Hi again. I have found a company in France called Lapeyre who sell rather nice oak windows at affordable prices (as far as I can tell with my fracture francais that is). Has anyone here purchased items such as this from across the channel and if so how did it pan out? Their window furniture looks really nice and a much better selection that B&Q et al. Having said that I have not travelled over to see any of their stuff yet, I am basing all this on their catalogue pictures. I hope to go over for a combined Christmas booze and recce run later this month.
Good one, Andy. But here is a question about windows that has intrieged me ever since I came to this country: why are traditional sash window shutters on the inside? I mean go continental and you will see that shutters are outside to protect from the sun (no question here ;-) and wind&rain (big question!!). Then you look at some houses in my street and they have the shutters inside? I mean what is that, that is like putting the boxer shorts on after the trousers.
One window salesman has given me the nice version of the Europeans having all these wars, hence the shutters were really meant to protect from invasion. Now I have a hard time believing this as I do not buy the hypothesis that domestic violence is much higher in the UK...
I have always assumed that is to reduce draughts and improve insulation.
Older large houses, traditional Police stations and a few high security modern Police stations have heavy duty doors outside the main door, which are known as riot doors.
Lapeyre stuff is of good quality and usually well finished. You can order on the website and pick the stuff up at the Calais branch (just opposite Auchan on the road to Coquelles). I have two bathrooms equipped with their stuff.
Remember that French windows open inwards - and are weatherproofed and handled in that sense so they can't easily be fitted inside out. They will be a different size to standard UK openings and are intended to be fitted flush with the inner surface of the wall with the cill on the outside - there may be a rebate extending over the opening on the inside.
For general DIY stuff (and a bit cheaper than Lapeyre but not usually as good quality), I don't think you can beat Leroy-Merlin (next door to Auchan). They used to employ an English guy in Calais to handle queries from British customers but I don't think he's there any longer. If anything you want happens to be out of stock, there's a good chance they'll have it at either the Dunkerque or Boulogne branch (both around a 20 minute drive away) and they'll telephone ahead to check and reserve it for you if you ask.
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: >Chêne means "oak", BTW, not "dog". : : Good one, Andy. But here is a question about windows that has : intrieged me ever since I came to this country: why are traditional : sash window shutters on the inside? I mean go continental and you will : see that shutters are outside to protect from the sun (no question : here ;-) and wind&rain (big question!!). Then you look at some houses : in my street and they have the shutters inside? I mean what is that, : that is like putting the boxer shorts on after the trousers. : Hi Fred
One reason is that the shutters also act in lieu of curtains or blinds. This means that you can have the shutters closed at night and also have the windows open on the inside to allow ventilation on those warm summer nights.
But having witnessed a great many thunder storms with shutters closed outside and windows open inside I do not see the point. If you wanted to ventialte, surely it must be superior to have the shutters taking the brunt (blunt?) of the weather rather than previous glass. Even if you wanted to draft proof, protecting the glass from cooling down ought to be superior to trying to use a few timber boards aka shutter to insulate the windows from the inside. And security wise it's no contest. A proper shutter is very hard to force open without loud noise. In all fairness to UK traditions, it still leaves me utterly unable to give you a reason for shutters on the inside.
Speaking about windows, all continental windows open to the inside. The main difference it seems to me is the window board. In the UK, many of my friends use the window board for small items, continentals have to keep the boards free in order to open the windows. Also, with shutters outside, keeping rain away whilst having the window open is no worry as opposed to non-shutter windows here, hence the popularity of push-out replacement windows here.
The tilt&turn windows are supposed to be offering better ventilation (tilted) as the cold air creates the circulation, and they are easy to clean, whilst providing emergency exit. Now I would say that would I not but I think for anything but sash windows, continental windows are usually superior made and offer wonderful ventilation. Also, when there is sunshine you can make the window open all the way, hence catching every glimpse of it. Proper sashes of course cannot be beaten on character though.
I made the mistake of buying timber tilt&turn from an English window manufacturer based on Fairmitre joint a few years ago. They managed to combine the disadvantages of t&t and the poor make quality of cheap softwood windows. So if I wanted to do t&t again, I would be sure to go with French windows rather than English wannabees.
Forgive me for this rant about European windows, but the bloody cheap push out windows where only the top 20% opens out just drive me crazy. Their mechanism makes sure that I am the only moron in the household to be able to open them without a step ladder...
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