Mullion windows

[renewablejohn]

@renewablejohn
I noticed you said non of your windows open,the trouble is the middle windows open on my parents house and its finding opening window frames which are narrow enough and inkeeping,the company that quoted was also concerned about the window aperture being narrow to escape in case of fire, was anything said about your windows as they don't open?
Also did you do all the work yourself,sorry for all the questions.

I would not worry about the middle windows not opening there obviously not original as they look to be crittal windows which have a very poor reputation when it comes to thermal efficiency. The original windows would have been made up of small leaded glass panes to form a single glass sheet probably held in place by two iron bars to stop intruders getting in through the windows. I still have the holes on my window cills and lintels where the bars used to fit. Some even have the lead still in them which secured the iron bar into the stone hole. Council where not concerned about fire escape routes as the property is only 2 floors and the windows to narrow to be jumping through. Have done all the work myself including reinstalling 6 new stone mullions and a stone lintel. Would normally take out and put back in 2 windows a day excluding the burnt mastic which I did later.

 

[OldChapel]

We used a company called Touchstone from Brighouse when converting our chapel. They made double glazed units to fit each of our mullion windows - including into the top arch. The can also make opening windows.
http://www.touchstoneglazing.co.uk/contact-us/

 

[renewablejohn]

We used a company called Touchstone from Brighouse when converting our chapel. They made double glazed units to fit each of our mullion windows - including into the top arch. The can also make opening windows.
http://www.touchstoneglazing.co.uk/contact-us/
View attachment 847021

Really nice looking windows. Notice the house in the background on how not to do it. If that house behind was mine I would be reinstating the stone mullions and making it look like traditional weavers windows. Did look at Touchstone when doing the farmhouse for the one pointy window I have. Had no need to worry as being the only original leaded single glaze pane in the farmhouse it has been retained so thankfully not needing Touchstone as the quote was very expensive.

 

[renewablejohn]

Just a bump for another window thread.

 

[Happy]

Local builder had a good giggle once when the apprentice handed his weekly time sheet in.
Pretty much every day was spent making millions

 

[Heathland]

I'll have too post a couple of photos of my parents house,got them changed in the summer.

 

[Steevo]

Will be a job here too before long - not just changing windows (which all leak air like mad around the open-y bit) but also the mullions themselves drip like mad. WIndowsills overflowing with water needing towels and tupperwares everywhere these last few weeks.

 

[renewablejohn]

Will be a job here too before long - not just changing windows (which all leak air like mad around the open-y bit) but also the mullions themselves drip like mad. WIndowsills overflowing with water needing towels and tupperwares everywhere these last few weeks.

Is the windowsills overflowing with water due to condensation. No longer have that problem with triple glazing and the MVHR which really works well. I can see why the conservation officer was keen when I suggested putting in the MVHR.

 

[Steevo]

Is the windowsills overflowing with water due to condensation. No longer have that problem with triple glazing and the MVHR which really works well. I can see why the conservation officer was keen when I suggested putting in the MVHR.

No, not at all. Water is dripping due to rain passing through the wall somehow. Some it is could be water in the wall above the window I think - the windowsill ceiling (if you will - the bit of the alcove directly above the windowsill) drips, plus the mullions themselves possibly leak, and certainly I think the cement between them is not waterproof either. Mainly only happens in wet spells when the wind is blowing at the exposed wall, rarely happens on the sheltered side of the house.

 

[Still Farming]

Don't think castles ,churches and big houses that had them had dpc and damp proofing.

 

[renewablejohn]

No, not at all. Water is dripping due to rain passing through the wall somehow. Some it is could be water in the wall above the window I think - the windowsill ceiling (if you will - the bit of the alcove directly above the windowsill) drips, plus the mullions themselves possibly leak, and certainly I think the cement between them is not waterproof either. Mainly only happens in wet spells when the wind is blowing at the exposed wall, rarely happens on the sheltered side of the house.

If you look at the image of my windows at post 12. Do you have the stone sticking out above the window like on mine. If so check the pointing above this line of stone as there should be a triangular bead of burnt mastic which throws the water off from the windows. I had to redo mine as it was lime mortar but flush and the water was seeping into the wall.

 

[Steevo]

If you look at the image of my windows at post 12. Do you have the stone sticking out above the window like on mine. If so check the pointing above this line of stone as there should be a triangular bead of burnt mastic which throws the water off from the windows. I had to redo mine as it was lime mortar but flush and the water was seeping into the wall.

No, no piece of stone like that at all. Just a flush wall.

 

[Stace]

Hello. This thread has been very interesting. We are refurbishing a 1898 property which has stone mullions windows. It currently has a mix of original & terrible white pvc windows. I need some advice which is not going to cost the earth. I have attached pics. Do we go a narrow aluminium profile??

 

[br jones]

Hello. This thread has been very interesting. We are refurbishing a 1898 property which has stone mullions windows. It currently has a mix of original & terrible white pvc windows. I need some advice which is not going to cost the earth. I have attached pics. Do we go a narrow aluminium profile??

Yes

 

[Stace]

Yes

Any recommendations where I could get such windows?

 

[renewablejohn]

I would go triple glazed glass direct into the stone mullions then use the money saved on not having to buy window frames to put in MVHR units. Problem you have with any type of metal frame is cold bridging.

 

[Charlieinnorfolk]

@renewablejohn - I'm interested in putting double (Or triple) gazed units into stone mullion - they are arched windows so a aluminium frame wouldn't work even if I wanted to put up with the site lines. I've been told that the units will fail when set directly in the mullion. How did you prevent this? Any reason for triple vs double glazed units other than thermal efficiency? Did you use white spacer bars in your units to prevent a 'shadow'. For the windows that do/should open, I'm considering a heritage 47 alu frame to replace the current Crittalls that are there.

 

[renewablejohn]

@renewablejohn - I'm interested in putting double (Or triple) gazed units into stone mullion - they are arched windows so a aluminium frame wouldn't work even if I wanted to put up with the site lines. I've been told that the units will fail when set directly in the mullion. How did you prevent this? Any reason for triple vs double glazed units other than thermal efficiency? Did you use white spacer bars in your units to prevent a 'shadow'. For the windows that do/should open, I'm considering a heritage 47 alu frame to replace the current Crittalls that are there.

You have been told wrong the units will not fail so long as you understand why they could fail and take action to stop it. Basically what you cannot do is use foam sealant to secure the plastic of the triple glaze unit direct to the stone as the chemical in the foam will react with the plastic. Bearing in mind my triple glaze units were 4,16,4,16,4 so 44mm wide I used 50 mm lead flashing around the triple glaze unit in a continuos strip with the overlap at the top. Then insert unit into stone mullion and foam between stone and lead to secure unit (had to be Soudal Flexifoam) Once foam dry take off all excess foam both sides flush with the glaze unit. Then burnt mastic (burnt sand and boiled linseed oil) point frames in so that glazing frame of the triple glaze unit disappears under the pointing. ie no shadow. No opening windows as I installed Partel MVHR units instead which I highly recommend and will never bother with opening windows ever again.

 

[Charlieinnorfolk]

You have been told wrong the units will not fail so long as you understand why they could fail and take action to stop it. Basically what you cannot do is use foam sealant to secure the plastic of the triple glaze unit direct to the stone as the chemical in the foam will react with the plastic. Bearing in mind my triple glaze units were 4,16,4,16,4 so 44mm wide I used 50 mm lead flashing around the triple glaze unit in a continuos strip with the overlap at the top. Then insert unit into stone mullion and foam between stone and lead to secure unit (had to be Soudal Flexifoam) Once foam dry take off all excess foam both sides flush with the glaze unit. Then burnt mastic (burnt sand and boiled linseed oil) point frames in so that glazing frame of the triple glaze unit disappears under the pointing. ie no shadow. No opening windows as I installed Partel MVHR units instead which I highly recommend and will never bother with opening windows ever again.

Great advice, thanks!

 

[robs1]

You have been told wrong the units will not fail so long as you understand why they could fail and take action to stop it. Basically what you cannot do is use foam sealant to secure the plastic of the triple glaze unit direct to the stone as the chemical in the foam will react with the plastic. Bearing in mind my triple glaze units were 4,16,4,16,4 so 44mm wide I used 50 mm lead flashing around the triple glaze unit in a continuos strip with the overlap at the top. Then insert unit into stone mullion and foam between stone and lead to secure unit (had to be Soudal Flexifoam) Once foam dry take off all excess foam both sides flush with the glaze unit. Then burnt mastic (burnt sand and boiled linseed oil) point frames in so that glazing frame of the triple glaze unit disappears under the pointing. ie no shadow. No opening windows as I installed Partel MVHR units instead which I highly recommend and will never bother with opening windows ever again.

Can you buy this burnt mastic or do you make it yourself ? We have a barn that we want to convert and it has a dozen "arrow" slits we want to glaze, thisxstuff sounds ideal