All Need To Know About Choosing Windows and Doors When Building An Extension

Choosing the Doors and Windows for your Extension

Most people won’t even consider the windows for their new extension. Double glazed, white PVCu is what the architect will design and that in most cases will be perfectly fine, particularly if they match your existing ones.

Similarly any door will probably be of the “sliding patio” or “French” variety because most extensions are at the back and we all like the idea of a nice wide exit into the garden.

You can (hopefully) also rely on the designer to specify safety glass where it is legally required, that the correct type of “K” glass is fitted, provision for mandatory ventilation is considered and if upstairs (particularly), the legal requirement for exit in a fire, has been allowed for.

Security is vital and PVCu units have it built in, but some PVCu door locking systems are downright annoying. It might be worth checking how “yours” will operate.

There’s lots of security info. on our “doors” link below.

Also softwood “2XG” doors, (that’s the standard “back door” design, with glass at the top and wood at the bottom) are horribly vulnerable.

The wooden bottom panel is usually no more than a few millimetres thick!

All these issues and a lot more, are explained and expanded upon in window replacements and new doors.

Have a little think about the following though, if you want to get away from the norm.

How about brown PVCu?

What about hardwood? That includes oak and elm as well as “mahogany”.

What about staining wooden ones, as opposed to painting them?

In a rustic setting, think about a “stable” door, or a “framed-ledged and braced” door.

Or if you want to go mad, how about a row of folding doors, that will allow you to open up the whole wall in the summer.

Why, with a bit of imagination, the whole world can be your lobster!