Retrofit double glazing

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Retrofit double glazing

johno1234

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#311118 15-Dec-2023 17:07

We've bought a house, and one end of it is floor to ceiling, wall to wall glass, single glazed.

Don't want to spoil the look with curtains or blinds, and there's a gable peak which makes them problematic anyway.

Reglazing would be prohibitive. I suspect the retrofit stuff might be too...

Anyone have any experience, and comment on prices before I bother looking for quotes?

Thanks

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#3172165 15-Dec-2023 17:20

No matter what you expect it to cost, it will cost more! A window that size maybe you might want triple glazed. I don't think any DIY solution would work great for that situation.

mdf

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#3172167 15-Dec-2023 17:28

What are the window frames made of? Wood, aluminium, PVC? Wood and some (not really old) aluminium can be retrofitted relatively easily, so you're only paying for the glass + a bit of labour. If you need an entirely new frame, it will be more.

What style are the windows (i.e., how do they open, if at all). Double glazing is twice as heavy as single, so existing opening mechanisms may not be able to cope.

johno1234

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#3172168 15-Dec-2023 17:30

Sorry, not looking for DIY... but couldn't find a better forum to put this in.

Triple glazing is unlikely to be affordable. It would be cheaper to just get a bigger heat pump.

There are many businesses offering systems to add double glazing to the existing glass. That's what I'm hoping to hear about?

johno1234

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#3172169 15-Dec-2023 17:32

Existing joinery is wood. Wondering about this sort of thing:

https://www.magnetite.co.nz/

Here's what the glass looks like:

tweake

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#3172181 15-Dec-2023 19:45

johno1234:

Existing joinery is wood. Wondering about this sort of thing:

https://www.magnetite.co.nz/

Here's what the glass looks like:

the cheap addon double glazing will look really bad. the expensive stuff probably ok. i have heard of people using it with mixed results.

otherwise just crank up the heating. unfortunately this style of home with excessive glass is very very common.

Tinkerisk

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#3172213 16-Dec-2023 04:16

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itxtme

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#3172862 17-Dec-2023 23:24

A couple of thoughts, if you are going to double glaze do it properly. There is big benefits to be had for double glazing, especially when you combine the benefits of Low-e, thermal breaks, argon fill gas etc. The product you linked can do none of it.

You current ones just look like glass with timber beads or putty securing them (Fixed Widnows) I wander if you can get them replaced just with the double glazing only (not new joinery) into a modified surround that could take the depth of the glass. Probably need to talk to a glazier that does double glazing. Lovely courtyard by the way, I am a fan of the mid-century style of that wall out to the patio.

mdf

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#3172885 18-Dec-2023 08:44

+1 to the above. Are the windows glazed on the outside with putty or timber beads? They look like they would be a pretty straightforward job to fully double glaze properly (and straightforward helps though still might not make it cheap). At minimum, I think it would be worthwhile you getting a quote for the proper solution so you can compare properly against a retrofit DIY solution. You might like to contact your local Metroglass: https://www.retrodg.co.nz/timber-retrofit-double-glazing/. They're advertising free quotes but I think for you it would be as simple as the area of each pane of glass, at least to get an indicative price.

Eva888

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#3172895 18-Dec-2023 09:12

Agree with above to do it properly with glass. Large panels of poly carb are not rigid like glass and will bow in the middle unless very thick and heavy. Also unsure if they are available bigger than a standard sheet so you would have mullions at these intervals.

Poly carb is fine for smaller windows. I have a couple long gables done with it but they have crazed from the sun after many years. Mine were not magnetic but set into the inside of the frame with a cedar frame holding in the poly carb. Wasn’t too bad until the crazing happened. It was facing North so a lot of sun.

Friend had a large kitchen window retrofitted magnetically and it was problematic with condensation between the panes and it coming unstuck, likely because of the pane weight versus the magnet strength. They ended up removing it because of the concern of constant dampness affecting the sills.

Maybe a thermo film on the glass might be viable until proper double glazing is more affordable. I’d also be curious to hear if anyone has had decent results from this. Thinking of it as a safety feature for high windows. Was told that film is compliant where safety glass is now required but have not verified this.

MikeAqua

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#3172905 18-Dec-2023 09:23

You can get double glazed unit that can be fitted to wooden frames, provided the wood is thick enough.

Is magnetite the plastic magnetic 'double glazing' system? We got a quote for something like that. Surprisingly expensive, considering it's a bit of Heath Robinson product.

Like others, I would suggest you brace yourself and get proper double glazing (preferably triple glazing retrofitted). A bigger heatpump is cheaper, but windows are a one-off cost and heat pumps obviously have ongoing running and maintenance costs.

Mike

johno1234

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#3172923 18-Dec-2023 09:45

mdf:

+1 to the above. Are the windows glazed on the outside with putty or timber beads? They look like they would be a pretty straightforward job to fully double glaze properly (and straightforward helps though still might not make it cheap). At minimum, I think it would be worthwhile you getting a quote for the proper solution so you can compare properly against a retrofit DIY solution. You might like to contact your local Metroglass: https://www.retrodg.co.nz/timber-retrofit-double-glazing/. They're advertising free quotes but I think for you it would be as simple as the area of each pane of glass, at least to get an indicative price.

Will have to get back there to take a closer look. I think it is the original timber joinery from 1965, so likely to be putty?

I have access to the property tomorrow for a floor sanding quote, so will take a closer look at the existing joinery and measure it up.

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johno1234

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#3172924 18-Dec-2023 09:49

itxtme:

A couple of thoughts, if you are going to double glaze do it properly. There is big benefits to be had for double glazing, especially when you combine the benefits of Low-e, thermal breaks, argon fill gas etc. The product you linked can do none of it.

You current ones just look like glass with timber beads or putty securing them (Fixed Widnows) I wander if you can get them replaced just with the double glazing only (not new joinery) into a modified surround that could take the depth of the glass. Probably need to talk to a glazier that does double glazing. Lovely courtyard by the way, I am a fan of the mid-century style of that wall out to the patio.

Yes, it didn't take long to come to the conclusion that "proper" double glazing is the best option.

Thanks for your comment - it was the living spaces that really sold me on this place and DW is now on the lookout for mid century styled outdoor furniture to match :-/

TomHenshall

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#3172932 18-Dec-2023 10:03

We've just had a quote through a Veridian Glass supply in Auckland (North Shore) and the cost was ~$15,000 for about a dozen windows.

The plan was to cut the old windows out of our existing wooden frames and insert new glass in, add some draft excluder, foam beads.

johno1234

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#3172936 18-Dec-2023 10:18

TomHenshall:

We've just had a quote through a Veridian Glass supply in Auckland (North Shore) and the cost was ~$15,000 for about a dozen windows.

The plan was to cut the old windows out of our existing wooden frames and insert new glass in, add some draft excluder, foam beads.

Thanks. Roughly how many m2 of glass was that?

MikeAqua

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#3173344 19-Dec-2023 13:06

TomHenshall:

We've just had a quote through a Veridian Glass supply in Auckland (North Shore) and the cost was ~$15,000 for about a dozen windows.

The plan was to cut the old windows out of our existing wooden frames and insert new glass in, add some draft excluder, foam beads.

Something to check with that is that there is some sort of sealing of the any freshly exposed wood. Some people I know got this done and 18-months later they had rot where the timber touched the perimeter of new DG panes.

Mike

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