In South Africa the most common window types are either wood or aluminium, each has their own benefits that one needs to consider but we are firm believers that wooden windows are the superior product. Here are some of the reasons we believe meranti windows should be your first choice for renovated or newly built homes.

The beauty of nature

Wooden windows offer a natural aesthetically pleasing wood grain that cannot be matched by the cold touch of aluminium.   With our skilled craftsman shaping your windows into stunning designs that are unrivalled in quality and design.

Various Window Styles

Wooden windows offer a large variety of windows styles to match your architectural design and price point. We offer large full pane windows to the more traditional cottage pane windows and sliding sash windows as well as many more other window types.

Better Insulation

Wooden windows have far superior insulation properties that will keep your home much warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. This is because they allow less heat to pass through the window sash & frame then aluminium windows but also because the inside surface will be better insulated so will be much warmer if you’re sitting near the window. These greater insulation properties create high energy savings since you do not need to rely on your heaters or aircon as much. Nowhere better is this illustrated then in the Northern European countries such as Switzerland where all windows are made of wood to help insulate from the icy cold.

Easy Low Maintenance

One of the biggest complaints about wooden windows is maintenance, but since the introduction of water based sealers this is no longer an issue as they are far superior to varnish. If you treat the windows correctly with a good quality water based sealer such as Rystix you should only have to varnish or oil the windows every 4 years or so depending on the environment. As long as they are properly treated the windows should last a lifetime.

High Quality Wood

Not all timber types are equal when it comes to wooden windows. Doors Direct only uses high quality kiln dried meranti timber which will last far longer than pine windows as it is a solid hardwood.

Eco Friendly & Sustainable

Timber is a natural product that is one of the only renewable natural resources which is increasing its reserve sizes each year while aluminium on the other hand needs to be mined which strips the land of its natural resources and will not be renewed. Meranti windows have much smaller carbon foot print then steel or aluminium windows so it is much more environmentally friendly. 

Security that looks good to

With our patented Strongwood window technology you have an attractive security solution to traditional unsightly burglar bars that detract from the beauty of your home. Solid steel bars are encased in the solid meranti which extend the full length of the window. Click here to find out more.

So when it comes to deciding on your new windows choose wisely and choose wooden windows 

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The most important thing to bear in mind when installing door frames is to ensure that once your final floor levels are obtained, the inside height of the door frame remains as close as possible to your door height.  (A standard door is 2032 mm high.)

We often see doors which have had to be excessively trimmed to fit into a door frame.  The reason for this is normally that the contractor has not taken the final floor levels into consideration when building in the door frame, and he has buried the door frame into the screed and then tiled or laid carpets on top of this.  Whatever the original height of the door frame was, it is now effectively a lot smaller, because the door frame is now sunken into the floor, by sometimes as much as 75mm.  The only way to now fit the door is to trim the door by this amount.  This excessive trimming of the door reduces the structural integrity of the door. 

We recommend that when building in door frames, a 75mm nail is punched into the bottom of each of the door frame stiles.  This achieves three things. 

1. You can set the door frame to the correct height.
2. You can “plum” the door frame level by merely tapping on either side of the frame.
3. The door frame does not absorb moisture from the concrete through the exposed end grain.

 Another option is to order the door frames slightly longer than the doors. 

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Imagine how scary it would be to wake up in the middle of the night and realize an intruder has gained access to your home. Protecting against a break-in might mean investing in a professionally installed and monitored home security system, but that shouldn’t be the first step.

Begin by conducting your own home security check; after you’ve checked all of your home’s exterior doors for weak spots, move on to examine its windows.

Check ground-floor and basement windows

Ground-floor and basement windows are more likely to be targeted than those on the second floor, and deserve the most attention. The exception is those second-floor windows that can be easily accessed by a deck or other elevated structure outside the home.

Start your home security check by looking at your ground-floor windows from afar. Are they blocked by high shrubbery? Bushes give ideal cover for someone planning to break or force open a window; cut greenery back so that front windows are fully visible from the street.

Keep locks locked

Make sure all windows can be opened, closed, and locked with relative ease—and then remember to keep them locked whenever you’re not around. The biggest problem that occurs with windows is when home owners exit their home and leave windows wide open—and vulnerable.

In spring and fall, when daytime temperatures swing and windows are frequently opened and closed, get in the habit of locking windows as you shut them.

Install simple security devices

Add blocking devices to the most easily accessed windows so they can’t be opened from outside.

Wooden dowels placed in the track block windows that slide horizontally, and require no installation.

Steel locking pins (about R80 each), inserted in small holes that must be drilled through the frames, prevent vertically-sliding windows from being opened.

If you install a home security system later, the pros will install glass-break sensors on your most vulnerable windows.

Check garage windows

Garage windows are often forgotten—give them a home security check to make sure they’re securely locked. Install curtains or apply translucent security film on garage windows so that valuables aren’t readily visible. Thieves are more likely to attempt a break-in if they see items worth stealing.

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Source - House Logic

Our composite door frame combines all the strength and convenience of wood door frames with enhanced properties that make it moisture and insect resistant.

No longer have to worry about a steel door frame that will rust and is bulky to transport nor have to worry about a door frame that will absorb moisture and rot like wood.

4Everframe is a wood plastic composite door frame manufactured from recycled wood & pvc plastic.

These eco-friendly frames are also easier to store and transport as they can be clipped together on-site.

If you live in High-humidity, high-moisture environments or have extreme weather exposure areas 4Everframe can help you.

If you have specific environmental considerations – such as salt spray, high insect populations, or moss – then 4Everframe is right for you, because it has anti-insect, anti-fungal, and rot-resistant properties.

The 4Everframe can be painted or left in its natural brown wood colour. You treat 4Everframe just like a traditional door frame, it can be cut drilled or screwed and you hang your door on it identically to a timber frame.

4Everframe is the only wood plastic composite door frame available in South Africa and is sold exclusively through Doors Direct.

The future of door frames has arrived with 4Everframe.

Click here to buy online.

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Here are some tips for installing Wooden Windows that we have learnt over the last 35 years.

When installing timber windows, it is of the utmost importance, that the external plaster does not encapsulate the base of the window frame, as water will get in between the wood and the plaster, due to the different expansion coefficients of timber and plaster. This trapped water will be unable to escape, because of the DPC, and will cause the timber to ultimately rot. 

Make sure the wooden windows are the right way round.

When installing your windows, please ensure that they are not upside down or inside out. Check that the window frame is installed perfectly level and square, and make sure that the lintels have been propped up for at least two weeks, prior to the frame being installed. Remember that there should be a gap of between 5 & 10 mm between the top of the lintel and the top of the window frame. The lintel must not be resting on the frame.

Glazing Windows

When glazing meranti windows, you must ensure that before you fix the glazing beads back into wooden windows that you have sealed the glazing beads all round, taking particular care to thoroughly seal the end grain where the glazing bead has been mitered. Don’t forget to also seal the rebate on the window or door before fixing the glass. To prevent water leaking into the house, you must always glaze up against either silicone or putty. 

Forcing Windows Closed during construction

When visiting construction sites, we often come across windows which have been forced closed, not withstanding the fact that there is concrete or plaster in the rebate of the frame or sash. This has the effect of causing the sashes to warp and also causes the handles or stays to loosen. Please ensure that before attempting to close your windows, the inside of the frame and sash are free of any debris which could hinder the smooth operation of the window.

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