Wardgroup - Your No.1 choice for Glass and Glazing Services in Furness
Wardgroup supply and install windows and doors in UPVC, wood, aluminium and steel with self certification to FENSA regulations and membership of the double glazing and conservatory ombudsman scheme. UPVC frames can be supplied in white, simulated wood finishes or any RAL or British Standard colour. Similarly, steel and aluminum frames can be powder coated in RAL or BS colours. Thermal efficiency is improved by the use of technically advanced glass formulations and inert gas filling of double glazed units. Comfort and aesthetics are enhanced with low solar gain or tinted units and the use of self-cleaning glass.
Steel windows give slender sight lines and are particularly suited to historical and listed building in conservation areas and National Parks.
Other applications around the home cover glazed verandas, fascia boards, soffits, secondary glazing, security grills and shutters. Wardgroup are one of the few companies to offer a comprehensive service for the repair and replacement of locks, hinges, handles, friction stays, patio door rollers and the replacement of misted double glazed units. Mirrors are available in all types and sizes. Where required, artwork can be applied in the form of leading and coloured films. Such designs can be used in leaded glass, either as single glass panes or for incorporation into one leaf of a double glazed unit.
All types of commercial glazing are installed, including shop fronts, office windows, curtain walling, automatic door entry systems, disabled access door entry, balustrades etc. The workforce have attended specific inductions for many commercial and industrial clients but for general works on construction sites all are card holders under the Construction Skills Certification Scheme, CSCS.
Croslands Park, Barrow in Furness
This prestigious installation was designed to give maximum visibility of the garden from a new extension and an adjoining, high specification kitchen.
On the extension, this was achieved by fitting a Kawneer 1202 curtain walling grid with a raked head to follow the roof line. The grid was divided into six panes with the lower central pane made the maximum size, requiring a 12-man lift for installation. Two sets of Nova aluminium patio doors were fitted to the lounge and the kitchen, with the kitchen doors being 5500mm wide, split into three panels.
The client was delighted with the end result, which achieved the desired effect of an uninterrupted view of the garden.
Currys, Barrow-in- Furness
Wardgroup fitted a new shop front to the Currys store, following their corporate design guidelines. The main frame comprised a front elevation, two side return frames and an inner frame 2.4m behind the shop front, thus creating a vestibule for customer comfort and security. Both the inner and outer frames incorporated pairs of bi-parting automatic sliding doors.
Pye Motors, Kendal
This installation was designed to give an upmarket image to a garage forecourt and showroom, acquired by the Pye Motors Ford dealership in Kendal.
The curtain walling grid used double glazed units bonded to carrier frames to give the appearance of one big sheet of glass. The transition between the front elevation and the side elevation was faceted in four sections to give a curved corner. One pair of automatic bi-parting doors was incorporated in the grid to form the main entrance.
The client was very pleased with the finished job, which resulted in a modern, functional unit, following corporate guidelines.
The Dock Museum, Barrow-in-Furness
Ward Glass Ltd installed the original semi-conical roof of the Dock Museum in Barrow-in-Furness in late 1989/early 1990.
The Company has recently re-glazed the roof with the latest high performance units, using low emissivity glass on the inner pane and solar control glass, incorporating self cleaning properties on the outer pane.
While the work was in progress, the Dock Museum staff took the opportunity to gain access for a new exhibit. Additional glazing bars were removed and with Ward Glass acting as Project Managers, the iconic vessel White Rose, built in 1899, was lifted into position in the museum on a purpose built cradle. It is fitting that this beautiful, elegant vessel, which is part of Barrow’s maritime history, should now find a home in the Dock Museum.
Steel Windows
Steel windows bring a number of advantages and are particularly suited to the architectural requirements of historical and listed buildings in conservation areas and National Parks.
Appearance
It is possible to achieve equivalent structural integrity with reduced section thickness, giving rise to slender sight lines. This can be particularly important in buildings where there is a need to replicate the original facade.
Life Expectancy
Modern steel frames are invariably hot dip galvanised and in many instances frames are factory finished with powder coating. Treated in this way and with appropriate maintenance frames can last as long as the building itself.
Security
It is possible to achieve levels of security which meet or exceed the ‘Secured by Design’ standard. Apart from the glass/glazing units, one of the most vulnerable points of any glazing system is the attachment of the fittings. With steel frames it is possible to achieve enhanced security by attaching handles/hinges etc. with tapped, threaded connections.
Energy Conservation
With appropriate double-glazed units using low-E glass and argon filling, steel framed windows can be made to comply with Part L of the Building Regulations, thus meeting FENSA requirements.
However, there can be some relaxation of the standards for listed buildings and buildings of historical interest. There is often a need to discuss with the local Planning Authority potential compromises between improvements in energy conservation and a sympathetic treatment, which retains the character of the building’s fabric and fittings.