inter-war bungalow that's been marred by aluminium doors and windows. It's not a good look, but luckily it's pretty easy to fix. McKay Joinery is often called in to help in this scenario, or when original doors and windows are still in place but have fallen in to disrepair. We typically take one of two approaches: matching the design of the existing doors and windows, or supplying standard styles and profiles that are appropriate to the architecture and age of the home.
But fitting new timber doors and windows doesn't just improve a home's appearance, it comes with a range of benefits. Most notably, it can improve the thermal performance and energy efficiency of your house by providing an improved seal between indoor spaces and outdoor air. And it provides the opportunity to upgrade to double-glazing, for even bigger efficiency gains.
An extra layer of complexity comes with buildings that are subject to heritage overlays and other protections. We work regularly with builders and heritage architects to fabricate doors and windows, often supplying a single door or window to the appropriate heritage authority for approval before the full job is processed and installed. Over time we've become leading experts in this kind of work. You can read more about our recent projects, like the ANMF Building and the Yorkshire Brewery Apartments, elsewhere on our website.
Because we're part of Charles Sandford, we're able to provide additional heritage restoration work as part of an integrated service. For residential projects, this might involve our woodturners manufacturing replacement verandah posts; for large heritage projects, it could include cabinetry and architectural components. Indeed, for all of the incredible modern architecture and design that we help create, seeing old buildings, large or small, restored to their former glory is one of the great joys of the work we do.
Dining room photographed by Emma Cross. Building 11 photographed by Dianna Snape.