Steel windows add timeless aesthetic to Victorian town house

As part of the refurbishment of his own Victorian town house in Primrose Hill, North London, a property developer opted to replace a large ‘wall’ of sliding aluminium doors with an impressive contemporary screen formed of three pairs of steel doors manufactured and installed by Steel Window Association member, Steel Window Service and Supplies.

Fitted in an extension built some ten years ago to the lower ground floor as a kitchen, the doors now serve a study and open onto a patio area leading to the garden. While the original doors slid back to create a single large opening they were overly wide and ungainly. The new doors, although modern, are more in keeping with the style and proportions of the building, offering the timeless quality that steel windows can bring.

The doors are installed into a structural opening nearly 2.5m high and with a total width of over 4.5m. The three pairs of doors are divided by columns and have eight panels in each pair. Steel Window Service and Supplies provided the doors which were manufactured using W20 sections which provide narrow profiles and excellent sightlines. The steel frames were hot dip galvanised and finished in a factory-applied, maintenance free, polyester powder coating in anthracite. Aesthetically, they provide a crisp detail with the colour contrasting with the light coloured render of the walls in which they are set.

While the owner of the property had a strong idea of the look he wanted, Steel Window Service and Supplies were “very efficient and helpful throughout”. Members of the company’s staff visited site and helped refine the design in terms of the fenestration and proportions of the various elements and then produced detailed CAD drawings before the final design was signed off.

The old aluminium doors were stripped out early on in the refurbishment process and Steel Window Service and Supplies fitted the steel doors, installing temporary single glazing to ensure the site was secure while other work proceeded. At the end of the project they returned to fit the finished glazing and draught proofing and, at the same time, cleaned and adjusted the doors to ensure they opened and closed smoothly.

Importantly, the doors offer all the advantages that modern steel windows can bring: the thermal performance of double glazing units and moulded rubber draught proofing seals, coupled with precision locking which provides a good sense of security.